USA > Indiana > Lake County > History Of Veterans Of Foreign Wars (1944) > Part 31
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ROBERT ELWOOD ROGERS
Robert E. Rogers
Robert Elwood Rogers was born December 3, 1921 in Hammond, Indiana. He was the son of Marcus and Josephine Rogers. He attend- ed the Maywood and All Saints grade schools and Hammond High School.
Before he was inducted in the United States Army he was employed by the I.H.B .- New York Central Railroad. Due to his occupa- tional experience, with a Sergeant-Technic- ian rating in the 715th. Railway Operating Battalion.
He was inducted at Fort Sheridan Illinois on October 27th, 1942, and received his train- ing at Camp Claibourne and Camp Shelby Mississippi. He sailed for over-seas duty in April 1943, and is now located somewhere in Italy.
His serial number is 16144370, and is in Company C. 715th Railway Operating Bat- talion . These boys are doing a wonderful job in keeping our transportation system moving.
LETTER FROM JAMES J. DUGAN
March 3, 1944, Australia
Dear Friend John:
Just received your nice letter of Dec. 18, 1943. I was more than pleased to hear from you and trust that this letter finds you, Mrs. Blume and yours well and happy.
John, I have so many things to thank you and the fellows for that I hardly know just where to begin, so being the kind of a bird that likes his pie first, I will not side track the issue now and will start off by thanking all of you from the bottom of my heart for the Hammond Times. Boy, you will never know how much I enjoyed reading that old sheet. When I was home home I used to pick it up at night, and run through the headlines. It was then examined for Veteran's news-from there to "Chief Wa-hoo," then a quick look at "Voice of the People", questions and an- swers and by the time I was half through with John Whitaker's "Speculating in Sports" the old davenport would have the best of me, from where the wife and dog "Mickie" would wake me with a quart of ice cream to eat. Well I didn't have a davenport to lay on the other night. Perhaps that accounts for me staying up until 2:30 A.M. reading even the Want Ads. I received 14 copies. I filed them in order then read the Times, then sand fleas mosquitos and lizzards started in. I liked the two column editorial a lot. Is Harry Gallagher writing that? Say hello to him, Doc., Hidy, Larry, John and all the rest of the fellows there.
I received a swell box from the Post. It had just the things I needed most. Then the ladies sent me a Xmas card with our dollar G.I. bill in it. I supposed the Post has heard from some of the fellows regarding this. I wrote previ- ously and thank them. I sent them 60 new members a few weeks ago. I have a few more to send soon. They are all from my Co. I have not, and will not ask anyone outside my Co .. unless it be someone from the Calumet Region to join the Post. I realize the extra work piling on them. I hope they wil use the extra voting
Page Three Hundred and Seven
it gives them, wisely, and will use it to put forward something worth-while from the Post 802. I have also signed in a bunch of members at large. We have elected a set of officers and hold "Bull Sessions" in the mess hall that help to pass the time.
I will not attempt to tell any of the war news. You, no doubt, know more than I can tell. These Japs are tough little bastards, but our boys are a little bit tougher and they are sure pushing them around.
These tropical nights are beautiful. It is hot as hell and it rains here about four months out of the year. Oh, well, you know what I mean-there isn't any place on earth like the States to me. It would be heaven right now, but I want it the right way and at peace, so until that time I prefer to carry on. I could have come home on the 38 year bill but decid- ed to stick it out. I am alone, no dependents, and I feel I should stay. Who knows, I may get a chance to settle a matter of personal im- portance with a couple of these Nips, yet. The war isn't over and I hate their guts.
Well John while I am about the business of telling you what a wonderful guy I am, I must tell you this and then turn to more in- teresting news. I was awarded the good con- duct medal the other day, so you see I have been a pretty good boy. Ahem!
My old buddy left for home not long ago and I miss him a lot. He was a grand fellow.
If I ever get any films, will send you guys a picture of me in my Zoot suit. We were paid the other day and a bunch of the boys were shooting craps here. I never last that long.
Thanks again for the letter and every- thing. It's getting late so I had better hit he sack. I will find out about those history books at our next bull session and let you know. I will have my niece mail you a check for mine. Say hello to everyone for me. I am fine. Thanks to you and Mrs. Blume for the Xmas card.
Yours, JIM DUGAN
HISTORIAN RECEIVES LETTER FROM A FRIEND OVERSEAS
March 8, 1944
Serial No. 35170061
Hello John:
Certainly a long time has passed since I last wrote you. A great many things have hap- pened in the meantime. Of course you knew that I was in North Africa. I wrote you last when I was in England, from there I went to North Africa saw plenty of service there then to Italy and saw plenty more there, I am now back in North Africa.
Bob Reese
I was wounded in Italy on December 5 and was sent to a General Hospital in North Africa, which explains why I am here now. I was awarded the Purple Heart on December 28. My wounds were not so bad, I was con- fined to the bed for a few days. However, I am enjoying the beds with springs, sheets and mattresses, pajamas too. After 14 months sleeping on the ground and in a pup tent - they sure feel fine. Really surprising how a person appreciates the small things in life after
Page Three Hundred and Eight
being away from them.
I was also promoted to Staff Sergeant in September, 1943, had been acting in the capacity of platoon sergeant since last April. I don't believe I told you that I was given that job during the fighting at Tobruk, North Africa.
Enough about me! What I really intended to do was to write you a letter of thanks.
Frankly I don't know for sure just who I am indebted to for that lovely Christmas package. Of course this letter is awfully late, but the package was late too, due to the fact that it had to pass through a number of channels before I finally received it. It arrived along with several other packages, and we all had a lovely, but late Christmas. I say, we, because the other fellows here in our ward thoroughly enjoyed them too. So you see you have all of our hearty "Thank You's" for a nice Christmas.
I thank you too for the membership in the V.F.W. I received the December issue of Our Comrades so please give my thanks to Post 802. If you will, please extend my thanks to the Ladies Auxiliary too. And let them know that I received their Christmas card and present.
I am enclosing a snap shot in this letter, it really doesn't amount to a whole lot, I hope you get a laugh out of it. I sure did and a hearty one too. As you see it is in P.J's. In- cidentally I rode through Naples in a pair just like these, on a truck and no cover on it either. This picture was taken shortly after I was injured, and was the only clothes I had at the time. Again I say I hope you enjoy it, and be sure and let me know what you thank of it.
All for now John, four pages is quite a letter for me. So I will sign off for now. Let me hear from you soon and I will be looking forward to your letter.
Sincerely, BOB REESE
P.S .: Be sure and let me know how you like the picture. Ha' Ha'.
ROBERT ULBRICH IS NOT 'SPOILED' BUT HE HELPED SPOIL THE NIP NAVY
R. Ulbrich
Hammond Times, February 4, 1944
"Robert is our only child, but he's not spoiled," remarked Mrs. Robert J. Ulbrich, speaking of her son, Robert Ulbrich, 2/c electrician petty officer and Pacific naval hero, who recently spent a leave at his home, 4915 Cedar avenue, in Hammond.
He saw the plane carrier, "Liscomb Bay" sunk off the Gilberts, took part in laying the barrage that flushed the Japanese from Kiska and engaged the Jap fleet at Santa Cruz, a British island southeast of the Solomons. Ul- brich told of this latter engagement.
"It was my first active assignment. I was on a battleship and we had gone to Pearl Harbor, then Fiji, then the New Hebrides. We made our first contact with the Japanese fleets at Santa Cruz. We couldn't see the Nips or their ships, it was so far away. We shelled 'em with our long-range guns. The Japs soon ran.
"In July of 1943 we transferred to the Aleutians. We laid down the heavy barrage
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that chased the Japs out of Kiska. While we were on this mission, we contacted their fleet again and sent five of their ships down.
"Then we docked at a home port for re- pairs, and I had a 14-day leave. After that, though, we did not lose much time in getting back to action. Makin Island was our next hot spot, and we shelled that to smithereens. The Jap fleet had popped up again after that. It
was while we were patrolling the Gilbert Islands. We fought them for two days and nights, during which we saw the "Liscomb Bay" flat-top go down with many hands lost."
Ulbrich was educated in Hammond schools and enlisted in the navy ten days after Pearl Harbor. He took his boot training at Great Lakes and is now taking special engineering in electricity at Washington, D. C.
8-A Class at Columbia Buys Jeep Hammond Times, January 31, 1944
$$37 80
"This is what you are sending to our boys in the armed forces," Coastguardsman George Kouzmanoff told pupils of grade 8-A at Col- umbia school as he showed them a jeep like the one to be purchased with their $959.90 contribution for war stamps and bonds.
With a class enrollment of 25, the pupils' 100 per cent weekly stamp and bond pur- chases amount to $22.40 more than the $937.50 purchase price of a jeep.
Each week the portion of the jeep paid for was marked off in color on a large room chart and, on January 26, the pupils' last day at Columbia, their goal was reached.
Miss Marilyn Cadle, room chairman, is pic- tured behind the steering wheel of the jeep.
Kouzmanoff, whose home is in Bensonville, Ill., is assistant captain of port in the coast guard's East Chicago office.
Page Three Hundred and Ten
THE THREE JENS BROTHERS
Victor E. Jens
These boys are the sons of Herman H. and Florence Jens who reside at 911 Drackert street, Hammond, Indiana.
Victor E. Jens was born December 2, 1918 in Hammond, Indiana, and received his edu- cation in the schools here. He was quite a basketball player with Hammond high in 1936, and helped the team win many honors for the year.
Victor entered the service of the United States Army Air Corps February 17, 1942. He received his training in the following camps: Keesler Field, Mississippi, Fort Logan, Denver Colorado where he graduated from the Air Corps Tech. School - Barksdale Field - Harding Field in Louisiana.
He sailed for overseas duty in September, 1942, and the following month he went to North Africa, and served in that campaign from beginning to its end. He was a radio operator and gunner on a B-26 Bomber. He has completed his missions and is now grounded and doing administrative work. He is a Staff Sergeant and at the present time located in Sardina. He is with H. Q. 319th Bomber Group serial number 35258676.
Robert Jens was born September 10, 1920 in Hammond, Indiana, and received his edu- cation in the Hammond schools. He was one of the players of the Hammond high cham- pionship basketball team in 1937-1938.
He entered the United States Army Air Corps February 17, 1942 and went to St. Petersburg, Florida for his basic training - to Scott Field, Bellville, Illinois for his radio operators training - then to Boca Raton, Florida for a short period - then to Kansas City, Missouri to the Advanced Radio School and graduated there January 8, 1944 - then
Robert Jens
to Berry Field at Nashville, Tenn. for more advanced radio work - then to Reno, Nevada for Radio operational flying.
He has about completed his training and is ready for overseas duty, and is standing by for orders for his port of embarkation. He is in the Hq. & Hq. Sqdn. in the Reno Army Air Base Radio operator Air Transport Ferrying Command, rating a Cpl.
William Jens born April 5, 1923 in Ham- mond, Indiana. He received his education in the Hammond schools, and was Drum Major
Page Three Hundred and Eleven
in the Hammond high band, and was a player in the championship Hammond high tennis team.
These boys are certainly a flying bunch, William too joined the United States Army Air Corps April 9, 1943 and received his training in the following camps: Maxwell
William F. Jens
Field at Montgomery, Alabama for his pri- mary training - then to Georgia Air Service, Jackson, Tenn. - then to New Port Army Air Field New Port, Arkansas for his basic training - then to Stuttgart Army Air Base at Stuttgart, Arkansas, he graduated there January 7, 1944 and was sent to Chanute Field at Rantoul, Illinois for special four motored pilot training. His present rating is Second Lieutenant.
KENNETH R. ORR
Kenneth R. Orr was born June 18, 1921 and is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Perry Orr of Hammond, Indiana who reside at 1017 Eaton
street. He is a graduate of Hammond high school, and has a brother who has seen plenty of service in the Southwest Pacific. He is one of the boys that went through the "Mile of Hell," Tarawa Atoll.
Kenneth was inducted into the United States Army October 28, 1942 and sailed for overseas duty .December 1, 1942. While on maneuvers in Hawaii he fell from a cliff a distance of about 300 feet sustaining spine and skull fractures, also internal injuries.
He was in a hospital in Hawaii for about nine months, and then sent back to the States to the Ashburn General Hospital at McKin- ney, Texas. Afer being there several months
Kenneth Orr
he was transferred to the Gardiner General Hospital in Chicago. He received his honor- able medical discharge here December 1, 1943. He is far from being well at the present time but his parents hope that in time he will be as well as when he entered the service in October, 1942.
Page Three Hundred and Twelve
ZOLKES BROTHERS
They are the sons of Peter and May Zolkes of Hammond, Indiana. James M. Zolkes was born February 13, 1922 in East Chicago, In- diana. He was educated in the schools in Ham- mond.
He enlisted in the United States Army January 3, 1940 and went to Fort Slocum, N. Y. He was there 18 days and was sent to the Panama Canal Zone in detached service. His serial number was 15061281.
Jim certainly does not like the tropical climate, and after two years of service over there he was returned to the United States and
James M. Zolkes
was given an Honorable CDD discharge. He had Malaria fever while in Panama, which effected him to such an extent that he was no longer fit for military service. He received his discharge March 30, 1943. Nineteen days
after he returned home his father passed away, and was buried in Oak Hill Cemetery in Hammond.
He was married to Miss Margie Schutz in 1944. She is the daughter of Nicholas and Ann Schutz of Calumet City, Illinois.
Paul S. Zolkes was born August 16, 1919 in East Chicago, Indiana. He was inducted in the United States Army December 30, 1942
Paul Zolkes
and was sent to Fort Benjamin Harrison at Indianapolis, Indiana. From there he was sent to Camp Barkley, Clovis, New Mexico.
He is in the Army Air Corps and holds a rating of Pfc. His serial number is 150652082. On February 17, 1944 he sailed from New York places unknown. At the present time they have heard no further news from him.
Page Three Hundred and Thirteen
Marine Praises Red Cross Work
Hammond Times, March 1, 1944
Pfc. James P. McShane, home after a year in the south Pacific, watches while Mrs. Ker- mit French, Red Cross home service case worker, receives from Mayor Frank J. Migas of East Chicago the proclamation officially naming March as the month for the Red Cross war fund drive in the Twin Cities.
Although he praised all Red Cross services, Pfc. James P. McShane, 22-year-old marine paratrooper, particularly stressed the great benefits afforded by the organization's blood plasma service.
In his opinion, sending blood plasma to the various fighting fronts is their most important
function. Emphasizing the importance of having the precious plasma in sufficient quan- tities, he said:
"It is almost more important than ammu- nition. Send us plenty of both and we'll soon turn the victory dream into a reality."
The son of Mr. and Mrs. Patrick McShane, the paratrooper, now home on a 30-day fur- lough, has been in service 18 months and over- seas a year. He wears two campaign ribbons on his tunic, the American theater ribbon and the south Pacific ribbon. The latter bears one
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Continued on next page
star designating action in a major . battle, Bougainville.
Modestly mentioning his participation in the Bougainvile fight, McShane said of his 40 days there:
"We merely followed orders when our unit was told to occupy and hold a couple hills."
Discussing Red Cross services, the marine mentioned the organization's two big centers in New Caledonia, where he was stationed for about six months. At those centers, dances were planned for the servicemen, lunches were served, movies shown in an outdoor theater and a game room provided various forms of entertainment.
"The boys really appreciate the Red Cross services," he went on, "and there usually were lines of fellows waiting to get into the centers. They really are swell, chiefly because they give us some place to meet our friends and get away temporarily from the military routine."
Pointing out that food was very inexpensive at the centers, McShane said that in New Caledonia a small cup of coffee in a restaurant was 15 cents, while a large cup of coffee and two doughnuts could be purchased from the Red Cross for 5 cents.
McShane added that there are Red Cross centers near the airports throughout the islands and near the various theaters of action. In addition, some of the Seabee units have Red Cross field directors whose services are avail- able to all the men.
The paratrooper's praise of the Seabees is unlimited.
"They really treated us right," he said, "and we think they are about the best outfits down there. They are doing heir job better than al- most anyone else."
He added that they can put a road through
a jungle "in less time than it takes to tell about it."
Speaking of the jungles, he said that the denseness of them makes parachuting impos- sible and turned paratroopers into infantry- men. Discovering that parachute troops were impractical for south Pacific fighting, the members of McShane's unit were sent back to the States for probable reassignment to other groups.
Asked what he missed most, McShane an- swered:
"Fresh milk. Powdered milk and powdered eggs got mighty tiresome and I had only two glasses of fresh milk all the time I was gone."
He stressed also the importance men over- seas attach to letters and to pictures of any- thing that looks at all familiar.
The Twin Ciy marine said that substantial cigaret cases and lighters are two of the fel- lows' greatest needs in the south Pacific. He explained that it is impossible to keep cigarets and matches dry. Lighting fluid, however, is not necessary because white gas is used for the lighters.
McShane's brother, Terry, is with the ma- rine raiders in the south Pacific area and the two boys were together twice in New Cale- donia. Their cousin, John Quinn, a staff ser- geant in the marines, also was in the south Pacific, but, McShane said, "the grapevine didn't work so well when we tried to see him." Sgt. Quinn is at home now spending a fur- lough with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Martin Quinn, 4136 Magoun avenue.
McShane was also a trackman at Roosevelt high school, will report to Camp Pendleton, Cal., at the end of his furlough.
Page Three Hundred and Fifteen
Service Center Gets Present Hammond Times Januery 28, 1944
As a feature of its first anniversary cele- bration, the Hammond Servicemen's Center received a check for $1,150 from the Ham- mond Lions club to help maintain hospitality for members of the armed forces visiting here. The fund was raised at a benefit rassling
show staged recently. William Travis, left, chairman, is shown receiving the check from Gregory Lutz, Lions club show chairman, while Balk Estes, rassle show promoter, cen- ter, looks on. The center now has registered more than 7,000 servicemen-visitors.
WOOLARD DOWN TO SEA
Hammmond Times, February 2, 1944
Returned to see duty after a 10-day leave, Walter R. Woolard, S 1/c, said a reluctant adieu to his wife, Mable, who lives at 5515
W. Woolard
Beall street, Hammond, his relatives and many friends.
Woolard has made many trips to war torn areas during the past six months, in which time he has earned his first class seaman rating assuming many varied duties. At present, he serve s as helmsman.
Mrs. Mable Woolard, his wife, spent three months on the east coast where she visited him between his trips and waited for his most recent return so that they could come home together. His brother, Sgt. Tom Woolard, is with the coast artillery detachment in New Guinea.
Page Three Hundred and Sixteen
Phone Girls Get the Right Number Hammond Times, February 2, 1944
US WAR BONDS
-
The Illinois Bell Telephone Employes of the South Suburban Federal Credit Union has bought it share in the victory. Mrs. Lawrence Buckle, president of the Ladies Auxilary V. F.W., Post 802, left, sold a $1,500 series C, war bond to Mary Conway, treasurer of the Credit Union, right, while Karl Minas looked
on, witnessing the patriotic gesture of the Credit Union.
Mrs. Buckle made the sale from VFW bond booth in the Edward C. Minas and company store in Hammond. Women serving at the booth have sold $25,000 worth of bonds thus far in the fourth war loan drive.
S/Sgt. ZUVICH SAFE
February 23, 1944
Telling her of his safe arrival in New Guin- ea, S/Sgt. Anthony Zuvich cabled his wife, Katherine, Kennedy avenue, East Chicago re- cently.
S/Sgt. Zuvich, son of M. and Joseph Zuv- ich, 442 Vernon avenue, East Chicago, is a former employ of Carnegie tin mill depart- ment, Gary. A graduate of Washington high school, the staff "sarge" was inducted 20 months ago.
He is attached to 246th Port Co., 496 Port Battalion.
A. Zuvich
Page Three Hundred and Seventeen
Former Region Man In England
Hammond Times, February 3, 1944
An Eighth AAF Bomber Command Sta- tion, England - Chaplains serving heavy bombardment groups in the Eighth Air Force share some of the discomforts of their friends in the combat crews by rising with the dawn to bid the boys Godspeed at take-off time, and then returning to "sweat out" the return of the Flying Fortresses. These two chaplains, Capt. Aloysius M. Phillips (left) and Capt. Glen F. Teska, station themselves before an ambulance to watch the Forts coming back from Germany.
Chaplain Phillips is the brother of Mrs. Mary Phillips Lacher of 2604 Wabash street, Michigan City, Ind. He was formerly assist- antant pastor of St. Jude's Church, Fort Way- ne, Ind., St. Joseph's church, Hammond, Ind .; and the Sacred Heart church at Whiting, Ind. He attended St. Meinard's Seminary, near Indianapolis.
Chaplain Teska, before joining the service, was pastor of the Methodist church at LeCen- ter, Minn.
GORA WRITES FROM NAZI CAMP Hammond Times, February 23, 1944
"Time passes slowly," writes Sidney Gora from a prison camp in Germany, "but it isn't so rough." Gora is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Gora, 4331 State Line Avenue, Ham- mond. Captured in Italy, he has been a war prisoner for a year. Two years ago he joined
the infantry.
In his card, Gora wrote he hadn't received any mail but was expecting it shortly. The card was dated Dec. 3, 1943, postmarked Dec. 18 in Germany and was received by the Ham- mond post office Feb. 15, 1944.
Page Three Hundred and Eighteen
TOTH BROS. ON FURLOUGH
Hammond Times, January 28, 1944
John and Paul Toth
Both graduates of Washington high scool, John and Paul Toth, sons of Mrs. Barbra Ne- meth, of 4439 Kennedy avenue, East Chicago, have left their respective stations after fur- loughs at home.
John, a corporal in the infantry, has been in service for more than three years and has been in Alaska and the Aleutian islands.
Paul, who has been with the army air corps for 11 months, is stationed at Tallahassee, Fla.
Their brother, Nick, was killed last Nov- ember in an automobile accident.
PAUL E. PETERS
Paul E. Peters the son of William and Meta Peters of Round Lake, Illinois, entered the ser- vice of the United States Army, April 17, 1942. He was sent to Fort Benjamin Harrison, then to New Orleans, then to his port of em- barkation, San Francisco, California.
He was in the battle of Munda, one of the
major battles fought so far in the south west Pacific. He is in the 103rd Field Artillery Batallion Battery C. manning one of those Howitzer guns. His serial number is 353524- 43.
Paul E. Peters
He sailed for over-seas service October 1, 1942. Before he entered the service he was employed by his brother who owns and op- erates the well-known Calumet Engraving Company. located at 422 Plummer St. This is the firm that made all of the cuts for this history book.
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