USA > Indiana > Lake County > History Of Veterans Of Foreign Wars (1944) > Part 13
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FLOYD CLAVIER LISTED KILLED
Hammond Times, July 29, 1943
This is Plc. M. Adams Story on Page 124
F. Clavier
Mrs. Pearl Clavier, 623 Truman street, Hammond, yesterday received a war depart- ment telegram reporting the death of her son, Pvt. Floyd L. Clavier, 27, in the north African area on June 22.
A letter containing further information will follow within a few days, the message said. Pvt. Clavier was inducted into army service in March last year. He was trained at Camp Claiborne, La., and at Fort Bragg, N. C., before transfer overseas in April this year.
Before entering the armed forces, the Ham- mond serviceman was employed at the Great Lakes warehouse, Hammond. Two brothers, Darroll, 37, and Wilbur, 21, are expecting army induction soon. Also surviving are three sisters, Mrs. Claude Crum of Hammond, Mrs. Harold Phelps of Walkerton, Ind., and Mrs. Wayne Samuel of Florida, and two other brothers, Melvin and Walter of Hammond.
PARATROOPER WILLIAMS IN AFRICA Hammond Times, July 19, 1943
Pvt. Chester Williams, son of Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert Williams, 6743 Arkansas avenue, Hammond, is in North Africa with paratroop units, his parents have been informed. Before entering service, Pvt. Williams was employed by the Gincella company in East Chicago. His brother, Pvt. Clarence, is at Camp Swift, Tex.
funeral services tentatively set for that time. Besides his parents and widow, Bonner is survived by a six-months-old daughter.
Page One Hundred Twenty-three
Pfc. Adams Cited for Extraordinary Courage
Hammond Times, July 29, 1943
This is F. Clavier Story on Page 123
Pfc. M. Adams
A citation doesn't heal a hand grenade wound, but it was the best way the buddies and officers of Marine Pfc. Elton Marlin Adams, 47 Doty street, Hammond, could show him how much they thought of him.
Just 19 years old, Pfc. Adams let a live hand grenade explode in his pocket rather than risk its going off in the middle of a marching col- umn of marine raiders near the Tenaru river on Guadalcanal last Nov. 24.
In citing him "for extraordinary courage and exceptional presence of mind while on patrol, near the Tenaru river," Adams' com- manding officer, Lt. Col. Evans F. Carlson, said:
In the course of the patrol, a safety pin on a hand grenade located in the pocket of his trousers became loose and fell out, arming the grenade. Without hesitation, he dashed away from the column, at the same time yelling, "Keep away! Hand grenade going off," and attempting to pull the grenade out of the pocket.
"The grenade exploded before Adams could throw it clear, severely wounding him. His presence of mind and instantaneous action in leaving the column undoubtedly saved a num- ber of other men from being wounded or killed."
Pfc. Adams, son of Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Adams, was graduated from Hammond high school and was employed at the American Steel foundries in Hammond before enlisting. In a recent letter home, he reported that the incident of the hand grenade left him with two wounds in his left leg, two in the left hip, and one each in his left arm and shoulder. One of his earlier messages had been type- written by a Red Cross nurse because he was still unable to write, his mother said.
He also added, as if he had almost forgotten to mention it, that he had been awarded the Purple Heart decoration, which he said he would forward to his family as soon as pos- sible. The Purple Heart is one of the highest awards given to men wounded while on active duty in enemy territory.
The young marine, known better as "Mar- lin" to Hammond friends, enlisted in the marine corps on Dec. 17, 1941, just 10 days after the attack on Pearl Harbor and just four days after he had informed his mother of his decision to join.
She remembers, with a smile, that she per- suaded three of his best friends to "gang" up on him to dissuade him from the step, which she believed at the time to be foolhardy. As it turned out, she laughs, Marlin turned up on the 17th with three rather sheepish young men following after-he had joined the ma- rine corps and they, respectively, had joined the army, the navy, and the air corps.
"He's an awful good salesman," was all they could say to explain.
A letter received by the Adams family yes- terday from their 'teen-age marine veteran reports that he has recovered completely, and is on his way to join his company again. He adds that he is expecting "extensive action" soon.
Page One Hundred Twenty-four
Corporal Writes Uncensored Letter on African Invation
Hammond Times, July 6, 1943
A letter from a Hammond youth now in action in north Africa, describing in detail the part American troops played in the recent African invasion, was received here recently by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Miller Krizman, 1466 Summer street.
The letter, written by Cpl. Peter Krizman, discloses he is now serving with a full artillery unit, which fired one of the first volleys in the African campaign. Because of its interesting text and the unusual facts Cpl. Krizman has described, the letter is reprinted in full below.
Dear Mother and Dad:
Tomorrow (May 19) will be six months that I set foot on African soil. As you know we landed in Casablanca. My company did not take actual part in the invasion of Africa but we were on the heels of the force that did. We stayed in Casablanca for three months, then were transferred to Rabat, which is about 50 miles from Casablanca. We pitched camp in Rabat and brushed up on battle tac- tics in preparation for our initial engagement with the enemy. After spending a month in preparation, we loaded on a train and headed for action. We journeyed for six days and nights, our destination being Khroubs, Al- geria. We detrained at Khroubs, but this was just the beginning of our drive.
We first saw action at Faid Pass on March 22, the day our company fired the first volley in the war. The surrounding territory at Faid Pass was under a constant rain of Nazi bombs. The Nazis did not know our exact position and could not locate us, although they used flares in an effort to find us. However, we flung the Nazi line in retreat and retired into bivouac about 10 miles from Gafsa. Gafsa and another town, El Guettar, were taken by the first American invasion force.
Five days later we proceeded to Maknassy, where the smoke was thicker and the blood
redder. We spent 12 days and nights hurling shells at the Nazis and Italians. Our fire was relentless. Our guns blazed continuously day and night. If anyone slept, they did it on their feet. Meanwhile the Nazis were retaliating with their 88's. You've heard about the Ger- man 88 milimeter gun, and we certainly re- spected its power and accuracy. Clouds of high flying Nazi planes came within range and their bombs gave us very little trouble. Eventually the Nazis ceased firing and we re- tired for a short period.
Now we were to move again. From Mak- nassy we joined another force that was to make a drive to the coast in an effort to cut the Nazis in half, thus flank them and gradu- ally encircle them in a ring. But this action never occurred because the Nazis were aware of our purpose and retreated. We did not pursue them. Instead, we went into bivouac at Sidi Bo Zou for three days, then we were on the move again.
Now we headed north for a rest camp in Algeria. We stayed in camp five or six days, then went into action again, this time exert- ing final pressure to rid the Nazis of Tunisia. In this drive we supported the French troops along the Mediterranean coast on the way to Bizerte. "On to Bizerte," was the wild, pas- sionate cry of the French. With the Ameri- cans it was a cool, calculated job. We and the French were in constant action for two weeks. Fighting ceased May 10, but the war in Tu- nisia was not over yet, although Tunisia and Bizerte were occupied by Americans. We took a breathing spell and then made the final push, and you all know what happened. We took prisoners galore. But the first prisoners. I saw in this war was the first night of action at Faid Pass. They were six stolid, unconcerned Italians, who had breakfast with us the next morning. After this final drive we got which can be rightly called a well earned rest.
(Continued on next page)
Page One Hundred Twenty-five
I have been in Tunisia twice and in Bizerte once. I imagine Bizerte at one time was a very beautiful town with a goodly population. But now it is in complete ruins. It lies in gray ashes, powdery dust and shattered stones. Hardly a building stands upright. The town is completely leveled. Caught between the Nazis' fire and our own, even a mountain would have been reduced to a plateau.
Still a few people moved about the gray ruins, but they seemed dazed and unbelieving at the havoc the war has wrought to their city, their homes and their souls. At first one thing puzzled me about this war: Every town and village we went through seemed to be uninhabited. Only a few people would be visible walking aimlessly among the ruins. But later it dawned upon me where the people were and I did not care to think about it. They were buried in the debris, and few bodies were intact. We went through several villages in which there wasn't the remotest sign of life save green bodied flies and a few stray birds.
FATHER OF HERO RECEIVES MEDAL
Hammond Times, July 28, 1943
Mrs. J. M. Garr, 669 Gordon street, Calu- met City, grandmother of the late Sgt. Robert F. Garr, Jr., who was killed in action on Wake island seven days after the Japs struck the island on Dec. 7, 1941 yesterday received the Purple Heart certificate posthumously award- ed her grandson.
The certificate was addressed to Garr's father, Robert F. Garr, specialist first class, who is stationed at New York City in the fleet post office. He enlisted in the navy on the first anniversary of his son's death.
A letter accompanying the award certificate reported the purple heart medal itself is being engraved and will be forwarded within the next two months. The senior Garr, as next of kin, also is entitled to the American defense service medal for his son's service in Hawaii
and Wake island during the emergency and the Asiatic Pacific campaign medal for his service in the Asiatic Pacific area, the letter said.
The latter medals will not be ready for issu- ance until six months after the war, at which time Garr was instructed to make application with the marine headquarters office in Wash- ington, D. C., for the awards.
Young Garr, who was 20 when he was killed in battle against the Japanese invaders, en- listed in the United States marine corps as a Hammond high school junior, 18 years old. He would be 22 next month, on Aug. 16.
On Decoration day last May, the 1100 block on Summer boulevard was dedicated to the Hammond sergeant in memory of his high courage in the defense of his country.
IN TUNISIAN CAMPAIGN
Hammond Times, August 1, 1943
R. M. Black
Lt. Robert M. Black, son of Mr. and Mrs. R. M. Black, 1608 - 142nd street, East Chi- cago, is now a pilot with the only United States air force reconnaissance squadron that participated in the Tunisian campaign. On foreign service since March in north Africa, he spent 15 months as a sergeant pilot in the RAF. Lt. Black's squadron has been in actual, constant operation against the enemy since January and participated in the Battles of Kasserine Pass, Gafsa-El Guettar, and in the final phase of the campaign in the Medjez El Bab and Cap Bon sectors.
Page One Hundred Twenty-six
NORTH AFRICAN STYLE SHOW
Hammond Times, August 5, 1943
Bob Thompson, 7120 Madison avenue, and his chum, Roger Boone, 7116 Madison, form a two-man fashion show of what currently is being worn in north Africa. Bob's uncle, Lt. Col. P. W. Thompson, who was stationed in Africa for over a year prior to his transfer back to the states, sent young Thompson the
German pilot's cap he is wearing and the fez displayed by Boone. It is the type worn by French Moroccan artillerymen. The pilots' hats now are seen in Africa mostly as sou- venirs, rather than articles of dress, it was pointed out.
WOUNDED LANSING MAN ASKS FOR LETTERS
Hammond Times, August 1, 1943
His leg shattered by a 20 millimeter shell fired from a German Stuka plane during the north African campaign, John D. Cokenour of Lansing now is recuperating in Winter's General hospital, Topeka, Kan., and would like "more than any other thing he can think of" to hear from his Calumet region friends.
The 20 m.m. shells are of a type that ex- plode with great force the instant the shell strikes a target. Cokenhour, who was wounded May 5 and returned in June to the United States, is expected to remain under hospital supervision for a lengthy period of time.
Page One Hundred Twenty-seven
THREE SONS FIGHT; MOTHER SERVES
Hammond Times, Aug 5, 1943
Jim Sefton
T. Sefton
John Sefton, Jr.
With three sons in the armed services, Mrs. John Sefton, 4429 Baring avenue, East Chi- cago, is the fourth in her family to serve the nation at war. She is employed at the Con- tinental Roll and Steel foundry, East Chicago. Her sons, and their branches of service, are
above, James, 27, second lieutenant army air corps in South America; lower left, Sgt. Thomas G., 24, army tank corps, Fort Knox, Ky., and lower right, Petty Officer John Jr., 19, with the Pacific merchant marine fleet.
Page One Hundred Twenty-eight
Lt. Wm. C. Stauter, Missing for a Year Officially Listed as Dead
Hammond Times Aug. 5, 1943
Lt. William C. Stauter
Reported missing in action just a year ago last month, Lt. William C. Stauter, brother of Lyle Stauter, 4605 Sheffield avenue, Ham- mond, was officially listed as a war casualty yesterday in a war department message to his relatives.
Lt. Stauter, 29, an army air corps pilot of a P-40 pursuit plane, was reported missing in action June 23, 1943, when his plane failed to return after a mission over Port Moresby, New Guinea. Relatives heard nothing more about him until yesterday's message advised them he is dead.
Lt. Stauter enlisted in the marine corps in 1937 and two years ago he transferred to the air corps. He was commissioned a second lieu- tenant in the air corps reserve in October, 1941, upon completion of his training at the advanced flying school at Stockton, Calif. He sailed for overseas duty the following month.
After the battle of Java, the Hammond man was promoted to first lieutenant on Feb- ruary 19. Mr. and Mrs. Stauter said they last heard from him in a letter they received June
19, 1942, a week before the war department reported him missing in action.
Besides his brother here, Lt. Stauter is sur- vived by his father, William, in Paxton, Ill., and a second brother, Dale, formerly of Ham- mond, but now living in Chicago.
IN NEW GUINEA
Hammond Times, October 3, 1943
Pvt. Wilbert "Willie" Scherer, son of Mr. and Mrs. Louis Scherer, 152nd street, Calu- met City, is stationed somewhere in New Guinea in the medical corps. He received his basic training at Camp Barkeley, Tex. Later he was stationed at California, New Zealand and Australia. Formerly a student of Thorn- ton Fractional high school, he was employed by the Inland Steel company before entering service on May 13, 1942. Today Pvt. Scherer is celebrating his second birthday in Uncle Sam's army. Friends may correspond with him by writing to this address: Pvt. Wilbert Scherer, No. 36338231, 3rd Medical Supply Depot, Advanced Platoon, Section I, Dept. II, APO No. 503, care of Postmaster, San Francisco, Calif. A recent letter to his parents states as follows:
"Dear Mom and Dad:
"Yesterday, as I was house cleaning, who should walk by but Jasper Gulotta from Calumet City. He came over last night and we had a long, long talk. He's the first one I've run into from back home.
"About a week ago some nurses arrived overseas. My long record of not seeing a white girl was broken. I saw three nurses go by in a jeep last week.
"On Nov. 2 I'll be overseas a year. How time does fly!
"Feeling swell and everything is okey.
"As ever your son, "WILLIE."
Page One Hundred Twenty-nine
From Jap Magazine: U. S. Prisoners in Chinese Camp
Hammond Times, July 15, 1943
Taken from a Jap propaganda magazine, this picture purportedly shows American pri- soners at a camp at Woosung, China. Although the Japs tried to whitewash their war prison administration after 700 prisoners had died of neglect and mistreatment, this picture shows several things, as pointed out by com-
petent observers. For instance, the prisoners are not allowed to shave or cut their hair. They are wearing Jap uniforms instead of their own clothing. The prisoners are making phonograph records for relaying messages to the United States.
Page One Hundred and Thirty
Soviet Troops Rush to Front as Big Drive Starts
Hammond Times, July 19, 1943
American-made trucks are used by the Red army, above, to rush troops to the front as a major Soviet drive moves rapidly toward the
key German defense point at Orel. Latest re- ports say that Soviet forces even may be in the suburbs of the city.
ALL WELL IN NORTH AFRICA
Hammond Times, August 29, 1943
First Lt. George R. Petrick, son of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Petrick, 1113 Morirs street, Hammond, has written a letter to his parents from North Africa in which the soldier says "all is well here."
Lt. Petrick's letter also disclosed that he has
met Edward Nelson, who formerly taught school at Hammond high. Both former resi- dents of this community discussed the war situation and agreed the Allies will soon put their enemies to rout.
Page One Hundred Thirty-one
U. S. ARMY'S NEW TYPE OF LITTER
Hammond Times, July 16, 1943
A new type two-man litter is demonstrated here by three United States soldiers stationed in England. The litter has advantages over the
old style two-bearer saddleback litter because it takes much of the strain off both the bear- ers and the casualty.
WINS PURPLE HEART
Hammond Times, July 16, 1943
Mrs. Claude Bapst of Gordon drive has just received word through her parents that her brother, Pvt. George Schlotterer, has been
awarded the coveted Purple Heart. At the last writing George was somewhere in Sicily.
Page One Hundred Thirty-two
Coast Guardsman Installs Navy Mothers Hammmond Times, Aug. 5, 1943
The organization of East Chicagos' new Navy Mother's club was completed last night when Chief Petty Officer Lares Lovin, who is in charge of the coast guard fire boat in the Indiana Harbor ship canal, administered the oath to the officers of the group.
Other officers and members of the organiza-
tion watched the impressive ceremonies as he swore Mrs. George A. Rohram into office as commander of the club.
Mrs. J. H. Abbott served as installing mar- shall and the flag was held during the cere- monies by Coast Guardsman Hart.
PROMOED AGAIN IN NAVY
Hammond Times, July 29, 1943
Robert Roy Charles, son of Mrs. Roy W. Charles, 734 - 169th street, Hammond, was promoted to aviation metalsmith second class at Norfolk, Va. A graduate of the Chicago Technical Welding school, Charles has served seven months at Panama and five in Bermuda with the navy, after enlisting in August, 1941, before the attack on Pearl Harbor. He is a former Hammond Technical high school student.
R. R. Charles
Page One Hundred Thirty-three
RAYMOND WOOD SEA SURVIVOR
Hammond Times Aug. 5, 1943
Miss Jeanette Swanson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Wilfred Swanson of Roseland, Ill., was married to Raymond C. Wood, a mu- sician, first class, of the U. S. navy, when the groom was at home on furlough recently. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Ray Wood of Lans- ing, Ill., and is a survivor of the U.S.S. Lex- ington. Now stationed at Great Lakes naval training station, the bridegroom attended Hammond Technical high school and has many regional friends.
The wedding took place on July 31 at the home of the groom's sister and brother-in- law, Mr. and Mrs. William Schultz, Jr., of Harvey, Ill., with the Rev. Thomas J. Simp- son of the First Presbyterian church of Ham- mond in charge.
Miss Swanson's attire for the informal cere- mony was a two-piece white linen suit, with white accessories. Her bridal corsage was of white gladiolus and red roses.
Mrs. Allen Schultz of Harvey, Ill., serving as matron of honor, appeared in a two-piece brown and yellow suit and corsage of red gladiolus and yellow tea roses. Kenneth Bird was the groom's best man.
Decorations for the war time wedding were palms and bouquets of summer flowers, ar- ranged attractively in the living room of the Schultz home, where the ceremony took place at 8 o'clock in the evening. A reception fol- lowed at the Union hall in Harvey.
After a short honeymoon at Cedar Lake, the couple will reside with the bride's parents until Sept. 1, at which time they plan to move to their home in Evanston.
MEET BY TELEPHONE
Privates Victor H. Simon and Arthur A. Simon, sons of Mrs. Dora Simon, 943 Myrtle street, Whiting, talked to each other by tele- phone through Red Cross arrangements re- cently for their first contact with each other for many months. Their mother reports that the two brothers, both stationed in Africa, each did not know the other's where-abouts for three months, though they were on the "dark continent" together. They joined the army at the same time and went overseas at the same time also.
34 DAYS IN LIFEBOAT
J. Starkey
Hammond Times Aug. 5, 1943
James Starkey, 19-year-old survivor of the torpedoing of his merchant marine ship, is resting at home now with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Hendricks, 6821 Kennedy avenue, Hammond, on a 30-day leave following 34 days spent in an open lifeboat.
Emaciated after almost five weeks on the open seas with nothing to eat but the little he and his companions had in their kits when three Axis torpedoes smashed through the hull of his merchant ship, and the fish they could catch, the Hammond seaman rested nearly two months in the Canary islands and Spain before starting the long trip home.
"All we talked about was food-big, juicy porterhouse steaks ranked just about the big- gest favorite." Imagine his surprise, on return- ing to the United States, to find porterhouse cuts the most-talked-of subject among civil- ians, too.
Starkey, who enlisted in the merchant ma- rine on Oct. 16 and received training at Brooklyn, N. Y., before "shipping out," is still a little reticent in discussing his experi- ence on the open Atlantic.
He can remember too clearly, perhaps, the time a week and a day after he and his bud- dies had been set adrift, when they sighted a transport, in the cold gray light before dawn, which failed to stop.
They stayed in their tiny craft for 26 days longer-almost a month-before they were picked up by a Spanish fishing vessel at 11:30 o'clock in the morning.
His arrival was a complete surprise to his mother, who reported, "That's just like Jim -he'd never let me know when he was com- ing. He likes the surprise better than anything else." There had been no word from the young seaman for five months.
Page One Hundred Thirty-four
Ten Whiting Boys Overseas; Pose For Mothers' Day Photo For 'Moms'
Hammond Times, Aug. 5, 1943
Ten Whiting boys all serving Uncle Sam in the quartermaster corps of the United States army took time from strenuous army activi- ties to pose for the above picture on Mother's day which just now reached the home front, a bit overdue, but welcome. The letter, sent by Pfc. John Walsko to his mother, which accompanied the picture, stating "we are in New Caledonia" was not censored but the picture was cut away at the top to remove telltale background.
The boys, all graduates of Whiting high school with the exception of Al Kasperan, a George Rogers Clark graduate, have been overseas since December, 1942 in the quarter- master's corps.
Pictured above from left to right, front row, are: Pfc. Walsko, P. Herockovich, M. Kansmarquett; second row, H. Kissen, Ralph Gilman, Don Korem, Joe Hatzel and Al Kas- peran; top row kneeling, L. Long and Vic Gorney.
SURVIVOR OF USS LEXINGTON
Hammond Times Aug. 5, 1943
How he spent an hour and a half in waters of the Pacific after the ill-fated USS Lexing- ton went to a watery grave following an attack by Japanese bombing planes was told to Hammond Kiwanians Wednesday noon by Roy Wood, musician first class, U. S. navy, a Hammond and Lansing boy.
A graduate of Hammond Tech, Wood has been in service since 1939, first serving aboard the USS Yorktown and then being transferred to the Lexington.
He was aboard the Lexington when, im- mediately after the Japanese "sneak" attack on Pearl Harbor, it was attacked by Jap planes, fighting them off and bringing down
10 of the 12 attackers.
At sea 46 consecutive days without making port, the Lexington again was attacked by planes off the coast of Guadalcanal May 7.
Again the vessel drove off the enemy air- men, but, hour later, an internal explosion mortally wounded the ship.
Wood, in the water an hour and a half, was picked up by the U. S. destroyer Anderson and, after several transfers of ships, reached San Diego, 25 days later. He saved only his underwear and a suit of dungarees when the Lexington went down.
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