USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Wenham > Wenham in World War II : war service of Wenham men and women and civilian services of Wenham people > Part 16
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26
Miss Stobbart had been promoted to 1st Lieutenant February 8, 1944 and was now surgical administration supervisor for the Chief Nurse's office.
"In our hospital we received wounded from all sections of France and Germany and from all armies and divisions in this sector, in- cluding at times some Navy personnel. The hospital covered ten acres. A few of the personnel, library, church and theater buildings were constructed of wood. The operating room, laboratory, X-Ray department were in Nissen huts with cement floors. All the rest of the hospital, including the personnel, nurses, corpsmen and pa- tients were under canvas. The large ward tents accommodated 31 patients to a tent. The nurses lived in small tents accommodating 4 persons under crowded conditions. These tents had electric lights, very small stoves for heating, no running water and there was a great deal of mud. After several months most of the tents had cement bases. Discipline was strict and the nurses were no excep- tion to the rule as they were expected to have their tents ready for inspection at all times as well as equipment, uniforms, insignia, etc. Drill in the proper way of returning salutes was the bane of our existence."
On August 30, 1945 after a period of 11 months, Miss Stobbart (Captain Stobbart since March 16, 1945) was transferred to the 136th Evacuation Hospital where she served as Assistant Chief Nurse at the staging area at Marseille, France.
178
Wenham in World War II
"We sailed for the U. S. on September 3 on the USS Gen. George S. Squier. It was a delightful voyage because we were sailing with full lights, V-J Day having come and gone. Considering the thou- sands of patients that I saw during my four and a half years of service as an Army nurse, I feel proud that I had the privilege of serving our boys in every branch of the service. Regardless of their hardships, suffering and pain, they were always good sports with great courage and high morale."
Florence Stobbart was released to inactive duty on February 27, 1946.
American Defense Service Medal
American Campaign Medal
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal
JOHN BARTON STURGES entered on active duty in the U. S. Coast Guard (Temporary Reserve) as Motor Mechanic 2/c on August 20, 1942. He served on the USCGR 1004 Mendham, an 87 ft. schooner taken over by the Government. It carried a crew of 12 men and patrolled from Gloucester to Cash's Ledge, to Port- land and back.
On February 12, 1943 he entered on active duty as a Private in the Army of the U. S. He was sent to Camp Croft, S. C. for basic training and to Camp Harrihan, New Orleans, La., a staging area, where he was assigned to Co. B, 745th R.R. Operating Bat- talion and sent with the unit to Camp Scott, Ft. Wayne, Ind. for special railroad training. He went overseas with the 745th on De- cember 10, 1943 sailing from Los Angeles, Calif.
They landed at Bombay, India and were based at Mariani. Co. A was to operate the Bengal-Assam R. R. and Co. B was to main- tain it. Co. B was sent up to Lumding, Assam, where they estab- lished a machine repair shop and coaling point.
"The Bengal-Assam R. R. before the war was run by the British to get tea from the Assam Valley to Calcutta for export. It was taken over by the Americans to carry supplies from Calcutta to a terminal point near Tinsukia where the supplies were either flown over the 'Hump' or trucked over the Ledo Road to British and Americans in China.
"When the Japs attempted to cut this railroad coming down out of the hills through Kohima and Imphal, I was temporarily de- tached from Lumding to a small railroad station, Diphu, where I
179
Personal Records of Those in the Armed Forces
maintained six motor railroad trollies to patrol the railroad with the help of Ghurka guards. After the Japs were driven back by the British and Indians, I went back to Lumding as electrician where I installed, tested and repaired electrical fixtures, apparatus, electric control equipment, wiring used in connection with radio communication, and the light and power systems of the buildings.
"When the British ran the railroad there were only three or four 5-car trains a day. At the time we were carrying most supplies, we boosted the sevice to over 80 one-hundred-car trains a day. We also built a double track from Lumding to Mariani. A very remark- able feat was performed by our American Engineers. They laid a 6" and 8" gas and oil pipe line from the sea, North, following the course of the railroad through Lumding to Ledo. This supplied gas and oil to planes and trucks going to China and allowed us to carry more war materials on the railroad in place of oil.
"Lumding is a small village accessible only by railroad. It is surrounded by dense jungle where at first we saw Bengal tigers, ele- phants, large grey monkeys, vultures and pythons. These went back into the jungle as the activity of the railroad increased. It wasn't unusual for a train to be delayed for some time because of a herd of wild elephants on the tracks.
"The local inhabitants are Burmese imported by the British for railroad work. They live in squalid bamboo huts, eating mostly rice, bad fish and queer vegetables.
"At first we lived in tents. By the time we came home we had built a very comfortable camp-bashas, electric lights, fire hydrants, our own theater and showers. We were troubled by malaria, (I be- lieve at one time over 60% had it) termites, white ants, slight earthquakes, and many hurricane-force winds, which in one instance blew down bashas, recreation hall and showers.
"I took many interesting trips into the hills, to the Naga Head Hunters' villages, and to Kohima, where the British and Indians had a long bitter struggle with the Japs. In the last weeks of our stay, many of us had good hunting in the jungle.
"Some day I'd like to go back to India."
Good Conduct Medal American Campaign Medal
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
British 14th Army Attachment Medal
World War II Victory Medal
180
Wenham in World War II
GORDON WALKER WEBB entered on active duty as Appren- tice Seaman in the U. S. Naval Reserve on December 26, 1940. He was sent to Newport Naval Training Station for preliminary training and then assigned as Seaman 1/c to the USS Albemarle operating in the North and South Atlantic on neutrality patrol. The ship was a seaplane tender and carried booms to raise planes onto her large overhanging afterdeck. She was a complete floating repair shop carrying replacement parts and capable of making any repair that could be made by a land shop. Webb served on her as ammunition passer.
On December 26, 1941 he was transferred to the USS Rodman (DD 456) as Coxswain and he served as sightsetter in No. 1 gun mount. The Rodman was one of the destroyers operating in the North Sea off Spitzbergen in order to keep the channels open for ships running to Russia. She also took part in the African In- vasion, in the Moroccan landings. 1
In April 1944 he was assigned to the pre-commissioning crew of the USS Lyman K. Swenson (DD 729). She was commissioned at Boston and left for the Pacific in August. The Swenson joined Ad- miral Halsey and Mitscher's Third and Fifth Fleets and led an active life. She took part in supporting operations during the Lu- zon, Formosa and China attacks. She supported the assault and occupation of Iwo Jima and was in the Third Fleet raid against Honshu. She supported the Okinawa landings and participated in a torpedo run on ships in Tokyo Bay. V-J Day found her in Tokyo Bay.
Gordon Webb returned to the States on the Swenson. She flew the homeward bound pennant and beside her own crew, she brought back some Seabees who had worked to level the airfields on Okinawa. He made Boatswain's Mate 1/c on the USS Swenson on June 1, 1945. He was in charge of 2nd Division deck work.
"I returned to the Pacific with the Swenson in February 1946, patrolling the China coast and a few weeks later was transferred to the USS Repose, a hospital ship. The Repose was serving as a medical base in Shanghai, China."
Webb was honorably discharged on November 12, 1946 at Boston. American Defense Service Medal with bronze A for active duty in the Atlantic before the U. S. entered the war.
American Campaign Medal
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with star for Algeria-Morocco landings.
181
Personal Records of Those in the Armed Forces
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with 5 stars for the Leyte, Luzon,
Iwo Jima and Okinawa Operations, and Third Fleet Opera- tions against Japan.
Philippine Liberation Campaign Medal with star.
World War II Victory Medal
CHARLES KENDALL WEBSTER entered on active duty as a Private in the Army of the U. S. on September 8, 1942. After completing his basic training he was ordered to Ft. Bliss, Tex. Octo- ber 7, 1942 where he was assigned to the 398th MPEG (Military Police Escort Guard). In November 1942 this detachment was sent to Camp Gruber, Okla. where he was promoted to Corporal and served as Chief Armorer.
His next station was at Stringtown Internment Camp, Atoka, Okla. (for German submarine officers and crews) where he was at- tached to Headquarters personnel.
In March 1943 his orders took him to Oklahoma Agricultural & Mining College where he supervised a short course in the use and care of guns.
Charles Webster was recommended for officers' training from Camp Gruber and from Stringtown Internment Camp but in each case was disqualified after preliminary training because of imper- fect eyesight.
His last assignment was to Charleston, S. C. POE (Port of Em- barkation) where he served as instructor in the maintenance and use of aircraft rescue boats.
Charles Webster was honorably discharged at Charleston on Sep- tember 25, 1943.
Good Conduct Medal
American Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal
FREDERICK ALTON WEBSTER was commissioned Captain in the Army of the U. S. (Medical Corps) in May 1942. The Rhode Island Hospital Unit partially organized before Pearl Harbor had requested him to join them as Assistant Urologist. On August 17 this unit consisting of 36 medical officers, almost all from the Rhode Island Hospital and a half dozen administrative officers from one of the Providence banks, was activated as the 48th Evacuation Hos- pital and sent to Ft. Devens to meet its cadre of enlisted men. They
182
Wenham in World War II
were indoctrinated, equipped and sent to Tennessee to operate the Base Hospital for the 1942 maneuvers.
On returning to Devens in November, Webster was made Plans and Training Officer for an intensified training schedule of lectures on military-medical affairs, training hikes, demonstrations, uses of medical paraphernalia, and setting up equipment into units. On January 1, 1943 he was sent as advance Liaison Officer to Los Angeles.
"Leaving Ayer at 2º above zero in full winter regalia, traveling across the country and arriving at Los Angeles where the tempera- ture was 85° in the shade was quite a shock. Two weeks later we set off on a beautiful converted Italian liner and headed westward. We knew nothing of our trip, destination, or future. After several stops we arrived in Bombay, India, and spent two days taking in the mixture of filth and beauty which characterizes this country and then started across country by train. Anybody who has any gripes about American train service should ride for 23 days in an Indian train-two hour stops meant nothing to the engineer and at every stop the natives ran out forward to the engine to catch the distilled water from the condensers to make tea. Twice there were two-day trips up the Brahmaputra River and all our equipment had to be shifted from one carrier to another.
"Finally, we arrived at Margherita, a town in northern Siam. This is the point from which the Ledo Road started. As a group of untrained softies and nurses, we were dumped into a recently cleared area in the jungle. Two days after we arrived and had got- ten canvas and equipment together, it began to rain and rained for three weeks. We had 50 inches of rain and underfoot, ten inches of thick, slimy mud. Leeches and snakes were common companions.
"Six of us, including myself, were assigned to do individual re- search in malaria control with a cadre of 200 American and 200 Chinese troops. Under authority from Uncle Joe Stilwell we worked for three months to determine the efficiency of several anti-malarial drugs. American troops traveled over the country in their own transportation but when you try to transport 200 ex-Burma Road thugs and racketeers you find that your hands are plenty full.
"At the completion of this mission (September 1943) 8 of us walked 20 miles over the Patkai Mts. in Northern Burma and built. established and maintained a 300 bed field hospital. Our patients included English, Americans, Chinese and natives who were working on the road. Merrell's Marauders and the Enterprise Sec-
183
Personal Records of Those in the Armed Forces
tion of Wingate's came through and spent the night with us on the trail. In the six months before we were returned to Ledo we watched the Ledo Road pass us and wind further and further away beyond us."
In the early days at Ledo and at the Field Hospital, Frederick Webster served as Chief of Surgical Service and directed the surgi- cal work.
"In Ledo (March-September 1944) we cared for the majority of the Chinese battle casualties of the 22nd and 28th Divisions as they progressed down the Hukaung and Mogaung Valleys toward Myitkyina.
"In September the 48th Evacuation Hospital was ordered to Myitkyina and in October was functioning as an 1800 bed general hospital. We were under almost nightly raids as we were close to the airports, at this time the most active in the world. We had been overseas nearly 23 years and to my surprise when rotation started, I was scheduled for the first trip home. Flying from Myitkyina to Miami took five days flying time via Karachi, Abadan, Cairo and Casablanca."
After a short leave, Frederick Webster was assigned to Wakeman General Hospital in Indiana and served as Chief of the Section of Urology until his release to inactive duty in December 1945.
Distinguished Unit Citation awarded the 48th Evacuation Hos- pital in May 1945.
American Campaign Medal
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with three stars for Burma, Northern Burma, and Chinese Campaigns.
World War II Victory Medal
HOMER FRANCIS WEBSTER entered on active duty in the U. S. Naval Reserve as an Aviation Cadet in the fall of 1935. After completing his training at Anacostia, Washington, D. C., and at Pensacola, Fla., he received his wings on February 26, 1937. As an Ensign he served as Naval Aviator on the battleship West Vir- ginia returning to Pensacola in 1940 as a flight instructor. Early in 1941 he was ordered to Corpus Christi, Tex., where he served as Chief Flight Instructor of a primary training squadron.
When the Naval Air Transport Service was established, he was assigned to Squadron VR-1 at Norfolk, Va. and when VR-7 (Air Transport Squadron Seven) was commissioned, he was transferred to Miami, Fla. for duty in various executive capacities with the
184
Wenham in World War II
new squadron. From Miami, VR-7 flew all the NATS Latin- American routes, as well as routes to Africa, Lisbon, Italy and Eng- land, carrying raw materials used in the manufacture of radar equipment, mechanical parts for guns, fuses for shells, plane parts, engines, and other high-priority or emergency cargo. On several occasions parts were flown out to Naval vessels disabled at sea. VR-7 was also responsible for the sinking of several German submarines which they spotted and reported by radio to the authorities, who then sent ships or bombing planes out to get them.
As Captain of NATS at VR-7's Miami base at Municipal Field, Fla. at the time of the 1944 hurricane, he received warning that a hurricane was coming. Personnel were alerted, planes run into the hangars ; the hangars, Quonset huts and other buildings were then tied down by cables over the roofs, attached at each end to fire- engines, trucks and cars. By pulling in opposite directions at full speed during the height of the blow, they managed to prevent loss of life and equipment.
Homer Webster was also stationed for a time at NATS' southern terminal at Rio de Janeiro, and while there served in addition as Senior Naval Aviator, on the Admiral's staff.
In April 1945 he succeeded to command of VR-7 on the detach- ment of the then skipper; and on July 1, 1945 he was promoted to Commander and officially designated Commanding Officer of the squadron. In this capacity he was also in charge of all of the Latin- American operation of NATS.
The squadron was decommissioned in September 1945, and Web- ster was then ordered to duty on an examining board at Patuxent River, Md., which passed on reservists who wished to enter the regu- lar Navy.
He was released to inactive duty in March 1946, but has since been recalled and is now (October 1947) on the staff of the Admiral and Commandant, Naval Air Base, Glenview, Ill.
Commendation Ribbon awarded by the Secretary of the Navy for work with Squadron VR-7 and foresightedness which prevented loss of life and personnel during hurricane of 1944.
American Defense Service Medal with star
American Campaign Medal
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with stars for Lisbon, England, Italy and Africa.
World War II Victory Medal
185
Personal Records of Those in the Armed Forces
MARTHA WEBSTER (Mrs. Edwin Rogers Sparrow, Jr.), the first girl to volunteer from Wenham, enlisted as an Apprentice Sea- man in the U. S. Naval Reserve (WAVES) on July 16, 1943 and entered on active duty July 29, 1943. She was sent to Hunter College, WAVE Training Station, Bronx, New York City and came out as a Recruiting Specialist, 3rd Class.
She worked in the offices of Naval Officer Procurement in New York and Boston and in the U. S. WAVE Recruiting Station, Bos- ton. During this time she toured New England speaking at rallies and representing the WAVES at state programs.
She then went to the Recruiting Station, Providence, R. I. and for a year, during which time she was advanced to SP (R) 2/c, she was in charge of recruiting of WAVES for southern R. I. Her work there included "speaking to different clubs (Lions, Rotary, Kiwanis, etc.) to inform the public what the WAVES were doing and why we needed more women; showing moving pictures to groups ; representing the WAVES at dinners, luncheons, banquets given by the Governor, Mayor and different civic organizations, and making short speeches at such affairs; acting as hostess at naval station parties. (All this sounds horribly glamorous! But it cer- tainly wasn't. The hours were dreadful !)"
Martha Webster was honorably discharged December 19, 1944. She was married in Hamilton on June 17, 1944 to Ensign Edwin Rogers Sparrow, Jr., USNR.
Commendation from Lieut-Comdr. Paul A. Lee, USNR officer in charge of the U. S. Navy Recruiting Station, Providence, R. I. for excellence in work and for original ideas for increas- ing WAVE quotas.
American Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal
FARLEY WILDER WHEELWRIGHT entered on active duty as a Private in the Army of the U. S., March 14, 1942. He was assigned to the Air Forces and was stationed at Keesler Field, Miss. for basic training. Later he was reassigned to Chanute Field, Ill. for Link Trainer Instructor School.
Commissioned 2d Lt. in the Signal Corps on March 7, 1943 after completing officer candidate school, Wheelwright was assigned to the 572 Signal Aircraft Warning Battalion at Drew Field, Fla. On December 31, 1943 he was transferred to Air Corps again and fur- ther assigned to 324th Fighter Squadron in Richmond, Va.
186
Wenham in World War II
In July 1944, Lt. Wheelwright was sent overseas and assigned to the 45th Fighter Squadron, 15 Fighter Group, VII Fighter Com- mand at Bellows Field, Oahu, T. H. His principal duties were combat air intelligence and historical officer.
Wheelwright returned to the U. S. in October 1945 and was re- leased from active duty in the rank of Captain in January 1946.
Distinguished Unit Badge
American Campaign Medal
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with 2 stars for Iwo Jima and Air Offensive Japanese Empire.
World War II Victory Medal
CECIL HAMLIN WHITTIER was commissioned Lieutenant (j.g.) in the U. S. Naval Reserve April 18, 1942 and went on active duty on June 17, 1942. He went for indoctrination to the Naval Air Intelligence Training Center at the Naval Air Station, Quonset Point, R. I.
In August 1942 he was ordered to report to Commandant First Naval District at Boston and was assigned to duty as an air con- troller in the Joint Army and Navy Operations Office at 150 Cause- way Street. As air controller, he was Watch Officer for Commander Northern Air Patrol which was a unit of Northern Group Eastern Sea Frontier. Commander Northern Air Patrol had operational command of the squadrons providing air patrols and escorts for vessels and convoys in the waters extending from Nantucket to the Canadian boundary and also of air-sea rescue work in that area. An air controller's duties involved plotting of naval movements, writ- ing orders to provide proper air coverage for them and orders for routine patrols, evaluating reports of enemy sightings and ordering planes or blimps to investigate or search in co-operation with sur- face craft. During the summer and fall of 1943 he was stationed (for temporary additional duty) at Naval Air Facility, Sanford, Me. in connection with operations and briefing. In March 1944 he attended the ground school of Anti-Submarine Devices, Atlantic Fleet, at NAS, Quonset Point, R. I.
In April 1945, he was ordered to report to Commander Fleet Air Wing Three with headquarters at NAS Coco Solo, C. Z. as a member of his staff. This was the command in operational control of the naval aviation units attached to Panama Sea Frontier, based both in the Canal Zone and at advance bases in Central and South America, protecting the Atlantic and Pacific approaches to the Canal.
187
Personal Records of Those in the Armed Forces
He served as Operations Watch Officer until July 1945 and then as Administrative and Legal Officer of the Wing. In May 1943 he was promoted to Lieutenant and in October 1945 to Lieutenant- Commander.
In November 1945 Whittier was ordered to Boston for release to inactive duty and was released February 13, 1946.
American Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal
ROBERT PEARSON WHITTIER entered on active duty in the U. S. Naval Reserve as an Aviation Cadet on May 11, 1943 at Wil- liams College, Williamstown, Mass. After leaving there, he under- went training at Virginia Polytechnic Institute (C.A.A.) ; Chapel Hill, N. C. (Pre-Flight), Olathe, Kan. (Primary), Corpus Christi, Tex. (Advanced), Miami, Fla. (Operational Training in Torpedo Bombers). On March 21, 1945 he was commissioned Ensign.
After leaving Miami, Whittier was sent to the Carrier Qualifica- tion Training Unit at Glenview, Ill. From there he joined Air Group 98 at Oxnard, Calif. awaiting orders overseas. In August 1945, after V-J Day, he was sent to Bombing Squadron Seven at Astoria, Ore. a dive-bombing outfit. With this squadron he went to Holtville, Calif, for several months' training in the desert, and then to the Naval Air Station, San Diego.
The squadron took a training cruise on the USS Shangri-La (CV 38), a carrier, and later operated with the USS Hancock (CV 19) and the USS Lexington (CV 16). At that time Whittier served as Navigation Officer of the squadron. He was later transferred to Carrier Aircraft Service Unit #1, at Pearl Harbor and after two months there was released to inactive duty on August 11, 1946.
American Campaign Medal
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal.
EDWARD WIGGLESWORTH, JR. entered on active duty as an Ensign in the U. S. Naval Reserve on April 16, 1942, when he re- ported to the U. S. Naval Officers' Training School in South Boston for indoctrination. On June 1 he was sent to the Naval Mine War- fare School where he remained for three months. From September 1 until April 1, 1943, he was attached to the Office of the Supervisor of Shipbuilding in Chicago. .
On April 15, 1943 he reported for duty as Executive Officer
188
Wenham in World War II
aboard the USS YMS 164 (minesweeper) stationed at Charleston, S. C., and in May was promoted to Lieutenant (j.g.). He served on this ship for four months. The duty of this ship was mine- sweeping and patrol duties in the Charleston area.
On September 1, 1943 Wigglesworth took command of the YMS 390 and served on her for two years, at first in the Caribbean and later in the Pacific. He was promoted to Lieutenant on July 15, 1944.
"In September 1944, the 390 took part in the invasion of the Palau Islands where she was variously engaged as patrol, escort, minesweeping and mine destruction vessel.
"After that she proceeded to Ulithi where, in mid-September she participated in the invasion of that atoll. She acted as hydrographic ship, swept, patrolled, destroyed mines and acted as entrance con- trol vessel."
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.