USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Wenham > Wenham in World War II : war service of Wenham men and women and civilian services of Wenham people > Part 13
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His next assignment was with Hq., 2d Infantry Division, Ft. Sam Houston, Tex. as ADC to Maj. Gen. J. C. H. Lee, whom he served in this capacity until General Lee left for the ETO. He was pro- moted to Captain February 1, 1942, and attended the Junior Offi- cers' Training Course at Camp Bullis, Tex., in small unit tactics for infantry and upon completion of this course was assigned to the 37th FA Bn., 2d Inf. Div. as a Battalion Staff Officer.
In August 1942 he went to the Amphibious Training Command, Camp Edwards, Mass. as instructor in planning and execution of amphibious operations. This training command gave instruction to combat divisions and their staffs. While on this duty he was sent on detached service to the Command General Staff School, Ft. Leavenworth, Kan. to attend General Staff Course #10. He re- turned to ATC at Camp Gordon Johnson, Fla. where he continued as an instructor until he attained his Majority and went overseas in April 1943.
In London, England he was assigned to Hq. COSSAC (Chief of Staff to the Supreme Allied Commander), where his work consisted of assisting in the preparation of plans for the invasion of Northern France. COSSAC was the joint U. S. and British Headquarters representing the Army, Navy and Air Forces of both nations. It was this headquarters that wrote the overall plan for the invasion of Northwest Europe.
In May 1943 he was ordered to Africa for the Sicilian campaign and assigned to Hq. 3d Inf. Div. as an Assistant G4. He worked as a member of the division planning staff, on plans for the assault forces for the Sicilian landing, D-Day July 10, 1943, and for the forces which were to follow up the initial landing. "We embarked at Bizerte and Ferryville, Tunisia and landed at Licata, a small town in the central portion of the south coast of Sicily. The 3d
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Personal Records of Those in the Armed Forces
Division was on the left flank of General George S. Patton, Jr.'s Seventh Army, which swept the western end of Sicily capturing Palermo, and later advancing along the north coast against stubborn German resistance to be the first Allied troops to enter Messina at the northeast tip of the island."
Osgood returned to London in August 1943 and continued his work in the Operations Section of COSSAC which became General Eisenhower's Headquarters when he arrived from North Africa in January 1944. He says he was "promoted to Lieutenant Colonel April Fools' Day 1944."
The Operations Section of the G3 Division to which Osgood was assigned, was charged with writing the directives which governed the strategic employment of three Allied Army Groups, and in handling matters which pertained to other current operations.
In September 1944 he moved to Versailles with the forward head- quarters of SHAEF (Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Forces) and subsequently to Reims in February of 1945 where the surrender of the German armed forces was signed in May.
His last assignment was with the Occupation Forces, Hq. USFET, (U. S. Forces European Theater) at Frankfort, Germany.
Edward Osgood returned to the United States in October 1945 and was released to inactive duty on February 6, 1946.
Bronze Star awarded May 1945 by Major Gen. H. R. Bull, G4 SHAEF.
American Defense Service Medal
American Campaign Medal
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with stars for Sicily, Northern France and Germany.
Belgian Croix de Guèrre (War of 1940) with Palm.
World War II Victory Medal
CARL CLIFTON PAGE entered on active duty as a Private in the U. S. Marine Corps Reserve on May 13, 1943, and was sent to Parris Island, S. C. for boot training.
On July 16, 1943 as Private First Class he was sent to the Naval Base at Jacksonville, Fla. where he was assigned to guard duty. He was later transferred to Naval Air Station, Boca Chica, Fla. and to Naval Operation Base, Key West, Fla. where he was also assigned to the same duty.
Carl Page was honorably discharged on October 10, 1944 at Key West, Fla.
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American Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal
JOHN EDWARD PAGE entered on active duty in the U. S. Naval Reserve on August 15, 1942.
His first assignment was to the U. S. Naval Training Station, Newport, R. I. where he served as instructor with the rate of Boatswain's Mate 2/c.
On January 15, 1944 he was transferred to the U. S. Naval Am- phibious Training Base, Little Creek, Va. At this base men were trained in the use of LSM (Landing Ship Medium). John Page continued as instructor at Little Creek until he was honorably dis- charged November 7, 1945.
Good Conduct Medal
American Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal
MARTHA RUTH HUGGINS PAGE (Mrs. John E. Page) en- tered on active duty as an Apprentice Seaman in the U. S. Naval Reserve (WAVES) on March 29, 1943. She was sent for recruit training to the U. S. Naval Training Station (WR) Hunter College, New York, N. Y.
She was assigned to the U. S. Naval Hospital, Portsmouth, N. H. and later to the U. S. Naval Hospital, Newport, R. I. and attained the rate of Pharmacist's Mate Second Class before she was honorably discharged August 15, 1944.
American Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal
JAMES PARKER, 2ND was commissioned a Lieutenant in the U. S. Naval Reserve on February 5, 1942 and entered on active duty February 14, 1942. He was sent to the Naval Air Station, Quonset Point, R. I. for indoctrinational training. After two months he was sent to NAS, Norfolk, Va. for two months training in air operations, then to NAS, Jacksonville, Fla. as Assistant Operations Officer. Next he served as Operations Officer at NAS, Melbourne, Fla., an advanced operational training station for fighter pilots.
Approximately a year later he was transferred to NAS, San Pedro, Calif. to serve as Flight Control Officer; here he was pro- moted to Lieutenant-Commander. His principal duty here was the
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expediting of delivery of naval aircraft from the factories to the carriers at a time when they were badly needed in the Pacific Theater. As a great majority of these planes were manufactured in the East and therefore had to be flown across the country, a sys- tem of controls had to be devised not only to speed their delivery but also to insure their safe delivery to the fleet.
James Parker, after a couple of months of training at NAS, Alameda, Calif. in air-sea rescue work, was sent overseas in late August 1944. He served as Air-Sea Rescue Officer on the staff of Commander Air, Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor and then was sent to Saipan in late September where he was one of the three Air- Sea Rescue Control Officers who directed the rescue of B-29's which were just starting to operate against Japan.
He took part in the operation against Iwo Jima serving initially as Combat Air-Sea Rescue Officer charged with the rescue of pilots shot down in the vicinity of the island. He was sent ashore to set up a land-based air-sea rescue squadron which was accomplished as soon as the air-field was cleared of the Japs. As commanding officer of the Task Unit he remained at Iwo for six months dur- ing which time his unit picked up 729 pilots and crewmen from waters north of Iwo. (Approximately 50% of these were off the coast of Japan. )
In June 1945 he returned to Guam to serve on the staff of Ad- miral Murray, Commander of the Marianas, as Air-Sea Rescue Offi- cer for the Marianas. At the time of the Jap surrender he was slated to serve as Combat Air-Sea Rescue Officer on the coming in- vasion of Japan. When this operation was called off he returned to the U. S. where he was promoted to the rank of Commander be- fore his discharge.
Bronze Star awarded by U. S. Navy and conferred by Commander of the Marianas area.
Bronze Star awarded by the U. S. Army for the rescue of B-29 and P-51 pilots operating against the Empire.
American Defense Service Medal
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with star for Iwo Jima.
World War II Victory Medal
ALFRED WARREN PARSONS enlisted as a Fireman 1/c in the U. S. Coast Guard on December 7, 1925. He was assigned to USCG Base 7, Gloucester, Mass. where he served as engineer on a patrol boat. He was appointed Chief Motor Machinist's Mate in
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1927. This was during the prohibition era and the Coast Guard was engaged in patrol work against rum-runners in an effort to enforce the 20th Amendment. Alfred Parsons' duties took him from Maine to Mobile, Ala., and he also spent a year on a patrol boat on the Great Lakes.
In the fall of 1939 he was sent to Boston on recruiting duty, at which time he had the pleasure of enlisting his nephew George A. Landers in the Coast Guard. He spent a year and a half recruiting in Salt Lake City and two years in Denver, Colo. (where he was promoted to Warrant Officer in May 1943) and later transferred to Los Angeles, also on recruiting duty.
In December 1943, Alfred Parsons was ordered to the USS Gen- eral Hugh L. Scott, a Kaiser ship then under construction. He helped train her commissioning crew but before she sailed, he was transferred to the U. S. Army LT 128 a large tug, and went out in her as Engineer Officer.
The LT 128 was sent out to Noumea, New Caledonia by way of Honolulu with her engines, which were old and improperly cared for by the former contract crew, giving constant trouble. She had in tow an empty, high-riding, 3,500 ton concrete barge which was hard to manage. The combination nearly caused the loss of the LT 128. The engines stopped, and the drag of the motionless propellers and the weight of the 1800 feet of two-inch towing wire running back to the barge, killed the tug's way almost at once. She lay there, rocking in the swell and gradually swinging round broadside to the barge, which kept coming on. Down below Parsons and his men worked in the hot and silent engine room. The rest of the crew came topside watching the tow close in. The barge's blunt heavy bow was much higher than the tug's rail and her weight would roll them over if she came down on them. The barge was under one hundred yards away, less than a minute's travel, when those on deck heard the rumble of the starting air and then the sound of the exhaust as the cylinders starting firing again. All hands breathed easier. When the LT 128 got into Honolulu, they spent some weeks being over- hauled before proceeding to Noumea.
From Noumea to Milne Bay, S. E. New Guinea the 128 towed a 3,500 ton crane barge and after that spent months along the New Guinea coast towing barges of army equipment and supplies, cranes and derricks.
In April 1945 Alfred Parsons was commissioned Ensign and the LT 128 began her long slow (4-knot) trips to Tacloban. Their es-
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cort left her when they broke down off Palau, then still held by the Japs except for a small beachhead held by our Marines. The tug caught up next day.
"We returned to Hollandia, New Guinea and in January 1945 we left again in convoy for Leyte with 158 tows consisting of barges, cranes, and dry docks. Each tug was given its position in the con- voy but owing to wind and stormy weather the barges broke loose. We lost 56 barges, lost and sunk. At the end of five days, due to wind and current, we had gone backward 40 miles and wound up at Hollandia again. The Navy stepped in and gave orders to the Army that in the future no tug was to be given more than two or three barges, depending on size. We had been loaded up to five barges. We worked all through the Philippines, Sabu, Penang, Panay, Mindanao, Manila and Okinawa." In the course of his journeys he met his nephew George Landers' ship the USS Ingham several times and the two men had dinner together on the LT 128.
After returning to the States in October 1945 Alfred Parsons reverted to his last permanent enlisted status and is still in the U. S. Coast Guard with the rate of Chief Motor Machinist's Mate. He is now on the USCGC Legare, stationed at Wood's Hole, Mass.
Good Conduct Medal with 3 stars
American Defense Service Medal American Campaign Medal Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
Philippine Liberation Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal
Expert Rifleman's Medal
Expert Pistol Shot's Medal
RICHARD JOSEPH PATCH entered on active duty as a Private in the Army of the U. S. on March 12, 1946. He was assigned to the Air Corps and sent to the 3543rd Army Air Forces Base Unit for 6 weeks' basic training at San Antonio, Tex. He was transferred to Lowry Field, Colo. for a 10-week Clerk-Typist's course.
In June 1946 he was assigned to Westover Field, Mass. where he had the duty of Work Order Clerk-typist in the Airrcaft Mainten- ance Shops.
Patch was promoted to Private First Class on November 1, 1946 and on March 26, 1947 he was promoted to Corporal. He was honorably discharged on September 12, 1947.
American Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal
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SAMUEL SUMNER PEABODY entered on active duty as a Pri- vate in the Army of the U. S., and was assigned to the Air Forces on April 13, 1946. He was sent to Shepherd Field, Tex. for basic training and was promoted to Private First Class in October 1946.
On June 26, 1946 he was ordered to Radio Mechanics' School at Scott Field, Ill. for a twenty-six week course. On February 2, 1947 he was transferred to Radio Repair School also at Scott Field for a course of twelve weeks.
In May 1947 he was assigned as Instructor in the Radio Repair School. Here he received his rating of Corporal in June 1947. At the present time, September 1947, he is still at Scott Field.
Peabody expects to be discharged in April 1949 at the end of his three-year enlistment.
Good Conduct Medal
American Campaign Medal World War II Victory Medal
RICHARD GIFFORD PEDRICK was commissioned in the U. S. Naval Reserve on November 13, 1942. He entered on active duty February 1, 1943 and was sent to the Harvard Communication School, Cambridge, Mass., NTS (Naval Training School), Ft. Schuyler, Bronx, New York City, Submarine Chaser Training Cen- ter, Miami, Fla. and finally to Headquarters, 8th Naval District, New Orleans on pre-commissioning duty.
Richard Pedrick went out on the new PCE 845 when she left New Orleans on March 1, 1944. She was a 180-foot anti-submarine warfare vessel with similar equipment to a destroyer escort. She carried a crew of 110 men and 11 officers. She was stationed in the So. Atlantic and during that time escorted convoys between Trini- dad, Recife, Bahia, Belem, and Rio de Janeiro. She participated in a killer group which chased a German sub to the African coast where it was captured by a CVE. On the 845 he acted as Deck Officer, Communications Officer and Administration Officer.
In January 1945, PCE 845 passed through the Canal to the Pacific where she served for nine months and took part in the Philippine campaign where her duty was to escort convoys between Hollandia, New Guinea and Leyte, P. I. She also escorted supplies and troops between Leyte, Mangaren Bay, Batangas Bay, Manila, Subic Bay, Puerto Princesoa, Palawan, Morotai, and Zamboanga. She was stationed as a patrol ship for a month in the vicinity of Tawi Tawi, Zulu Archipelago, and Borneo.
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Personal Records of Those in the Armed Forces
Richard Pedrick was released to inactive duty on December 9, 1945.
American Campaign Medal
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal Philippine Liberation Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal
JOHN HAZEN PERRY enlisted in the Massachusetts National Guard as a Private on October 5, 1939, and was commissioned 2d Lieutenant on January 14, 1941. He was inducted into Federal Service with the 26th (Yankee) Division on January 16, 1941.
As a member of the 26th Division he took part in the Carolina maneuvers of 1941 and the Tennessee maneuvers of 1943.
Perry sailed from N. Y. on August 27, 1944 and landed with the rest of the Yankee Division at Utah Beach in Normandy on September 7, 1944. He had been promoted to Captain in April 1943 and commanded Battery C, 263rd Field Artillery Battalion.
"The Division was the first to land directly in France from America. It went into the line on October 6 joining General Pat- ton's Third Army sixteen miles east of Nancy and remained with the Third Army through 210 consecutive days of front-line combat which ended on May 8, 1945 when the German Eighth Army laid down their arms near Linz, Austria as the last German resistance in World War II collapsed. During this time, the 26th Division was never relieved, fought in six countries and suffered 19,000 casual- ties out of an original complement of 13,000 men.
"The 26th Division, with a small group of Infantry Divisions and the 4th and 6th Armored Divisions, spearheaded the Third Army's attack from the Moselle River to the German border in October, November and December, 1944; the crushing of the south- ern flank of the German breakthrough in the Ardennes (Battle of the Bulge) December 1944 and January 1945; the cracking of the Siegfried line along the Saar River in February and March 1945; the crossing of the Rhine at Oppenheim on March 23; and the final 'rat-race' through Germany into Austria and Czechoslovakia which ended on May 8, 1945 when forward elements of the 26th contacted advance units of the Red Army near Budjevice (Budweis), Czecho- slovakia."
The duty of the Battery was to "furnish fire support to the in- fantry whenever called upon, and to always be in a position to attack any targets which might present themselves."
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As Battery Commander, Perry was responsible for the proper functioning of the Battery at all times and for the performance of all its members. He received his Majority in September 1945.
John Perry was released to inactive duty on January 29, 1946 at Ft. Devens.
Bronze Star awarded by General Willard S. Paul on December 16, 1944 for exceptional performance in completing assigned fire missions against enemy action east of Nancy from 27 Octo- ber, 1944 to 11 November, 1944.
American Defense Service Medal
American Campaign Medal
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with stars
for Northern France, Ardennes, Central Rhineland, Germany. World War II Victory Medal
FRANK RAYMOND PEWS entered on active duty as a Private in the Army of the United States on August 30, 1942. He was assigned to the 27th Medical Training Battalion at Camp Grant, Ill. for basic training and then joined the 85th General Hospital at Atlanta, Ga. and remained with this unit until August 1945 serving as Clerk in the Registrar's Office. From Atlanta, the unit moved to Louisville, Ky. where Pews was promoted to Corporal and the 85th General Hospital became the 25th General Hospital.
The 25th General Hospital left N. Y. for foreign service on December 20, 1943. They crossed to Scotland on the Queen Mary and were stationed in England for seven months before crossing to France on July 26, 1944. From there they followed into Bel- gium where they were stationed at Liège and endured "six weeks of constant robot bombing ('buzz bombs') during the 'Battle of the Bulge' " (Ardennes breakthrough). Pews was promoted to Sergeant and continued as clerk in the Registrar's Office of the 25th General Hospital. Pews trained with the 56th General Hospital for service in the Pacific. When the Japanese surrender made fur- ther transfer of units to that area unnecessary, he returned to the States serving for short terms with the 76th General Hospital and 443rd Medical Collecting Co. as he moved toward home. He sailed from Antwerp in November 1945.
Frank Pews was honorably discharged at Ft. Devens, Mass on December 6, 1945.
Good Conduct Medal
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Personal Records of Those in the Armed Forces
American Campaign Medal
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with stars for Northern France, Rhineland and Ardennes.
World War II Victory Medal
RICHARD DANE PHIPPEN entered on active duty as Appren- tice Seaman in the U. S. Coast Guard Reserve on January 16, 1942. He was ordered to boot camp on Gallups Island, Boston.
He was assigned to the Boston Harbor Patrol Base from which the Picket Patrol was operated. "This was the beginning of the Coastal Patrol and later Submarine Patrol and was mostly made up of Reserves on requisitioned schooners and yachts." This, together with guard duty, boarding and clearance work, was all a part of his duty.
During this time several promotions had come his way and when he was transferred to the USCG Receiving Base, Boston, his rate was Boatswain's Mate 1/c. "In this rate, shore patrol duty was a natural and this with several months' duty on the Queen Mary, then in the Charlstown Navy Yard for repairs, completed my assignment.
"When shipped overseas in September 1944, Labrador, Newfound- land and Greenland were my destinations, the latter being a long- term assignment. We were based at Bluie West One on the southern tip of Greenland. At this time Greenland was the weather station of the world and on a convoy lane to Iceland and Europe. Being stationed at the main or mother base, there was much activity in connection with the base.
"We got used to the midnight sun and the darkness of winter be- came familiar. Skiing on the mountains of southern Greenland and on the ice-cap was one of the highlights of life at the Base." His duties were those of Chief Master at Arms and Base Censor.
After returning to the States at the end of hostilities, Phippen was put in charge of the Halfway Rock Light Station twelve miles off Portland, Me. where a radio and light station was maintained. "After sweating out the rough winter of 1945-46 at the Light, I was discharged just four years to the day of enlisting."
Richard Phippen was honorably discharged on January 16, 1946 in Boston.
Life Saving Commendation awarded by Admiral R. R. Waeshe, Commandant USCG, on April 19, 1943.
Good Conduct Medal
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American Campaign Medal European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal World War II Victory Medal
RICHARD PRESTON was commissioned Lieutenant (j.g.) in the United States Naval Reserve and entered on active duty on March 7, 1942. He was assigned to the District Intelligence Office, First Naval District, where he served until May 1944. He was promoted to Lieutenant in October 1942.
For several months, after arriving in England in May 1944, he acted as liaison officer between U. S. Naval Forces in Europe and branches of the British Army, serving in Liverpool, London and "way stations."
In October 1944, having been promoted to Lieutenant-Com- mander, he was assigned duties with the U. S. Naval forces destined to participate in the occupation of Germany. This duty entailed considerable traveling in England and on the continent.
"Planning for Allied occupation of Germany was intensely in- teresting," he reports, "inasmuch as there were no precedents to guide one, no adequate estimation of how Germany would react to defeat, and numerous other unknown quantities such as Russian participation, extent of cooperation between services and Allies, areas to be occupied, etc.
"I was eventually attached to Supreme Headquarters Allied Ex- peditionary Forces (SHAEF) and when that organization moved forward to Frankfort, Germany, I found myself with Ted Osgood and Fred Ayer, Jr .- fellow Wenhamites, likewise with SHAEF."
His next assignment was duty with the Commander, U. S. Naval Forces, Germany where he was attached to the Naval Division, U. S. Group Control Council for Germany, with headquarters in Berlin.
"During this period and for the preceding three months, I spent most of my time in my jeep 'Roarin' Bessie,' flagship of the U. S. Jeepborne Navy (USJBN). The sudden appearance of a navy jeep occasioned caustic observations from G.I.'s no matter where. Usually they saw the blue uniform and informed me that the Union Army had been demobilized, or that Patton was in command, not General Grant. Despite such remarks, Army hospitality was the best part of this duty !"
Richard Preston came home in October 1945 and was released to inactive duty on January 7, 1946.
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Personal Records of Those in the Armed Forces
American Campaign Medal European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal World War II Victory Medal Army of Occupation Medal Expert Pistol Shot's Medal
GORDON AGASSIZ PRINCE entered on active duty as an Apprentice Seaman in the U. S. Naval Reserve on September 1, 1944. He was sent to boot camp at the U. S. Naval Training Cen- ter, Sampson, N. Y. He made Seaman 2/c on September 19, 1944 and was sent to the U. S. Naval Academy Preparatory School, U. S. Naval Training Center, Bainbridge, Md., on September 29, 1944.
On June 15, 1945 Gordon Prince was honorably discharged from the U. S. Naval Reserve and sworn into the U. S. Navy as a Mid- shipman at the U. S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md.
American Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal
Expert Rifleman's Medal
NATHAN DENNETT PRINCE enlisted on August 12, 1939 in the U. S. Army. With a casual detachment of about 100 he was sent to Fort Slocum, N. Y. for one month's recruit training, after which the group was sent, with others, to the Brooklyn Army Base, N. Y. for preparation for overseas transport to the Philippines.
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