USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Wenham > Wenham in World War II : war service of Wenham men and women and civilian services of Wenham people > Part 17
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For his part in this engagement he received a letter of commenda- tion from Admiral Halsey, Commander Third Fleet.
In May of 1945 he was relieved and proceeded home for 30 days' leave. He was then assigned to duty as instructor in Navigation and Tactics at the Naval Communications School at Harvard Col- lege until his release to inactive duty at Boston, Mass. on December 7, 1945.
Commendation Ribbon awarded by Admiral Halsey for excellent performance of duty as commanding officer during the invasion of the Palau Islands and Ulithi.
American Campaign Medal
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with star for Western Carolines Operation.
World War II Victory Medal
DAVID PARKER WILDE entered on active duty in the U. S. Coast Guard Reserve on December 3, 1940, as Apprentice Seaman, and was sent to Ellis Island, N. Y. for training. From there he was assigned to the USS Tulip, a buoy tender, and was advanced to S 2/c. After a tour of duty on that ship, he was transferred to the Coast Guard Intelligence Identification Unit in New York City, where, after our entry into the war, he was engaged in fingerprinting new enlistees, examining citizenship papers, and other work of a similar character.
In 1943, Wilde was assigned to the USCG Cutter Spencer, and was advanced to S 1/c. The ship "spent considerable time in the
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Personal Records of Those in the Armed Forces
Caribbean and made several trips to the Mediterranean and Africa on Convoy Duty. During my time on the USS Spencer, we en- countered submarines frequently and dropped depth charges on many occasions but that, however, was the extent of our action, as none of them ever surfaced. Several hundred miles southwest of Florida we chased a submarine for almost eight hours and expended most of our depth charges. We never knew whether or not we got it. We sank a submarine about a mile from Gibraltar for which the Spencer was never credited by the United States."
In the summer of 1944, the Spencer was converted into a com- munications ship, and sent to New Guinea, and Wilde was advanced to Signalman 3/c. He was transferred to the Army Advance Sup- ply Ship FS 168, and accompanied several invasions on her, ex- periencing several nuisance air raids.
"In the Philippines we accompanied a minor invasion at Nasugbu on Luzon, carrying ammunition of all types and food supplies. The fighting was heavy there for about ten days and it was grue- somely interesting to note that each day gunfire grew fainter as the Japs were driven back into the hills. We never knew what they ex- pected to accomplish but at night occasional pot shots presumably from straying Japs would plunk in the water nearby."
During the last months of the war his ship worked out of Manila, and from there Wilde was assigned to temporary duty on the USS General Howe, a Coast Guard transport, for passage back to the States.
David Wilde was honorably discharged on October 26, 1945 at Brooklyn, N. Y.
Good Conduct Medal
American Defense Service Medal with bronze A.
American Campaign Medal
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
Philippine Liberation Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal
GEORGE FRANCIS WILDES entered on active duty as Appren- tice Seaman in the U. S. Naval Reserve on May 30, 1942. He was sent for training to Newport, R. I. and then to the Philadelphia, Pa. Receiving Station which assigned him on July 29, 1942 to the USS Columbia (CL 56), a light cruiser.
Wildes joined the ship and in August 1942 made Seaman 2/c. He
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was assigned to the 2d Division (Deck) as deckhand and his general . quarters station was in the magazine of turret 4 where his duty was to break out powder and load it into the hoist which took it up to the guns, a dangerous job requiring speed and care. He remained with the Columbia until August 24, 1943 and made S 1/c in February 1943.
During this time he saw plenty of action as the Columbia took part successively (December 1942 to February 1943) in the capture and defense of Guadalcanal, covering force patrol in the Solomons area and fire support of the Rennell Island landing. From February to April 1943 she assisted in the consolidation of the Solomons and Southern Solomons and provided shore bombardment cover for the landing and occupation of the Russell Islands.
June 1943 found the Columbia engaged in the New Georgia, Ren- dova and Vangunu occupation where she provided diversional bom- bardment and protected mine-layers in the Shortland area.
In July she was part of the covering force operating south of New Guinea and her next job was to intercept enemy surface forces north of New Georgia and Kolombangara. She bombarded Munda shore installations from Blanche Channel and intercepted enemy sur- face forces south of New Georgia and Rendova. She took part in covering force patrol operations west of Rennell Island and in the Vella Lavella occupation.
"On January 5, 1943, we were under surprise attack by four Zeros. They came in at 11 A. M. when we were off Guadalcanal. All ships in the Task Force opened fire and the Zeros were all brought down, but one of their bombs hit a British cruiser that was operating with us, in her No. 3 turret and killed 12 men and one officer. Funeral services were held that afternoon. We tried to rescue a Jap pilot but he opened up with a pistol and refused rescue so he was blown into the sea. We had two more attacks by torpedo planes. They hit the Chicago. The Task Force took her almost into port when she was attacked again and sunk."
Wildes came home on leave in September 1943. When he re- turned to Bremerton, Wash., he was assigned to the pre-commission- ing detail of the USS Solomons (CVE 67), a "baby flat-top." She was commissioned November 21, 1943 and on her shakedown, fer- ried planes to Pearl Harbor. She was ordered to anti-sub patrol off South America, returned through the Canal and was based at Recife and Rio.
"On the morning of June 15, 1944 a sub was sighted by our plane
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Personal Records of Those in the Armed Forces
which radioed our ship of its position. Captain gave orders to attack sub. Plane never returned and was assumed shot down. More planes were sent out and about 5 o'clock the sub was sighted again, surfaced. The sub was firing at our planes and soon the Squadron Commander gave orders to attack. The sub was hit with the first bomb and kept on firing at our planes. Our fighter planes were strafing and two were shot down. We lost 8 men and four planes, two fighters and two TBFs (Torpedo Bombers). The sub soon sank and survivors were picked up by our DE's and transferred to our ship the next day."
Wildes served in the 1st Division (Deck), R Division (Artificers) and S Division (Storekeepers) while on the USS Solomons. His general quarters station while in the 1st Division was pointer on a 40 mm. gun on the forward catwalk. While in R and S Divisions he was a Damage Control Talker. He relayed orders from the Damage Control Officer to the Damage Control parties who then pro- ceeded to the damage area and repaired or localized the damage to keep the ship going.
George Wildes was honorably discharged at Jacksonville, Fla. on December 21, 1945.
Good Conduct Medal
American Campaign Medal
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with stars for Capture and De-
fense of Guadalcanal, Rennell Island, New Georgia Operations. European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal
WILLIAM HARLAN WILDES entered on active duty as Appren- tice Seaman in the U. S. Naval Reserve on August 25, 1942. He was sent for preliminary training to Company 633, NTS (Naval Train- ing Station), Newport, R. I., to NATTS (Naval Air Technical Training School), Memphis, Tenn., CASU (Carrier Aircraft Service Unit) 22 at NAS (Naval Air Station), Quonset, R. I. and to Gen- eral Motors School, Elizabeth, N. J. for an aeroplane engine course and finally to CASU 21, Norfolk, Va. for assignment.
In October 1944 he was ordered to the USS Randolph (CV 15) and joined ship at Norfolk. The Randolph was attached to First Carrier Force, Pacific (V-4-A Div.) and operated from the Western Carolines, Central Pacific. After the initial landings in the Philip- pines, she operated from Leyte Bay.
By February 1944 Wildes had been advanced to Aviation Ord-
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nanceman First Class. He worked on all types of aircraft arma- ment and explosives, on Night Fighter, Fighter, Fighter Bomber and Torpedo Bomber planes and in the ammunition vaults.
"On February 5, 1945 as part of TF 38 we took part in the first strike from carriers on Tokyo proper (except for Doolittle's planes in 1942). Weather was extremely foul, but in our favor, rain, sleet, snow, etc. Raids were very successful and our losses negligible. The damage to target area was extensive and complete. Caught approximately 600 Jap trainees having dawn calisthenics. Pilots not allowed to strafe them or any buildings, military targets only. Absolutely no air opposition from Japs until weather cleared 10 days later-then we got their best!"
In March 1945 the Randolph took part in the raids against Hon- shu and Nansei Shoto, part of the Iwo operations. "The entire ship volunteered via the C.O. for duty as 'bait' to lure Kamikaze (sui- side) pilots from the support ships off Iwo during the assault and landings. Kamikaze means 'divine wind.' If there had been more, I doubt if we could have kept enough carriers or large combat vessels afloat."
During the Okinawa operations the enlisted personnel of the Randolph had Spam sandwiches for 57 consecutive days.
"On March 11, 1945 at 8.15 P. M. while anchored in the Western Caroline Island group, we took a Kamikaze bomber (Betty class) aft our No. 3 elevator. The plane carried an (estimated) load of 3/4 ton Jap nitroglycerine. Over 70 men were killed and more than 300 wounded and missing. I was about 35 feet from where the Jap entered and was blown 105 feet. Received various wounds and serious burns. The ship was repaired in 27 days and nights at Ulithi Atoll by the repair ship USS Ajax."
Wildes spent some time on board before he was sent to a land- based hospital. "During that time the Randolph was hit again (No. 1 elevator forward) by one of our own planes, a P-38. Stolen by the Japs and piloted by a Jap, it crashed into the ship killing a number of officers and several enlisted men. It took 21 days and nights to repair with all hands working-again the Ajax. At that time the majority of our larger carriers were in drydock or about to be. That is why we didn't go East to Pearl or Frisco for repairs. They needed all that they could keep afloat. 'Scuttlebut' had it that the reason for being hit was caused by the laxity of another carrier which didn't keep its radar alert. No charges were preferred against its C.O.
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Personal Records of Those in the Armed Forces
"When Admiral Mitscher came aboard it was usually at night. No fuss was made and no one knew that he was on the ship. Our com- partment was visited by what we thought was an old chief who sat and listened to the talk and singing and was particularly interested in the Navy version of 'Rum and Coco-Cola.' His visits were re- peated until he knew the words by heart. We afterwards discovered that our visitor had been Mitscher. Swell old man.
" 'Tokyo Rose' was our only source of non-propagandized news. Better than stateside programs."
Like many others, Wildes found the caste system in the Navy in- tolerable. Added to occasional serious injustices against which the enlisted man was often powerless, were minor irritations which in the climate and under war conditions in the Pacific assumed major proportions.
"At the recreation center of Guam (called Gab-gab) on June 1, 1945 I got mail from home asking me to verify the fact that 'Hank' (Nelson) Bagnell, Jr. was stationed there at that time. I sold my two cans of hot rationed beer for $10.00 and tried to get permission from the officer in charge to visit Hank. This was refused on the grounds that 'only officers could leave the enclosed area.' I bribed the petty officer to let me use a phone instead of standing in line for two to three hours, wound up the crank on the box and finally heard a female voice screeching 'Boston operator'-a surprise, as I did not know the system at Guam where each military unit had a telephone exchange named after the larger cities of U. S. A. I took the naval organization at the top of the list and was asked my name and rank. The man said he thought Bagnell was there but didn't offer any assistance. So I got my dander up, thanked him and hung up. I called again immediately and asked for the C.O. or Exec. I got a Lt. Commander-personnel officer-and told him a Comman- der from the USS Randolph wanted to see Bagnell personally- and quick! I told him where I'd be and to send Bagnell immedi- ately. Hank was working nights and this was about noon so he was still in bed. I sat down at my designated spot and waited. Lo and behold, here comes a jeep and Hank aboard! The C.O. had sent a dispatch to rouse him out of bed, told him to dress, 'Com- mander Wildes was waiting for him.' When the driver and his jeep left we sure laughed. And we still enjoy our incident."
Harlan Wildes was honorably discharged on October 8, 1945 from the Fargo Building, Boston.
Bronze Star Medal with Combat "V" awarded by Vice-Admiral
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Marc A. Mitscher June 1, 1945 at Leyte Bay, P. I. for "Heroic achievement aboard a United States Carrier on the night of 11 March 1945. Although seriously injured he devoted him- self to the care of other injured personnel and then turned to assist in moving air-craft until overcome by his injuries. His determination in the face of danger and his disregard for his own welfare served as an example to his shipmates and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Reserve."
Purple Heart
Good Conduct Medal
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with stars for Iwo and Okinawa. American Campaign Medal
Philippine Liberation Medal
World War II Victory Medal
PETER FREDERICK WINANT entered on active duty as a Pri- vate in the Army of the United States May 14, 1943. For his basic training he was sent to Co. D, 14th Armored Division and later 13th Infantry Replacement Training Battalion at Camp Wheeler, Ga. He then proceeded to Camp Campbell, Ky. for technical train- ing and became a member of Co. C, 136 Ordnance Maintenance Battalion, 14th Armored Division. He was sent overseas with this outfit as Instrument Repairman with the rank of T/5 and served in France and Germany from October 28, 1944 to February 1946.
The 14th A. D. landed at Marseille and made part of Gen. Patch's Seventh Army. From November 21, 1944 to March 24, 1945 they were fighting in the Vosges-Alsace Campaign and on March 24, 1945 crossed the French border into Germany near Wissembourg (Weis- senburg).
As instrument repairman, Winant's duties were "to make repairs, replace worn out parts, adjust and clean optical instruments, such as binoculars, range quadrants, panoramic telescopes, and to main- tain tank periscopes (used on 105 mm. mounted on M 7 motorized carriages), gun telescopes (for 57 mm., 75 mm., 76 mm., 105 mm. on tanks), range finders, BC (Battery Commander's) 'scope, and others I've probably forgotten !"
The 136th crossed the Rhine at Worms with the Seventh Army and a few days later advanced into Bavaria where, after May 8, 1945 they were part of the occupation forces and Co. C was sta- tioned at Toging-am-Inn. On May 23, the 136th became part of the
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Personal Records of Those in the Armed Forces
Third Army (Gen. Patton) and occupied the area from (about) Haag to New Orting with Hq. at Wasserburg.
On August 30, 1945 Winant was transferred to Co. A, 126th Ordnance Maintenance Battalion A. D. He served as Instrument Repairman, Carburetor Repairman and Librarian until February 7, 1946. "Our company being an ordnance company, our job was re- pairing equipment for the Infantry, Tanks, Artillery, etc. that were used during the actual occupation." In September 1945 his rank was raised to T/4.
Peter Winant was honorably discharged March 21, 1946.
Good Conduct Medal
American Campaign Medal
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with stars for Rhineland (Vosges and Alsace) and Central Europe.
World War II Victory Medal
FRANK HENRY WOODASON entered on active duty as a Pri- vate in the Army of the U. S. on July 20, 1942. He was sent to AAF (Army Air Field) RTC (Reserve Training Center) at Miami Beach, Fla. for basic training and then to Power Turret & Gun- sight School at Lowry Field #1, Denver, Colo. "Here, in the Den- ver USO, I met the only Wenhamite, Jack Crediford, I was to see in uniform until later in England."
He says that in December 1942 he was ordered to 10 Mile Station, both an Army and Navy Base and the jumping-off place for planes crossing the Atlantic by way of Bermuda and the Bahamas. He stayed here four months, being attached successively to the 17th Station Complement, the 421st Base Squadron and the 908th Guard Squadron, quartered principally in a hutment built of plywood and housing six men. His work consisted of guard duty and drilling with small arms.
In April 1943 he was ordered to Harlingen Army Gunnery School, Gulf Coast Training Command. Here five months after finishing his technical training in Colorado, he was assigned to the type of work for which he had been trained. "The gun turrets were set up in stands and power-operated on the ground for the use of student gunners, before they had any flight training." He was assigned to the 93rd and later to the 513th Flexible Gunnery Train- ing Group and became a member of the Base Defense Unit whose duty, beside acting as auxiliary police and firemen, was to patrol the Mexican border from the mouth of the Rio Grande to 75 miles
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Wenham in World War II
upstream from the air base and, if necessary, to cross into Mexico.
In October 1943 he was shipped with others from the field to Jefferson Barracks, Mo. for overseas training. "This training and physical checkup was the most rigorous we had had." Woodason was assigned to the 22nd Replacement Squadron and sent to Camp Kilmer, N. J.
On December 5, 1943 he left New York on the Capetown Castle in convoy. They were escorted by a battleship and corvettes to Liverpool. He was assigned to the 448th Sub-Depot, attached to the 381st Bomber Group, 1st Bomber Division at Ridgewell Air- drome. "In Essex County, the towns sounded familiar: 2 miles to Toppesfield, 8 miles to Haverhill, 10 miles to Boxford, 30 miles to Chelmsford and 32 miles to Cambridge." Here he worked on Sperry upper, Sperry ball and Bendix chin turrets. He was sent for extra training to an RAF (Royal Air Force) Armament School Kirkham, Lancashire "where except for the Americans, all wore the blue RAF uniform with patches showing their nationality on the left shoulder. There were Dutch, Belgians, Free French, Poles and Czechoslovaks."
In November 1944 he was transferred to the 2nd SAD (Strategic Air Depot) 5th Air Depot Repair Squadron. He worked at rebuild- ing engines for B-17s. A month after VE Day, he was transferred to the 12th Mobile Reclamation & Repair Squadron and from then until he left England worked on waterproofing and loading equip- ment to be shipped back to the United States.
"At Ridgewell the Germans dropped their flares nightly over the neighboring cities, following which the sky was lit up like heat lightning and a dull thundering could be heard. In the spring of 1944 the first V-1 (Buzz Bomb) made its appearance, landing in a near- by field. After that a steady stream of V-1s came over regularly three times a night. Some were shot down by the ack-ack guns of the coast artillery, those which escaped were pursued by British fighter planes. London, other cities and the munition factories were protected by chains hung from balloons and by anti-aircraft bat- teries." At Ridgewell his brother John R. Woodason came to see him and he also met Dennis Harrigan.
Woodason returned to the States in August 1945. After a 30-day leave he was sent to the 3rd Air Force at Tampa, Fla. and served for a short time at Savannah, Ga. He was honorably discharged at Westover Field on November 15, 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
World War II Victory Medal
JOHN RAYMOND WOODASON entered on active duty as a Pri- vate in the Army of the U. S. on May 8, 1942. From Ft. Devens he was assigned to the Air Forces and sent to Miami Beach, Fla. for basic training. He was ordered to the Academy of Aeronautics at LaGuardia Field, N. Y. for training as an airplane mechanic, and to Republic Air Corporation School, Farmingdale, L. I. for specialist training on P-47s, then ordered to the 352nd Fighter Group, 21st Fighter Squadron (later designated the 486th Fighter Squadron), stationed at Westover Field, Mass. where he was assigned the duty of Personnel Clerk.
On July 1, 1943 he sailed with the 486th Fighter Squadron, 352nd Fighter Group, to England on the Queen Elizabeth. The unit was stationed at Bodney, Norfolk, in East Anglia. From this field, "the Squadron Wing participated in the preparation of the invasion of the continent." John Woodason served as Personnel Clerk and typist.
In January 1945 the squadron was sent to Belgium. They were stationed at Chievre and took part in the Battle of Cologne and the mopping up of Germany. He served as Personnel Clerk, Duty Sergeant, Assistant Carpenter and Chauffeur. In March 1945 while in Belgium he was promoted to Sergeant and at this time acquired the nickname of "Field Marshal of the 486th Fighter Squadron" presented by the First Sergeant.
While in England he visited Wenham, where he found a large army camp near a little village of "a few houses surrounding a church, a pub and a castle."
John Woodason was honorably discharged at Ft. Devens on Octo- ber 23, 1945.
Distinguished Unit Badge awarded to the 486th Fighter Squadron
for "providing penetration and withdrawal support to bombard- ment aircraft attacking targets at Brunswick, Germany."
Good Conduct Medal
American Campaign Medal
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with stars awarded to the 486th Fighter Squadron for Air Offensive. Europe, Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes, and Central Europe.
World War II Victory Medal
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Wenham in World War II
ORPHEUS LANPHEAR WOODBURY, JR. was commissioned in the U. S. Naval Reserve and entered active service as a Lieu- tenant (j.g.) on August 9, 1943. He was sent to the Navy Supply Corps School, Babson Institute, Wellesley Hill, Mass., and after a month's training there was assigned as an Aviation Supply Officer at the Naval Air Station, Quonset Point, R. I. His duty here was as Supply Officer for the Assembly and Repair Department, having charge of the scheduling and control of repairs to aircraft parts, accessories and equipment.
Because of his more than twelve years' civilian experience in Latin America he was selected to participate in a special duty assignment in the 10th Naval District (Caribbean Area). He re- ported to the Naval Air Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in April 1944, and from there went to San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Trinidad. This duty was concerned with the advance base materiel problems of the Navy and led to Woodbury's next assignment with a traveling Inventory Coordinating Group, operating under orders of the Chief of Naval Operations.
In January 1945, after having duty at nearly all Naval activities in the Continental United States and a promotion to Lieutenant, Woodbury became Field Service Liaison Officer for the Bureau of Supplies and Accounts. This was another travel job and had to do with the business management problems of the Navy's supply system. Returning to Washington, D. C. in August, 1945 he became Officer-in-Charge of the Naval Stock Fund Administration and In- ventory Control Officer for the Bureau of Supplies and Accounts. In effect this job was that of Comptroller for that bureau. He was promoted to Lieutenant-Commander in October 1945 and was re- leased to inactive duty in April 1946, when he accepted a civilian official's position in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy. He was also selected as a Staff Officer in the Organized Re- serve of the Potomac River Naval Command.
American Campaign Medal with Base Clasp (Bronze Star). World War II Victory Medal
ROBERT NORMAN WOODBURY entered on active duty as a Private in the Army of the U. S. on April 14, 1943. He was assigned to the Air Forces and went for basic training to Miami Beach, Fla. From there he was sent for schooling in message cen- ter procedure to Camp Crowder, Mo. and finally to Jefferson, Mo. for overseas training.
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Personal Records of Those in the Armed Forces
In November 1943 he left the Embarkation Center at Camp Stoneham, Calif. and went overseas to Oahu where he was assigned to the 407th Signal Co. Avn. (Aviation). He worked as crypto- grapher in the Message Center until June 1945.
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