Another Way to Tell the War is Over: End of Lend-Lease

On August 21, 1945, 75 years ago, President Harry Truman ended the massive Lend-Lease program that shipped $50 billion in aid to Allies during World War II.

--GreGen

Floyd Welch, Pearl Harbor Survivor on the USS Maryland, Dies at Age 99-- Part 1

From the August 18, 2020, West Hawaii  "Floyd Welch, survivor of Pearl Harbor, dies at 99" by Pat Eaton-Robb.

Floyd Welch, who is credited with saving  the lives of fellow sailors in the attack, has died at age 99 on August 17 in East Lyme, Connecticut.

He was born in February 1921 in Burlington, Connecticut and was serving on the USS Maryland that December 7, 1941.

He said he was coming out of the shower when he heard the first alarm and later the explosions from bombs and torpedoes.  Coming deckside, he saw a raging fire and the USS Oklahoma, tied up next to the Maryland, was turned over.  He first started helping pull Oklahoma survivors out of the water.

"By using blueprints of the Oklahoma, so as not to burn into a fuel void, we began the long and extremely difficult process of  cutting holes through the bottom steel plates of the Oklahoma," he said in his remembrance of the battle.  "When we could see the planes coming, we would try to find cover.  We would cut near where we heard the trapped crewmen tapping.  In all, I believe 33 men from the Oklahoma were rescued through these holes."

--GreGen

75 Years Ago Today Was V-J Day, the Real End of World War II

From Wikipedia.

Victory Over Japan Day (also known as V-J Day, Victory in the Pacific Day, or V-P Day) is the day Imperial Japan surrendered in World War II, in effect, bringing that war to an end.

The term is applied to both days in which the initial announcement of the end of the war was made --  August 15, 1945, in Japan, and, because of time zone differences, August 14, 1945, when it was announced in the United States.  It also applies to September 2, 1945, when the official surrender document was signed.

The long nightmare was finally over.

--GreGen

Death of One of Nevada's Last Two Pearl Harbor Survivors, Leonard Nielsen, 98-- Part 1

From the August 12, 2020, Las Vegas (Nevada) Review-Journal.

November 30, 2018 Veterans Reporter News.

He died on August 9, 2020.

Mr. Nielsen joined the Navy in 1940 and trained at San Diego.  Upon completion of boot camp, he was assigned to the USS Arizona and sailed to  Pearl Harbor where he was transferred to the heavy cruiser  USS Pensacola where he was a ship-fitter (a sailor who made underwater repairs to the hull of the ship).

On November 30, 1941, the Pensacola left Pearl Harbor to transport Marines to Midway Island, but he had gotten sick and remained at Pearl and had an emergency appendectomy on the hospital ship USS Solace four days before the attack. He was still on that ship on December 7.

And, he had quite the view of the unfolding carnage.  "The wave after wave of Japanese planes never seemed to stop," he said.  "What startled me most  was seeing a Jap plane fly by so close I could clearly see the pilot's face."

--GreGen

McHenry's Keep the Spirit of '45 Alive 2020 Commemoration-- Part 2: Come On, We need More Publicity About the Event

I just found out about the ceremony the night before it took place this past Sunday, August 9.  We were at Sunnyside Tavern in Johnsburg, Illinois, when my buddy Mark showed a copy of the commemoration events.  I knew right then I was going to attend.  Again, it is something I do in remembrance of what truly was the Greatest Generation (which is also my sign-off for this blog, GreGen in case you're wondering) and it is so sad to see them leaving us at such high numbers these days.  Even the youngest WW II veterans are around 95.

This year, instead of all the ceremony taking place at Veterans Park in McHenry as it has always done before, there was to be a flagpole and flag dedication at four local cemeteries which did not have them.  It was to take place one after the other from 10 am to 1 pm.

I made the mistake of not writing the times and places down as I figured I'd have no problem finding this information on the computer at home.

BIG MISTAKE

I should have known better.  Even though this is a really large ceremony, one of if not the very largest in the state and country (where sadly the vast majority of towns and cities have nothing), there is very little publicity of any sort.  Every year, I have a difficult time finding out any particulars about it.  But, at least I knew where it would be.

But, this year it was a moving commemoration and I needed to know where and at what time it would be.

I checked Yahoo Search, but only found information about the past nine or ten years.  Nothing for 2020.  This event is put on by McHenry's three veterans organizations:  the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars and Polish Legion of American Veterans.  So I checked their websites.  Nothing.  Then I checked the City of McHenry and McHenry County websites, but again, nothing.

--GreGen

McHenry's Keep the Spirit of '45 Alive Ceremony-- Part 1: Dedicated to Uncle Delbert and Roy S. Hume

McHenry, Illiniois, commemorated the end of World War II yesterday for the 11th straight time.  Only this year it was different.  The first ten times the ceremony was held in Veterans Park downtown and the guests of honor were originally the World War II veterans (but now has been extended to the Korean War veterans).

They had special seats near the gazebo bandstand where a Big Band played before and afterwards.  Speeches were given by various politicians and commanders of veteran organizations.  McHenry has three of these:

American Legion
VFW
Polish Legion of American Veterans

Each veteran had their name read and branch of service, years served and something about their service.  Then there was a rifle salute by the Combined Veterans Honor Guard and white doves were released.  American flags were all over the park.

It is a striking ceremony and one that I have attended the last eight years.  But this year, I almost didn't get to go to it.  I wasn't even sure they were going to have it.  The ceremony is always scheduled for the second Sunday in August.  This is also the same day that Johnsburg's St. John the Baptist Church has their Parish Fest.  We always go to that as well, then I leave early and drive over to Veterans Park.

With the coronavirus this year, Parish Fest was canceled and I figured the Keep the Spirit of '45 Alive was as well.  With the advancing ages of our WW II and Korean War veterans, having their presence at a ceremony, even one outside did not seem to be a good idea.  But on Saturday night I found they were going to have it.

I will dedicate this year's Keep the Spirit of '45 Alive to my Uncle Delbert, who was a member of the 101st Airborne and at the Battle of the Bulge where he and one other member were the only two in his company to survive unscathed.

I also dedicate this to my buddy Mark's dad, Roy S. Hume, USN, who served on board the aircraft carrier USS San Jacinto along with a young officer named George H.W. Bush.

--GreGen

The Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki-- Part 1: "Prompt and Utter Destruction"

From Wikipedia.

The United States detonated two atomic bombs over the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August 6, 1945, and August 9, 1945, respectively.  The two bombings, between them, killed  between 129,000 and 226,000 people. most of them civilians.    These two bombings remain the only two times atom bombs have been used in conflict.

In the final year of World War II, the Allies were preparing for what surely was to be a very costly invasion of the Japanese homeland.  The undertaking was preceded by a conventional firebombing campaign which devastated 67 Japanese cities.

The war in Europe had ended May 8 with the German surrender.  Now the Allies turned their attention to Japan.  They called for an unconditional Japanese surrender of their armed forces under the terms of the Potsdam  Declaration on July 26, 1945.  If they did not, the Allies promised "prompt and utter destruction."

The Japanese fought on despite the ultimatum and dire warning.

--GreGen

Today Is Also "Keep the Spirit of '45 Alive"

This is a day to honor World War II veterans (and now Korean War veterans) as it also marks the anniversary of the end of World War II.

And, I went to one of the ceremonies where four new flagpoles and U.S. flags were dedicated in cemeteries in and around McHenry, Illinois.

The flagpoles were given by a family, with construction donated by a local company and a year's worth of large U.S. flags donated by the McHenry American Legion.

I have been to this commemoration in McHenry for the last eight years.

I was afraid it wasn't going to be held this year because of you-know-what.

--GreGen

75 Years Ago Today: Nagasaki

Seventy-five years ago today, the United States dropped the second atom bomb on Japan.  This time on he city of Nagasaki.

The dropping of these two bombs finally made the Japanese government realize the futility of further resistance and World War II end a few days later.

--GreGen

Death of Pearl Harbor Survivor Phillip G. Tveten, 99

From the April 16, 2020, Cavalier County (ND) Republican.

Died April 9, 2020, in his sleep.

Born October 28, 1920, on his family farm in Hatton, N.D..  Went to elementary school in a one-room schoolhouse and graduated from Hatton High School in 1938.  Enlisted in U.S. Navy  in December 1939 and went through training at Great Lakes Naval Training Station and was assigned the the battleship USS West Virginia.

He was on it during the December 7, 1941, attack which he survived and spent the rest of the war serving on destroyers in the Pacific.    He was on the USS Henley (DD-391) when it was sunk by a torpedo off the coast of New Guinea in October 1943 and spent six hours in the water before rescue.

The rest of the war he was on the USS Leutze (DD-481).  Aboard this ship, he survived a kamikaze hit that resulted in 38 casualties and put the ship out of commission for the remainder of the war.

Mr. Tvetin was discharged from the Navy in December 1945.

Quite a Naval Record.  --GreGen

75 Years Ago Today: Hiroshima

Seventy-five years ago a single bomb was dropped on Hiroshima and its detonation and another one a few days later ended World War II.  The atom bombs.

They were a horrible weapon without a doubt and it is my belief that had they not been dropped, the capture of Japan would have resulted in even more deaths than those two blasts.  And, I am talking about both Japanese lives and American ones.

I have no doubt that the Japanese were prepared to fight to the last man, woman and child.  And that is considering they no longer really had the ability to win the war or stop the Americans.  American casualties would have been a minimum of 100,000 and perhaps many more.

So, as bad as their use was, it ended the war right away and that was a good thing.

--GreGen

Lt. John Fox, Black Medal of Honor Recipient

Last week I wrote in my Civil War II: The Continuing War on the Confederacy blog that one person thinks one of the Army bases named after a Confederate should be renamed for this man.  I'd never heard of him so looked him up in good ol' Wikipedia, and would have to say he would be a worthy person to name the base after in his honor.

From Wikipedia.

JOHN R. FOX  (May 18, 1915-December 26, 1944)

United States Army 1st lieutenant  who was killed in action after calling in artillery fire on the enemy during World War II.  In 1997, he was awarded the nation's  highest military decoration for valor, the Medal of Honor,, for his actions on December 26, 1944, in the vicinity of Sommocolonia, Italy.

Fox and six other Blacks who served during World War II were awarded the Medal of Honor by President Clinton on January 13, 1997,  in a ceremony at the White House.  The seven recipients were the first and only Black Americans  to be awarded the Medal of Honor  for World War II service.

This is considering that 25 Blacks received the Medal of Honor in the Civil War (including one at Fort Fisher).  Eighteen received the medal during the Indian Wars, six during the Spanish-American War and two during World War I.

Personally, i would like to see recommendations for the Medal of Honor opened again for deserving Blacks from World War II.

How So Few Blacks Were Awarded Medals of Honor Just Doesn't Sound Right.  --GreGen

Closed Due to Confederadication

Sadly, I am going to have to close this blog down to devote efforts to my  Civil War II:  The Continuing War on the Confederacy blog.  As some time in the future, when the current move to eradicate any and all things Confederate from the United States ends or slows down, I will start this one up first.  But right now, just way too many things are happening to Confederate monuments and all things Confederate and I am trying to keep up with it.

On average, I come across 20-30 headlines from the media about what is happening and with eight blogs, I don't have enough time to devote to the topic.  I have already closed down two other blogs.

I am calling this move by certain groups and politicians Confederadication.  The name just came to me as I was typing a story.  It combines the words Confederate and eradication.  They are trying, and accomplishing, the elimination of all things Confederate.

I had been looking for a term for this statue/flag mess and had been using Confederate Haters, but that just didn't have the right ring to it.   I just dropped the "te" at the end of Confederate and added "dication"  and there was the word.

So, Until Some Future Date, Good Reading.

--GreGen

About the Hoback Boys-- Part 7: The Bible

Raymond was never found.    Several of his company mates subsequently reported seeing him lying on the beach near the water's edge, whether wounded or dead they did not know.

What is clear is that he, along with dozens  others like him, was taken by the tide into the sea.

A word now about Providence, which manifested itself in the form of a package that arrived at our house a few days later.  It was a book sent by a soldier from W. Virginia, who had landed a day after Raymond had gone ashore.

"While walking on the beach on D-Day plus one (June 7),  he wrote, "...I came upon this Bible, and as most any person would do, I picked it up from the sands to keep it from being destroyed."  It was the Bible my mother had given to Raymond for Christmas in 1938.  It was her only tangible connection to her missing son.

She treasured it for the rest of her life, as I treasure it today.

This Story Puts It in Perspective.  --GreGen

About the Hoback Boys-- Part 6: Then Came Telegram No. 2

We were over the freezer (ice cream-maker) cranking away when here was another knock-- another telegram.

"The War Department regrets," the too familiar preamble read, "to inform you that your son, Staff Sgt. Raymond Samuel Hoback is missing in action."

Mom and Dad were overcome with grief and I along with them.

To this moment I can remember nothing else that happened that day.

Time simply stopped.

Two brothers Gone.  --GreGen

About the Hoback Boys-- Part 5: "Family After Family Struggled to Absorb the Blow"

When the company left town in 1941, more than a hundred boys left with it, but by 1944, as a function of reassignments and such, only 35 of them remained in the company, which had been brought up to strength with soldiers from all over the country.

Bedford had been one of the 35.

Throughout the rest of that Sunday, telegrams were delivered all around town, and family after family struggled to absorb the blow.

The next day, in our childish way, my sister Rachel and I thought we might cheer folks up by making them some ice cream.

And, then.  More bad news.

Losing one son and brother is bad enough, but....

--GreGen

About the Hoback Boys-- Part 4: "An Unexpected Knock Came Through the Door"

This account by Lucille Hoback Boggess (Bedford and Raymond's sister) certainly brings out the humanity side of the war.

One Sunday in mid-July (July 15, 1944) everyone was getting dressed to go across the road to church.  An unexpected knock came through the door, and my father opened it to the sheriff.  Looking pained and mumbling a few words to Dad, the sheriff  handed him a piece of paper-- a telegram.

"The War department regrets to inform you," it began, "that your son, Pvt. Bedford Turner Hoback has been killed in action."

The news that  everyone in town had been expecting, had been dreading, was finally here.

It was here-- in our house.  Our house.  We were stunned.

Scarcely comprehending the loss but painfully aware of my parents' grief, I watched my mother's tears begin, and my own followed.

--GreGen

About the Hoback Boys-- Part 3: "Our Concern Became Fear, and Fear, Finally Became Nightmare"

In June of 1944, I had finished my freshman year, I was looking forward to spending large chunks of the summer at Bedford County Lake, and I was a long way from the frontlines.

A few days into the month, though, we learned that our boys were on them.  We did not know who was where or how anyone was, but our faith was strong and our hopes remained high.

In the weeks following D-Day, we heard reports of fierce fighting  as the Allies moved deeper into France.  What we did not hear was any news  about the Bedford company, or from Raymond or Bedford (her brothers).

We were concerned, and as the days passed, our concern became  fear, and fear, finally, a nightmare.

--GreGen

About the Hoback Boys-- Part 2: The Bedford Boys

Raymond received a Bible from my mother as a Christmas gift when he was eighteen.  Receiving your own Bible  was to undergo a rite of passage, and we took it seriously.  Raymond certainly did, and he kept his Bible close at hand.  I know he took it with him when the Bedford company mobilized in 1941.

Before the mobilization, the company would go off to this or that army camp to train for a week or two.  When they came back from the end of  maneuvers, everyone would turn out to welcome them home.  One of my strongest memories is the joy in the faces of those boys  as they climbed off the trucks, because they knew their lives could get back to normal.

Once the company mobilized, though, the boys did not come back except as individuals whenever they could get a pass or furlough.  Their joy of coming home was real enough, but the army a greater reality.

After Pearl Harbor, so was the war.

--GreGen

About the Hoback Boys-- Part 1: Why They Joined the National Guard

From the  DDay.org site.  National D-Day Memorial.

Bedford and Raymond Hoback were one of 33 sets of brothers fighting together on the beaches of D-Day, June 6, 1944.  Of those 33 sets, three were sets of brothers from Bedford, Virginia.  (the Stevens twins and Powers boys).    They were part of Company A, 116th Regiment,  29th Infantry Division.

This is the story as told by Mrs. Lucille Boggess, sister of Raymond and Bedford.

My two brothers, Bedford and Raymond,  joined the National Guard, but the attraction was not financial.  The thing that drew them-- drew Bedford anyway-- was the idea of service.  He believed in it.  I should tell you that when Bedford joined the National Guard, he was no boy.

He found military service to be something he wanted to do-- not full time, of course, but once every few days it felt pretty good.  I think he liked the order the military represented, its discipline, teamwork, and fellowship.

Raymond's  motivation may not have been so well informed, but I must tell you that he too-- was a man.  Although four years younger than Bedford, he was not a kid, but he did have a kid brother's admiration  of his older brother, and that is probably why he came to the Guard.  And I think he liked to dress up in his uniform--  he liked to look and feel like a soldier.

--GreGen