USA > Indiana > Lake County > History Of Veterans Of Foreign Wars (1944) > Part 14
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Edward Hess arranged appearance of Wood before the Kiwanians.
Page One Hundred Thirty-five
SCHERERVILLE YOUTH CO-PILOTS PLANE THAT HAS DOWNED 11 NAZI FIGHTERS
Hammond Times, Aug. 5, 1943
R. G. Bohney
Lt. Richard G. Bohney of Schererville, son of Mr. and Mrs. William Bohney, 12 Joliet street, today was announced in news service bulletins as the co-pilot and acting tail gunner of the "Argonaut III," a Flying Fortress which has averaged 11 Nazi planes in its last line flights over Germany.
The "Argonaut III's" 10-man crew which includes the lanky Schererville lad, chalked up their biggest haul during the highly suc- cessful bombing attack on a German rubber plant at Huls, at the head of the Ruhr valley, when four Jerries bit the dust.
After one of their most recent raids, a sear-
ing attack on military targets at Kassel in Germany, Lt. Bohney was quoted in a press dispatch from his United States bomber sta- tion in England as reporting:
"Our bomb bursts completely covered the target and started tremendous fires. The fight- ers were not so persistent, either, as I have seen them."
The Schererville lieutenant, 24, is the oldest of four brothers in the Bohney family. The others also are serving in the armed forces: Edward, 24, is stationed at Fort Monmouth, N. J .; Victor, 21, is at Fort Bragg, N. C., and Cyril, 19, is at Camp Lee, Va.
HAMMOND SOLDIER IS "EXTRA" IN BRITISH FILM
Hammond Times, August 4, 1943
Pvt. Clarence Adler, 31 years old, of Ham- mond, Ind., is in a company of United States riflemen who will appear in the film version of Noel Coward's play, "This Happy Breed," now in production at Denham, "the Holly- wood of England."
On one of the hottest days of the summer, Pvt. Adler donned a World War I uniform- heavy woolen blouse with choke collar, tin helmet, wrap leggins, full field pack and rifle -and with the rest of his company marched up and down in front of the technicolor cameras.
The scene was the peace procession through the streets of London, July 19, 1919, when
American and other Allied military contin- gents paraded before happy and excited Eng- lish throngs.
Between rehearsals, takes and retakes, the soldiers chatted with cinema stars and techni- cians, wandered about the extensive movie lots and even sipped tea.
Pvt. Adler, son of Mrs. Susan Adler, 260 Highland street, Hammond, was graduated from Hammond high school. For 10 years he was in advertising sales work for Lever Brothers company at Hammond. He was in- ducted into the army at Camp Claiborne, Louisiana, 16 months ago and trained at Fort Bragg, N. Carolina.
Page One Hundred Thirty-six
HAMMOND GIRL FREEZES IN AFRICA
Hammond Times, August 4, 1943
"Ice cream! Holy smoke . . . where is it?" These words gave four American girls their biggest thrill in north Africa recently. It all began when Joe Mason, American Red Cross field director, arrived at the Red Cross club in Algiers with news that one of the famous artillery divisions that took Bizerte was on its way back from the front.
"Why," Mason asked his aides, "couldn't we meet those boys who have been in the thick of the fight for the last three months with some ice cream?"
It meant a four-hour drive through the Atlas mountains to do the job. It also meant disrupting the whole club program for the day. But Marge Bomberger of Hammond and Larry Caldwell of Urbana, Ill., two of the club directors, agreed to take on the task.
The artillery division's bivouac area was located near a French village which had turned out, enmasse, to greet the returning heroes. Although shaving formalities were in progress when the Red Cross workers arrived, they were cut short without further ado as the workers unloaded the ice cream freezers from their trucks.
The workers used army jeeps to travel through the bivouac area announcing that ice cream would be served at the headquarters unit. Many of the soldiers, blistering under a hot African sun, thought they were being kidded and did not immediately reach the headquarters unit. It wasn't long, however, before they arrived as the word was passed along from ice cream filled mouth to water- ing mouths.
This was the beginning of many similar visits that since have been made to soldiers returning from active front-line fighting.
Three thousand American soldiers compris- ing a victorious artillery unit in north Africa were overjoyed to see a Hammond woman and her companion arrive on the dark con- tinent recently for, with their coming, also came ice cream. This photo, furnished by the American Red Cross, shows Miss Cheshire Cox of Washington, D. C., (center) and Miss Marjorie J. Bomberger of Hammond serving the soldiers ice cream.
PROMOTED IN SOUTH PACIFIC
E. Burkhalter
Hammond Times, August 4, 1943
Ernest L. Burkhalter, 6252 Monroe avenue, Hammond, has been promoted from corporal, technician, to sergeant, technician, somewhere in the south Pacific theater of war, according to word received by his wife.
Sgt. Burkhalter, who is with the army sig- nal corps, also was made company draftsman in place of radio work he has been doing. Be- fore his induction into the army June 6, 1942, he was employed at the Graver Tank com- pany, East Chicago.
RETURNS TO SEA DUTY
R. C. Grant Hammond Times, August 4, 1943
Robert C. Grant, 19, petty officer third class, returned to his station at New York City, N. Y., on Saturday after spending three days at home with his mother Mrs. Cora Grant, 5711 Calumet avenue, Hammond. He enlisted in the Navy last November and re- ceived training at Farragut, Ida., and at San Diego, Calif., before starting overseas service.
His brother, John R. Grant, 17, seaman first class, is also serving in the navy, some- where in the Pacific battle area. He enlisted two weeks before his brother.
Page One Hundred Thirty-seven
HARBOR LIEUTENANT, WAR PRISONER IN GERMANY, WRITES HE IS 'WELL'
Lt. Koves Hammond Times, August 8, 1943
"I am all in one piece, feeling very healthy and so far have been getting along very well," was the word from Lt. William Joseph Koves, a prisoner of war in Germany, to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. W. B. Koves, 4847 Euclid ave- nue, Indiana Harbor.
A member of the army air corps, Koves was taken prisoner May 29, when he was shot down over France and had not been heard from until a few days ago when his parents received a card mailed June 26.
Before hearing directly from their son, however, Mr. and Mrs. Koves had received a telegram from the war department inform- ing them that he was missing in action, and later had received about 300 letters from short wave radio enthusiasts who had heard him broadcast from a German prison camp.
On the card mailed in June, Lt. Koves wrote:
"As you should know by now I am a prisoner of war deep in Germany. I was shot down over France so I've managed to see quite a bit of Europe. I also had a chance to see Paris-courtesy of the German government. That's all I can write except to tell you not to worry about me."
A graduate of Washington high school, Koves, whose father is a lieutenant in the East Chicago fire department, was graduated from Washington high school, and then attended the Indiana university extension division. He was graduated with a degree in chemistry from Indiana university and later was a chem- ical engineering student at Purdue university for two years.
He has been in the army for more than two
years and received his silver wings and com- mission at Hondo, Tex., after being graduated from navigators school.
Following his graduation he was sent to Dow Field,at Bangor, Me., and from there went to England, where he was stationed the last time his parents heard from him before receiving word that he had been taken prisoner. He left the United States sometime after April 29, 1943.
A graduate of the school of nursing at St. Luke's hospital, his wife, Ethel, now lives in Chicago.
REISDORFER IN BRITAIN
Hammond Times, August 8, 1943
August Reisdorfer, brother of Mrs. A. B. Trimbur, 132 Ruth street, Calumet City, has arrived safely in England and relays a "hello" to his friends in Hammond and Calumet City, where he made his home with his sister before leaving for the service. In 1940, on a visit with his family in Luxemburg and France in Europe Reisdorfer was ordered out of the continent by the Nazis with the alternatives only of the German army or of a concentra- tion camp.
GARY SOLDIER GETS AIR MEDAL OAK LEAF CLUSTER
Hammond Times, August 8, 1943
Staff Sgt. Nick Matulis, 3781 Georgia street, Gary, has been awarded the air medal and oak leaf cluster in lieu of a second air medal for heroic action in the southwest Pacific. Lt. Gen. George C. Kenney, commander of the Allied air forces in the area, made the awards to Matulis among 247 officers and enlisted men.
Keenan Visits in Ivanhoe
Lt. James Keenan and wife of Chicago, visited the Frank Church family of Ivanhoe over the week-end, after which they left for San Jose, Calif., where he is a member of the navy medical corps.
Page One Hundred Thirty-eight
AIR ACE SAFE; PAL INJURED
Hammond Times, August 6, 1943
"Buddies" of long standing, Lt. Fred J. Wolfe, 23, of 3915 - 177th street, Ham- mond, veteran of 50 air battles against the Axis in North Africa, and Leonard Dalton, of Black Oak, held a reunion at St. Mar- garet's hospital yesterday, and decided it's really safer at the front.
Mrs. Fred Wolfe, mother of the air ace, who, doing her bit on the home front is one of the St. Margaret's hospital nurses' aides corps, watches in the picture above as her son,
beside her, greets his pal, who is recovering from an arm injury.
"Fred gets out where the bullets fly and comes home without a scratch," Dalton com- mented in disgust, "and I get banged up just here at home."
After 11 months' service overseas, Lt. Wolfe, flew to the United States and home last week, arriving in Hammond last Sunday for a 30-day leave.
(Continued on next page)
Page One Hundred Thirty-nine
With him he brought the Distinguished Flying Cross, an air medal and 10 Oak Leaf clusters to go with his medal, besides a record of four enemy planes shot down in aerial battles over North African territory.
His mother took the nurses' aide course at St. Margaret's hospital so that I could feel I was helping out, too," she says. Fred is enjoy- ing a 30-day dose of his mother's "home cookin'."
Recently cited for shooting down a Messer- schmitt-109 in a combat dogfight, Lt. Wolfe will have his name and picture entered in the Ellington Field, Tex., "Hall of Heroes," ac- cording to Col. W. H. Reid, commanding officer.
Wolfe enlisted in the army air forces at Paterson Field, O., in November, 1939, and received flight training at Muskogee, Okla., Brady, Tex., and at Ellington Field. He was stationed at Glendale, Calif., before leaving for overseas in September.
FORMER TEACHER SERVES IN RED CROSS OVERSEAS
Doris Nelson
Hammond Times, August 9, 1943
Formerly a teacher of journalism at George Rogers Clark high school and author of "Speak Correctly," a word usage feature ap- peared on The Hammond Times editorial page for several years, Miss Doris E. Nelson, American Red Cross staff assistant, has arrived in England.
She will engage in Red Cross class adminis- trative work in England. A graduate of the University of Illinois, she had taught at Case, Dundee and Park Ridge, Ill., before coming to Hammond. A brother, Ervin W., lives in Lynn Center, Ill.
THREE BROTHERS IN SERVICE
C. Blackman
Hammond Times, August 9, 1943
Cpl. Charles Blackman, 22, brother of Mrs. Norbert Weiss, of Hammond, is stationed in Brazil, South America, after 10 months of army air forces service. He was promoted to his present rank about two weeks ago, follow- ing seven months' overseas duty.
A former Cities Service company employe, he enlisted in October, 1942, and was stationed at Camp Luna, New Mexico, before his over- seas transfer.
His two brothers, Pvt. Clarence and Pfc. Fred, also are in the army air force. Clarence, a former Chicago and Calumet district transit company bus driver, has been stationed in Camp Pinedale, Fresno, Calif., since he was called to duty last February. His wife, Lillian, is living near him in Fresno.
Fred, formerly employed at the Pullman- Standard Car Manufacturing company, was promoted to private first class at Chanute Field, Ill., on his 19th birthday last March 15. He currently is stationed at Ehprata air base, Wash.
COMMEND WORK OF LT. WALPOLE
In a letter to Mrs. Lena Walpole, 18331 Sherman street, Assistant Secretary of War Robert C. Patterson, expressed his deepest sympathy and stated "the purple heart has been awarded posthumously to your son, First Lt. Edward J. Walpole, who sacrificed his life in defense of his country."
In another letter recently received, H. H. Arnold, commanding general of the army air
Page One Hundred Forty
Lt. Walpole
Hammond Times, August 9, 1943
force said: "It has come to my attention that conscientious, tireless endeavor aided Lt. Wal- pole to graduate from training school at Turner Field, Albany, Ga., with a praise- worthy record. He demonstrated a high sense of duty from the outset of his career as an officer and proved that he was earnestly de- sirous of contributing his utmost to the cause for which we now fight."
G. A. Marshall, chief of staff of the army also commended the deceased as an outstand- ing officer, in his letter of sympathy to Mrs. Walpole.
The award which Mrs. Walpole received this week was issued on July 23.
The young officer was reported missing on Nov. 14 and was reported killed on Nov. 15 in a crash at sea in the south Pacific from anti-aircraft fire. He was not reported officially killed in action till July 15. Al- though his mother makes her home with her daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. L. J. Page of Sherman street, they lived in East Chicago for many years.
REPEATS HIS GAFSA EXPLOIT
Hammond Times, August 9, 1943
First soldier to enter Troina after American troops had overcome seemingly impregnable mountainous fortifications to capture the German held town on Sicilian front was an East Chicago youth, Lt. Everett L. Booth. H. R. Knickerbocker, war correspondent for the Chicago Sun, in a dispatch marvels at Lt.
Booth's unperturbed attitude in taking the desperately-defended town in the face of a heavy counterattack and his nonchalence in quietly seating himself in the town's only un- damaged barbershop for a shave after his troops had captured the town.
But, while Lt. Booth's most recent feat is good news to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. L. A. Booth, 818 - 145th street, it is nothing un- usual, they point out. Their son has a habit of being first into American-captured towns in the North African war. He also was first to enter Gafsa when that stronghold fell March 17 in the Tunisian campaign.
Lt. Booth was among the first men to be drafted in East Chicago in 1941. He became a private, first class, shortly after his induc- tion and spent nine months in training at Camp Shelby, Miss., before he was assigned to the army's finance division.
He held the finance post five months, was subsequently transferred to officers' training school at Fort Benning, Ga., and Indiantown Gap, Pa., and still later was sent to England and Scotland. He arrived in North Africa on Nov. 14.
He now is a member of the famous "I" company of one of the most celebrated Amer- ican divisions, Maj. Gen. Terry Allen's Fight- ing First.
In the war correspondent's own words, the capture of Troina was not child's play.
"In order to cover their withdrawal from the town, "Knickerbocker wrote, "the Ger- mans launched a fierce counterattack that made it seem their forces were very much bigger than ours. But Lt. Booth, leader of 'I' company and the first man to enter Troina, seemed entirely unperturbed at the violence of the German defense. After having stormed the town and marched his troops into it, he swiftly surveyed the situation, disposed his troops and nonchalantly seated himself in the town's only remaining barbershop for a shave.
'I later talked to Lt. Booth," the corres- pondent continued, "and he told me, 'it's an old custom for 'I' company to be first. We were first at Enna, first at Nicosia and first here. For my part I found the Germans did a tough job of holding out the way they did. But it just got too hot for them."
Continued on next page
Page One Hundred Forty-one
Lt. Booth, according to the dispatch, gave much credit for the Allied victory to Ameri- can artillery and machine gun units.
"I wasn't surprised at our ultimate victory but I was surprised when Germans counter- attacked." Lt. Booth said. "It was evidently to make us think they were going to hold out many more days. When they attacked they went all-out and showed no signs of being tired."
In taking the town, Lt. Booth led "I" com- pany at first cautiously and then at break- neck speed when the Germans finally were routed Triona was a crumbled mass of ruins after the American attack and only a few dozen villagers had remained behind to greet the victorious troops as they marched into the captured Sicilian post.
for expert rifle marksmanship, the other for outstanding bayonet practice.
A member of the medical corps of the army, Frank received his basic training at Fort Benning, Ga., and Camp Barkeley, Texas. Sent overseas last October, he was stationed in both England and north Africa, where he was among the first American troops to land in the African invasion.
Frank was promoted to corporal during his service in Africa. He has mailed three souvenir wallets and African silver jewelry home to his family.
BROTHERS IN SERVICE
F. Sidote
P. Sidote
Hammond Times, August 11, 1943
Philip and Frank Sidote, sons of Mr. and Mrs. Carmello Sidote, 530 Greenbay avenue, Calumet City, both were promoted recently, Philip making the jump from private first class to sergeant, and Frank from private first class to corporal.
Philip, a member of the army intelligence division, received his basic training at Camp Robinson, Ark., from where he was trans- ferred to Fort Custer, Mich. He remained at Fort Custer for six months until his recent transfer to Arizona, where his duties include the processing of prisoners of war at the in- ternment camp at Coolidge, Ariz. He received two medals in his basic training period, one
ROBERT HASEK OVERSEAS
Hammond Times, August 11, 1943
R. G. Hasek
Ship Fitter Robert G. Hasek, a third class petty officer, is now stationed somewhere in South America, according to word received by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Henry J. Hasek, 618 Conkey street, Hammond.
Hasek enlisted in the navy last September and received his "boot" training at the naval training station at Great Lakes, Ill. From there he was sent to Norfolk, Va., then to Boston, Mass., and then to New York City, from where he sailed in February.
A former student at Hammond high school, Hasek was employed as a fireman by the Monon railroad company prior to his enlist- ment.
Page One Hundred Forty-two
'ZACK' CORNEA AWARDED SILVER STAR FOR SAVING TANK UNDER FIRE
Lt. Z. J. Cornea
Hammond Times, August 11, 1943
First Lt. Zachary "Jack" J. Cornea, form- erly of Hammond and brother of Victor Cornea, 509 West 140 street, East Chicago, now with the first armored division of the fifth American army in north Africa, has been awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in action during the Tunisian campaign.
The citation reads:
"His platoon occupied a defensive position in a wadi (a dry river bed) which became the target for an extremely heavy concentration by enemy 240 millimeter howitzers. One of the tanks stalled in an open, exposed position.
"Lt. Cornea unhesitatingly ordered his own tank position in front of the stalled vehicle. Then he completely disregarded his own wel- fare by dismounting, and while under heavy enemy fire, prevented the destruction of a valuable piece of government property.
"The courage, devotion to duty, and com- plete disregard for his own welfare displayed by Lt. Cornea reflect great credit upon him- self and the command and are highly com- mendable."
A graduate of both Hammond high school and Indiana university, Bloomington, Lt. Cornea was inducted in July, 1940. He re- ceived his tank division training at Fort Knox, Ky., and was transferred to Fort Dix., N. J., two months before his transfer overseas in May, 1942.
He was stationed in England and Ireland before joining American troops in the African campaign. He was commissioned a second lieutenant at Fort Knox and received his first lieutenantcy in England.
His wife, Pauline, lives at Bloomington, Ind.
STATIONED IN SOUTH PACIFIC
J. L. Wainright
Hammond Times, August 11, 1943
James L. Wainright, seaman first class, hus- band of Beatrice Wainright, 7232 Osborne road, Hammond, left for the "Sea-Bees" service last December, was trained at Camp Endicott, R. I., and Port Hueneme, Cal., and now is stationed at "Island X" in the south Pacific ocean. Before enlisting in the navy construction battalion, he was employed at the Inland Steel company, East Chicago.
GIVES SON'S ARMY CHECK
Hammond Times, August 12, 1943
Mrs. Bertha Shryock, 576 State street, Hammond, visited the Hammond Red Cross yesterday and gave to the Red Cross the allot- ment check which she had just received from the government because her son, Pfc. Leo L. Shryock is in the army.
"Leo wrote me to do everything I could for the Red Cross here in Hammond. He says that the Red Cross gives prisoner of war packages and the other things Red Cross does for the boys in the German prisoner camp where he is interned are wonderful. He asked for me to help the Red Cross at home-so I am giving this money I got from the govern- ment because he is in the army."
Mrs. Shryock has had a postal card and a letter from her son since his internment.
Page One Hundred Forty-three
CALUMET CITY PARENTS ARE PROUD OF THEIR THREE FIGHTING SONS
Hammond Times, August 12, 1943
William
Paul
Jasper
Proud of their three servicemen sons are Mr. and Mrs. Sam Abate, 218 State street, Calumet City. The first to leave for the service with the U. S. Army was Jasper, who is now stationed in North Africa. Prior to his transfer abroad, he was stationed at Fort Benning, Ga., in the medical corps. His wife, the former Gloria Klawitter recently received word of his promotion to a corporal, In service for 20 months, Cpl. Abate was employed at the Indiana Harbor Belt railroad before induction. Second to join forces with the fighting forces, is Petty Officer Third Class Paul John Abate, who is aboard a cruiser now "some-
where at sea." Paul has been in the navy for about a year and was formerly employed by the Pressed Steel Car company. He was trained at Great Lakes.
Following in the footsteps of his brother, the third son, William enlisted in the navy about a year ago. He is stationed now in the Panama Canal zone. He was also trained at Great Lakes and before being sent out was stationed in New York. Prior to enlistment William, a seaman first class, was employed by the Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad.
All three brothers were students at Thorn- ton Fractional high school.
HAMMOND PARATROOPER IS AMONG THE FIRST IN SICILY
Hammond Times, August 12, 1943
Sgt. W. Gaffney
Sgt. J. Gaffney
"Among the first paratroopers to land in Sicily" was the word Mrs. J. L. Gaffney, 1333 North drive, Hammond, received from her
son, Sgt. Walter Gaffney, an army para- trooper, who has been in service one year, Sgt. Gaffney wrote:
"This country is beautiful if I had time to enjoy it."
Mrs. Gaffney has two other sons fighting in Uncle Sam's forces. They are John, who has been confined to a base hospital for five months on the Solomon islands, is a sergeant, and Clifford, a merchant seaman on the Atlantic. John is a veteran of two years in service and Cliff, whose wife, Eleanor, resides with her parents on Wallace road, Hammond, has been assigned to a ship for four months.
Page One Hundred Forty-four
OVERSEAS AS A DOCTOR
BEST ON LEAVE
Lee Hickman
Hammond Times, August 12, 1943
Serving overseas for one year as a doctor in a base hospital in the southwest Pacific, First Lt. A. Lee Hickman, Jr., was promoted to a captain's rank recently.
A graduate of Indiana university medical school, Capt. Hickman interned at Ball Mem- orial hospital at Muncie, Ind., and enlisted in the service immediately after his training.
With their 16-month-old son, A. Lee Hick- man III, Mrs. Hickman is residing with the captain's parents, Dr. and Mrs. A. Lee Hick- man, 34 Indi-Illi park, Hammond, for the duration.
AWARD BESTOWED POSTHUMOUSLY
Louisville Times, Louisville Kentucky, Aug. 14, 1943
Sgt. James E. Boswell, Jr., who was reported killed in action at Attu, in the Aleutians, May 29, has been awarded the order of the Purple Heart, according to word received yesterday by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Boswell, of 328 Silver street.
Mrs. Boswell received a telegram from Sec- retary of War Stimson, Wednesday telling her of the award and later in the day she also received the certificate lauding Boswell's bravery.
Before leaving for action in Attu, Boswell was stationed at Fort Ord, California. He had been in the service since February 14, 1940, at which time he enlisted from Chicago, where he was employed with the Ford Motor Co.
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