Air Raid Practice in DeKalb, Illinois, in 1943

From the May 30, 2018, MidWeek (DeKalb County, Illinois)  "Looking Back."

1943, 75 Years Ago.

"Emphasizing that Illinois must prepare for around-the-clock bombing, DeKalb Civilian Defense Council members will be routed out of bed at 5:30 o'clock in the morning on May 25.

"This will be the fourth of a series of monthly mobilization exercises that will climax in July under air raid and surprise conditions."

Never Know When Illinois Will be Attacked.  --GreGen

84th Infantry Division-- Part 2: In the Thick of the Fighting At the End

The division saw its first combat in November during Operation Clipper at Geilenkirchen, Germany.  They took Geilenk 19 November.  they saw further fighting before moving to Belgium to help stop the German winter offensive in what became known as the Battle of the Bulge.

There, the division battled snow, sleet and rain as well as very cold temperatures and near constant German attacks.

When that ended, they crossed the Roer River and took two cities and then crossed the Niers and then Rhine rivers.

On 1 April the 84th captured Hanover, then 13 April reached the Elbe River and finally met Soviet troops 2 May 1945.  They liberated two Nazi satellite concentration camps.

After the surrender, the 84th did occupation duty and returned to the United States 19 January 1946.

Casualties during time in European Theater:

Total:  7,260   KIA: 1,284,  WIA: 5,098, MIA:  129, POW: 749.

Days in combat: 170.

--GreGen

84th Infantry Division-- Part 1: "The Railsplitters"

In the last posts in May, I wrote about the two Indiana World War II veterans, Vernon Clark and Acie Shaffer.  I do not think Vernon Clark was in this division since he was in the Pacific Theater and I found no mention of the 84th being there.

From Wikipedia.

The division had been in service during World War I, but saw no action.

It's nickname is "The Railsplitters."

It was activated on October 15, 1942, at Camp Howze, Texas, 60 miles north of Dallas.  The men embarked in September 1944, arrived in the United Kingdom 1 October and received additional training.  They landed at Omaha Beach from November 1-4, 1944 and moved to the Netherlands.

--GreGen

Not Likely That Acie Shaffer and Vernon Clark Both In 84th Infantry

I looked up the 84th Infantry Division in Wikipedia.

The unit was called "The Railsplitters" and their patch showed an axe on a tree.

However, the unit fought in Europe and Vernon Clark dealt with the Japanese.

--GreGen

Vets Celebrate Soldier's 100th Birthday-- Part 3: WW II Vet Acie Shaffer

The day of the party, the Golden Rule facility had a total of 21 World War II veterans living there.

One of them was 94-year-old Acie Shaffer, who served in the same outfit, the 84th Infantry Division, known as "The Railsplitters," as Clark.

Their paths never crossed at the time though, but they've become good friends at the facility.

Mr. Shaffer had his own brush with death.  While fighting to turn back the last major German offensive in the war in the winter 1944-45, he found himself in the middle of heavy fire.  Said Mr. Shaffer:  "About 4 o'clock in the morning, they moved a bunch of stuff in on us.  And one of them 60 mm mortars dropped right beside me.

"If it hit just two or three inches over, it would have, it would have blown my rib cage, but that old elbow saved me."

That "old elbow" never healed properly and the day of the party it remained under wrap.

Then, Shaffer talked about how he and his brother joined the Army and his brother was recruited into the 101st Airborne.  "That rascal made 17 jumps and never got a damn scratch," he laughed.

--GreGen

Vets Celebrate Soldier's 100th Birthday-- Part 2: Almost Killed Twice

Vernon Clark was almost killed twice in World War II.

Once he was at a meeting on a boat carrying troops when Japanese planes suddenly appeared.  One of the planes caught fire and then the pilot came directly at his ship.  They said they had to hit the deck.  While there, they could feel the heat of the plane across their backs as it passed over.

The second time he survived when a sniper's aim was just off, putting three bullets into the wall behind him.  His son remembers him telling him that he was lucky the guy was such a bad shot.

Vernon Clark's grandsons interviewed him and his answer to whether he had ever killed anyone was quite frank:  "When it happens it's something that you realize you had to do.  You wish you you hadn't had to do it, but it was where you were at and what was going on.  It was what had to be done.  But it will make you like -- even though you know you had to do it --  that you don't ever have want to have that feeling again, but you know you will."

--GreGen

Vets Celebrate Soldier's 100th Birthday-- Part 1: Fought in Two Wars

From the May 28, 2018, Indy-Star by Jason Truitt, Richmond Palladium-Item.

On Monday afternoon in mid May a crowd gathered at the Golden Living Center in Richmond, Indiana.  They were there to celebrate World War II veteran Vernon Clark's 100th birthday, even though it really isn't until August 2.

However, he survived two wars and nearly a century of living.  Vernon served twenty-eight years in the U.S. Army, Army National Guard and Army reserve.

He did two tours of duty during World War II and then as a medical technician in Korea, "just like you see in MASH units" doing triage, minor wound dressing and minor surgeries.

He almost died twice in World War II.

--GreGen

USS Detroit-- Part 5: At Pearl Harbor and Japanese Surrender

After repairs, the Detroit patrolled off the west coast of South America.

Then it acted as the flagship of the support group for a fast carrier group which she did until the end of the war.

The Detroit entered Tokyo Bay September 1, 1945, and was one of just two ships to be present at both the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor as well as the Japanese surrender.  (The other ship was the battleship USS West Virginia.)

Then, the ship stayed for the occupation of Japan and then returned U.S. servicemen home in Operation Magic Carpet.

She was decommissioned in Philadelphia 11 January 1946 and sold for scrap 27 February.

--GreGen

USS Detroit-- Part 4: Action in the Aleutians

In September 1942, the USS Detroit escorted two convoys to American Somoa and on one of those rescued the crew of a downed PBY.

On 10 November 1942, the Detroit was sent to Aleutian islands in Alaska to prevent Japanese invasion.  While there, she served as the flagship of the fleet.  On several occasions the ship bombarded Japanese positions.

It remained there until 1944 and then went to Bremerton, Washington, for needed repairs.

--GreGen

USS Detroit-- Part 3: Looking for the Japanese

Only nine of the crew members were injured in the attack.

Once clear of Pearl Harbor, the Detroit joined the light cruisers Phoenix and St. Louis and two destroyers and began patrolling Oahu's west coast for a possible Japanese invasion.''Later, they joined ships advancing against the Japanese fleet as it returned home.

The Detroit returned to Pearl Harbor December 10 and then did convoy duty between the harbor and the U.S. West Coast.  On one voyage the USS Detroit took nine tons of gold and twelve tons of silver which had been evacuated from the Philippines.

--GreGen

USS Detroit-- Part 2: Able to Get Underway at Pearl Harbor

It spent its first eight years as part of the U.S. Scouting Fleet in the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea.  It assisted the USAAS's first aerial circumnavigation of the world in 1924 and transported Secretary of State Frank B. Kellogg in 1927 from Ireland to France for negotiations which eventually led to the Kellogg-Briand Pact.

It was homeported in San Diego from 1931 to 1941 when it was moved to Pearl Harbor for home base.

It was moored next to her sister ship, the USS Raleigh and the ex-battleship USS Utah when the Japanese attacked.  The other two ships were hit the hardest and the Detroit was able to get underway.and downed several Japanese planes.

--GreGen

USS Detroit-- Part 1: Was At Pearl Harbor

I have been writing about the six ships named USS Detroit in the U.S. Navy in my Cooter's History Thing Blog.  One of the ships was from the War of 11812, another from the Civil War and another from the War of 1812.  The fourth one was in World War II so I will go into more detail about it here.

This on is of particular interest as it was one of only a few ships at Pearl Harbor able to get underway during the attack on December 7, 1941.

From Wikipedia.

The fourth USS Detroit was an Omaha-class light cruiser, originally a class designated as scout cruisers.

It was 555-feet long, has a 55-foot beam with a speed of 35 knots.  Its main armament varied much during the ship's career, but at one time the main battery was ten six-inch guns.  During peace-time, the ship had 29 officers and 429 enlisted.

--GreGen

Some More on the 2017 Pearl Harbor Ceremonies

From the December 8, 2017, Military News.  Hampton Roads.  "Pearl Harbor services remembrance ceremony."

The Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story held their annual Pearl Harbor service.

Paul Moore, the last remaining local member of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association Tidewater #2 attended.

--GreGen

Oldest World War II Veteran Turns 112: Richard Overton

From the Greatest Generation Foundation.

Richard Overton, the oldest U.S. World War II veteran, turned 112 on May 11 (born 1906).  He is the oldest verified World War II veteran and also the oldest man in the  United States.

He was inducted into the Army at Fort Sam Houston on September 3, 1940, and served in the South Pacific from 1940 to 1945.  Since he is a black man, he served in a segregated unit during the war.

He lives in Austin, Texas, and cites cigars, Dr. Pepper and coffee for his longevity.  He also likes his coffee whiskey-infused.

Sounds Like Quite a Character.  Happy Birthday Mr. Overton.

--GreGen

Pearl Harbor Day Ceremony-- Part 3: Sinking of the USS Luce Still "Branded In My Soul"

This took place December 7, 2017, in Ocala, Florida.

JAMES PHILLIPS

On May 4, 1945, his ship, the USS Luce. was "sunk in five minutes" by a kamikaze attack while on picket duty near Okinawa.  Mr. Phillips recalls his shipmates dying.

He was 21 at the time.

"(The sinking) is branded in my soul.  I can still hear the cries of the wounded."

Also honored at the ceremony was HEMMETT BOWEN JR.

He was a Medal of Honor winner who died saving his comrades by throwing himself on a grenade in the Vietnam War.

--GreGen

Pearl Harbor Day Ceremony-- Part 2: One At Pearl Harbor, One in France

Continued from May 17.

JACK EDGE was in sick bay of the USS Pelias (AS-14), a submarine-tender.  Instead of getting an emergency appendectomy, he went on the deck and used a phone to direct gunfire from his ship.

DOUG OSWALD, 94, a native of Marianna, graduated from Marianna High School in 1942 and went to the University of Florida for one semester then joined the Army.  he trained as a combat engineer but when he arrived in England his outfit's equipment had been misdirected and he ended up serving as an infantryman.

He was six miles from the Rhine River in fox holes near Strasbourg, France, in the December 1944 Battle of the Bulge.  Their outer jackets were frozen and they were pinned down by mortar fire during the day.

He was sent out as part of a five-man patrol at midnight February 5, 1945.  The moon shone between parted clouds and one of the patrol was shot and killed and another stepped on a land mine.  Mr. Oswald was wounded in his shoulder and was sent to Paris for surgery.  Later, he was transferred to Belgium.

He served as Ocala.s mayor in 1976 and 1977.

--GreGen

Fort Eustis, Va., in the War

I wrote about Fort Eustis in my Not So Forgotten Blog: War of 1812, because it was named after War of 1812 veteran Abraham Eustis who eventually became a brevet brigadier general and was the first commander of Fort Monroe.

To find out about it, click on the Not So Forgotten War of 1812 in the My Blogs section to the right of this.

--GreGen

WW II Vets Honored At Pearl Harbor Day Ceremony-- Part 1

From the December 9, 2017, Ocala (Fla.) Today by Andy Fillmore.

The ceremony was held Saturday.  JACK EDGE, 93, is a Pearl Harbor survivor.  he was in the U.S. Navy from 1941-1950.

Three other World War II vets were also honored.

Navy Chief JAMES PHILLIPS survived his ship being sunk by Japanese kamikazes though 200 of his crew mates died.

Former Ocala Mayor DOUG OSWALD  survived freezing conditions and was wounded on a night patrol.

--GreGen

Pearl Harbor Survivors Recognized in Nebraska and Iowa

From the December 6, 2017, Omaha (Neb) World Herald  "Pearl Harbor Survivors, Heroes Recognized At Events in Nebraska, Iowa" by Steve Liewer.

There living Pearl Harbor Survivors:

William Barsell, of Wahoo, was at the Navy barracks ashore.

Ed Guthrie, of Omaha, was on the USS Whitney

Melvin Kennedy, of Grand Island, was on the  USS Riegel.

The family of Lt. jg Aloysaus Schmittm, a Catholic chaplain from Dubuque, Iowa, will receive a posthumous Silver Star.  He was below deck on the USS Oklahoma as it capsized and let 12 other sailors go before him and escape through a small porthole.  This cost him his life.

He was one of the Oklahoma unknowns until DNA identified his remains and he was buried in Dubuque 14 months ago.

--GreGen

Quincy Pearl Harbor Survivor Says People Shouldn't Forget

From the December 7, 2017, Patriot Ledger (Mass.) "People shouldn't forget says Quincy survivor of Pearl Harbor" by Zane Razzaq.

Bill Keith, 95, is among the last Pearl Harbor survivors in the state of Massachusetts.  One Dec. 7, 1941, he was a 19-year-old on the USS West Virginia.  he managed to escape his sinking ship when sailors managed to open a hatch.

He was supposed to spend the day relaxing, but didn't get much of it.

After the attack, he attended corpsman school in South Dakota.

--GreGen