USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Wenham > Wenham in World War II : war service of Wenham men and women and civilian services of Wenham people > Part 3
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
Acorn #10 was no exception and had an active career. Follow-
33
Personal Records of Those in the Armed Forces
ing the Marines, it took part in the initial landings on New Georgia, Vella Lavella and Green Island and in all these places it put air- fields into operation for our use in the Pacific War.
At Green Island, Bagnell made AMM 1/c July 1944 and with his unit was sent on to Guam. "Our unit was sent to Guam to service aircraft for the fleet and some of the various land-based units. We also received new planes from the States and put them into service."
Nelson Bagnell returned to the States and was honorably dis- charged on November 5, 1945.
American Campaign Medal
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with stars for New Georgia, Vella Lavella and Green Island.
World War II Victory Medal
PHILIP ALLEY BAGNELL entered on active duty in the U. S. Naval Reserve as a Seaman 1/c on October 20, 1942. He was sent to Chicago, Ill., as part of a detail ordered to pick up the new USS Nesotan (YT) and bring her down the St. Lawrence to the sea.
The USS Nesotan was a salvage tug attached to the 7th Naval District. She was based at Miami and operated along the east and west coasts of Florida and down as far as Cuba and South America.
Bagnell remained on the Nesotan for two and a half years and was advanced in rate to Cox, Boatswain's Mate 2/c while on her.
In January 1945, he was ordered to Minecraft Training Center, Little Creek, Va. for instruction in mine sweeping and after finish- ing his course was sent to Charleston, S. C. to await reassignment.
In April 1945 he was ordered to the USS Embattle (AM). She belonged to the Pacific Mine Sweeping Detail and was operating out of San Pedro, Calif.
Philip Bagnell was honorably discharged in Boston on Septem- ber 29, 1945.
THOMAS MANSFIELD BARRY entered on active duty as a Private in the Army of the U. S. on September 21, 1942. He was sent to Basic Training Center #6, St. Petersburg, Fla. and after completing his preliminary training, remained there for nine months as ambulance driver attached to the 32nd Station Hospital. He was promoted to Private First Class and assigned to the 603rd Ordnance Co. at Miami Beach, Fla. where he received training as
34
Wenham in World War II
a mechanic. From there he was ordered to Salt Lake City for over- seas training.
Thomas Barry sailed from Newport News, Va. on May 17, 1944. He landed at Naples and was assigned to the 2020th Ordnance Maintenance Co. The unit was stationed at Caserta near Naples and Barry says, "Our company received a unit citation in December 1944 for the good work it had done in keeping Army vehicles run- ning during the Rome-Arno Campaign." These vehicles consisted of the trucks used for transporting men and materials. As a mechanic, Barry was on repair work most of the time.
After Rome was taken, June 1944, they were stationed at Pomi- gliano Air Base. Their work continued to be the maintenance of army trucks and machinery, tractors, and cranes.
Thomas Barry returned to the States in December 1945 and was honorably discharged at Ft. Devens, Mass. on December 30, 1945.
Unit Citation awarded to 2020th Ordnance Maintenance Com- pany by Col. Charles Morris, 12th Air Force.
American Campaign Medal
European Campaign Medal with star for Rome-Arno campaign. World War II Victory Medal
ARTHUR WINTHROP BARTOL, JR .* entered on active duty as a Private in the U. S. Marine Corps Reserve in 1944 and was sent to boot camp at Parris Island, S. C. He was ordered to Cherry Point, N. C., a deployment and classification center, where he was assigned to the Marine Air Corps and sent to Bogue Field for combat train- ing.
Later he was sent to Eagle Mountain Lake Marine Base, where he did general duty including work details, work on the assembly line, work in the hangar and guard duty. The planes were S. B. D.'s (dive bombers), T 7F's (night fighters) and F6s (fighters).
Arthur Bartol was honorably discharged from the service.
*This paper is based only on facts obtained from the first questionnaire.
AUSTIN IRA BATCHELDER entered on active duty in the Army of U. S. on March 5, 1943 and reported a week later to the Army Air Forces. He took basic training at Miami Beach, Fla. where he was promoted to Private First Class. He went to Arma- ment School at Lansing, Mich. and to Ordnance School at Salt Lake City. He joined the 734th Bombardment Squadron, 453rd Bombardment Group in September 1943 and completed Stateside
35
Personal Records of Those in the Armed Forces
training with them at Pocatello, Idaho and at March Field, Calif.
The outfit went to England on the SS Queen Elizabeth in Decem- ber 1943, and Batchelder spent the next fourteen months as a bomb- loader at the field near Norfolk. Having by then had enough of that, he volunteered for the infantry. After six weeks' intensive training, he joined a rifle platoon and at the end of March 1945, was sent to innumerable replacement depots. He ended up with the 159th Infantry Regiment attached to the 106th Division guarding POW's (Prisoners of War) along the Rhine. After the surrender, he volunteered again and served as radio operator during the first six months of the Occupation. He was transferred many times, his last two units being the 397th Infantry Regiment and the 12th Armored Division with whom he was sent home.
Austin Batchelder received his honorable discharge on December 7, 1945 at Ft. Devens, Mass.
European Campaign Medal with stars for Air Offensive Europe, Normandy, Southern France, Northern France, Ardennes, Rhineland and Central Europe.
World War II Victory Medal
Army of Occupation Medal
WARREN ROSCOE BATCHELDER entered on active duty as a Private in the Army of the United States on October 28, 1943. From Ft. Devens he was sent to Ft. Benning, Ga. under the ASTP (Army Specialist Training Program) to receive basic infantry train- ing before continuing in the college program. As he was completing this assignment with the 7th Co., 6th Training Regiment, the army college program was discontinued and Batchelder was sent to the 86th Infantry Division at Camp Livingston, La. for advanced in- fantry training.
From the 86th Division he was sent to Ft. Meade, Md. as a re- placement for overseas shipment. Later he was ordered to Ft. Jackson to join the 87th Infantry Division for overseas duty.
In October 1944, he sailed for Scotland on the S.S. Queen Eliza- beth with Co. B, 345th Regt., 87th Div. From Scotland he traveled by rail to Biddulph, England. After being stationed there for a month, the outfit was sent to St. Saens, France, to await combat assignment.
"December 6, 1944 found the 345th Regiment as a combat team temporarily assigned to the 5th Infantry Division at Metz, France,
36
Wenham in World War II
to assist in wiping out remaining pockets of resistance which were still holding the several forts around the city.
"At this time I was a bazooka man with my company. Our out- fit, after Metz, was sent to the Saar Valley with the Third Army and on December 7, 1944 took its first German town of Medelshein, near Gros Rederching, France. The 87th became known as the 'Golden Acorn Division'.
"The Battle of the Bulge then claimed the attention of the 87th which saw action along the Houffalize-St. Hubert highway taking such towns as Moircy, Jenneville, Bonnerue, and Tillet, Belgium. Following the collapse of the German push, the unit was sent to the Luxembourg front on January 15, 1945.
"From there we moved to St. Vith, on through the Siegfried line at Kobscheid, Germany, moving on and on to Mulheim which was in sight of the Rhine. From the town of Winnegen on March 16, 1945, an assault crossing of the Moselle River was accomplished and the capture of Koblenz soon followed. Then on the 25th we followed through with a similar operation in crossing the Rhine River at Oppenhausen to Filsen."
After this Warren Batchelder was attached to the communications section of his company.
"After crossing the Rhine, the 87th Division continued across Central Germany by way of Herzfeld, Eisenbach, Saalfeld, and Plauen. May 8, 1945 was a happy day for us. At this time we were at Falkenstein witnessing the surrender of the German army."
In the Army of Occupation he was stationed at Schleiz, a short distance from the Czechoslovakian border.
Warren Batchelder was honorably discharged at Ft. Devens, Mass., on March 13, 1946. He says, "the best moments of the war for me were meeting my brother Austin in London and arriving home in March 1946 for good."
Combat Infantry Badge
American Campaign Medal
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with stars for Ardennes, Central Europe and Rhineland
World War II Victory Medal
Army of Occupation Medal
WILLIAM PAUL BIXBY enlisted as a Private December 10, 1946 in the Field Artillery of the Regular Army for a three-year term. After receiving his basic training at Ft. Dix, N. J. he was
37
Personal Records of Those in the Armed Forces
shipped in April 1947 to Camp Stoneman, Calif. and on May 9, 1947 was sent to the 4th Replacement Depot in Yokohama, Japan.
In June Bixby was sent to Guam where he is now stationed with the 725th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Searchlight Battery at Agafo Gumas.
On August 31 he was promoted to Private First Class. His en- listment will expire on December 10, 1949.
VIRGINIA BODGE, now Mrs. Robert D. Kearney, entered on ac- tive duty as an Auxiliary in the WAAC (Women's Auxiliary Army Corps) on March 2, 1943. She was sent to Ft. Oglethorpe, Ga., for basic training. In April, 1943, she was assigned to the Air Corps and ordered to Mitchel Field, N. Y., where she was assigned to the Headquarters Unit in charge of training programs.
In June, 1943, the WAAC was dissolved and re-constituted as the WAC (Women's Army Corps). Members of the WAAC had the choice of returning to civilian life or of being sworn into the WAC. Virginia Bodge chose the latter. She was promoted to Corporal and continued to serve at Mitchel Field where her duties were general office work and she became Inspector of Army Regulation Files.
Virginia Bodge was honorably discharged (medical) on Septem- ber 19, 1944 at Mitchel Field, N. Y.
Good Conduct Medal
WAAC Ribbon
American Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal
LEON AULDEN BRADSHAW entered on active duty on Janu- ary 10, 1942 as a Radioman 2/c in the U. S. Naval Reserve. Radio had been his interest for a number of years, and he had built and operated a transmitter and receiver as a licensed amateur before the war. He was accordingly assigned to Headquarters, First Naval District, where he did maintenance and repair work for a year and a half. He was advanced to RM 1/c on August 1, 1943, and a few months later was placed in charge of Radio Materiel Office Travel- ing Laboratory No. 2.
The task of the mobile laboratory was to visit the various naval activities in the District and to plan and install, at each one requir- ing it, complete VHF (Very High Frequency) transmission and receiving systems for use with aircraft. One of the largest of these installations was at the CIC (Combat Intelligence Center) Training
38
Wenham in World War II
Facility at Jamestown, R. I .; and for the work there Leon Bradshaw received the following letter of commendation :
"The Commander Fleet Air, Quonset Point, R. I., takes pleasure in commending you for your efficient supervision in the installation of the radio VHF equipment at the Naval Training Facility, Beaver- tail, Jamestown, R. I.
"The work entailed in this installation was of a major nature in- volving critical and delicate equipment. Extreme care was manda- tory in initial planning, actual installation, and satisfactory place- ment of the complete transmission system into operation. The com- pletion of the entire project was accomplished with a minimum amount of delay due to your initiative, technical knowledge and untiring efforts."
On January 5, 1945, Leon Bradshaw was transferred from First Naval District HQ, a unit of the Shore Establishment, to Fleet Air, a component of the Atlantic Fleet, and was sent to Beavertail to take charge of the Communications System that he had himself installed. The CIC Training Facility there was engaged in training fighter teams for both day and night work. This required the use of many planes, with all of which there had to be constant voice radio commu- nication while they were in the air. It was the means by which they were directed to their targets, kept clear of other planes, guided back to their base when lost, and even landed in the event of fog. At night the pilots' lives hung on their radios, even under the rela- tively safer conditions at the training center. All but a few of the Night Fighter Director Officers sent to the Fleet received their training at this center.
Leon Bradshaw was honorably discharged September 30, 1946, at Boston.
American Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal
ROBERT BURNHAM BROWN entered on active service in the U. S. Coast Guard Reserve on January 28, 1942 as Machinist's Mate 2/c.
He was assigned to the CGR 27, a patrol boat at Salem Air Base. After six months he was advanced in rating from MM 2/c to Motor Machinist's Mate 1/c and was transferred to the ACOTP (Captain of the Port's Office) at the Customs House in Salem, where after eighteen months he was advanced to Chief Motor Machinist's Mate.
From Salem he was sent to Duluth, Minn. where he followed the
39
Personal Records of Those in the Armed Forces
construction of the USCG Cutter Sweetgum, a patrol icebreaker.
After the commissioning of the Sweetgum, Brown was placed in charge of one of the engine room watches. "The ship did ice patrol work on the Great Lakes all through the winter of 1944 to keep a path open to bring LST's (Landing Ship Tank) and LCI's (Land- ing Craft Infantry ) to Chicago, where they went down the Mississip- pi River to the Gulf. In the spring we opened a path for the Great Lakes-built submarines and destroyers, down the St. Lawrence River and through its many locks to the Atlantic Ocean."
At Curtis Bay, Md. the Sweetgum was converted for service in the tropics and was sent to Panama, C. Z. The ship's duty was anti- submarine patrol in both oceans. Being equipped with a powerful boom, she assisted in salvage work.
"The Sweetgum also worked on getting the world's largest dry dock through the big ditch by tipping it on its side, it being too wide to go through the canal the usual way. Rather than go around Cape Horn, a long and dangerous trip, her compartments on one side were flooded and with pontoons to steady her upright, she was towed through the six locks to the Pacific Ocean, 45 miles across, lifted and dropped 170 feet."
Robert Brown returned to the States and was honorably dis- charged on November 2, 1945 at Boston.
Good Conduct Medal
American Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal
ROBERT BURNS, a veteran of World War I in which he served as Air Craftsman in the Royal Flying Corps in England, enlisted as a Private in the Army of the U. S., Air Forces, on October 2, 1942.
He was sent to New Orleans Bomber Base for basic training, where, owing to his previous experience, he was promoted to Ser- geant.
In January 1943 he was ordered to Aircraft School at Lincoln, Neb. where he was honorably discharged April 12, 1943 on account of certified disability.
Active Service Medal (Great Britain)
World War I Victory Medal
World War II Victory Medal
GARDNER PIERCE BURTON enlisted on December 11, 1942 and entered on active duty as Apprentice Seaman in the U. S. Naval
40
Wenham in World War II
Reserve on July 1, 1943. He was sent to Tufts College as an Apprentice Seaman in the V-12 training program and later to NTS (Naval Training School) Hugh Manley, Chicago, Ill. in November 1944 and to NTS, Pensacola, Fla. where he studied naval aircraft gunnery. With this training, his principal duty in the Navy became that of Aircraft Gunnery Instructor.
"We taught the pilot, co-pilot and the crew flying-technique, sight- ing, gunnery, maintenance, voice procedure and numerous other details which would be encountered in fighting offensive and defen- sive warfare.
"The majority of the planes were PB4Y (Liberator), PB4Y-2 (Privateer), PV (Ventura), TBF (Avenger), PBY (Catalina), and PBM (Mariner), also F6F (Hellcat) and F4F (Wildcat). This list includes a greater part of the Navy's Air Arm.
"This tour of duty was at N.A.A.S. (Naval Auxiliary Air Sta- tion), Municipal #1, Jacksonville, Fla. and N.A.S., Whiting Field, Pensacola, Fla."
Gardner Burton was advanced to Seaman 2/c on November 1, 1944 while at N.T.S. Hugh Manley, and Seaman 1/c, December 1, 1944 when he was assigned to N.T.S., Pensacola as a student in the Aircraft Gunnery Instructors School.
He was honorably discharged May 12, 1946 at U.S.N. Personnel Separation Center, Boston, Mass.
American Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal
ALEXANDER JOHN CAMPBELL joined the Yale Naval R.O.T.C. in September 1940 and went on active duty as Apprentice Seaman in the U. S. Naval Reserve on May 31, 1943 when he was assigned to the YMS-105, sweeping convoy channels, for a training cruise.
Commissioned Ensign, he was sent to Sub-Chaser Training Cen- ter, Miami for training in communications. In September 1943 he was ordered to Solomons Island, Md. and Little Creek, Va. for amphibious training in LCT's (Landing Craft Tanks).
In October 1943 Campbell and a crew of 12 men took over their new LCT (6) 921 at Mare Island, Calif. where the ship was broken in three sections and loaded aboard a "Liberty." They arrived at Townsville, Australia January 1, 1944, put their own ship together and moved up to Cape Cretin, New Guinea where the 921 became
41
Personal Records of Those in the Armed Forces
part of Admiral Dan Barbey's 7th Amphibious Force (Flotilla 8, Gr. 23).
The 921 saw service at Arawe, New Britain, Finschhaven, Saidor, Hollandia, Biak and Noemfoor, New Guinea; and took part in D-Day landings at Aitape and Cape Sansapor. Campbell made Lieutenant (j.g.) in September 1944. His "additional duties" were First Lieutenant LCT Group 23, Acting Group Commander LCT Group 23 and Liaison Officer between the Army and Navy at Biak, Noemfoor, Sansapor and Morotai.
"Among the operations carried out by the T's was the evacuation of American troops at Sawom Mission, midway between by-passed Wewak and our newly won landings at Aitape.
"The Japanese had the choice of starving at Wewak or escape to the Northwest. They chose a route along the coast instead of cross- ing mountain ranges and following steaming jungle river paths to Geelvink Bay and McClure Gulf.
"In order to keep track of their movements and prevent surprise attacks, the Army sent in detachments of Infantry to shadow their advance. The T's landed these reconnaissance troops every two weeks and evacuated them if their position became untenable due to the superior numbers enjoyed by the Japs.
"On the night of May 23, 1944, the Commanding General noti- fied the LOT's that they were needed. Two vessels were alerted and proceeded to Sawom with the support of six PT boats to evacu- ate 300 Infantrymen who had become surrounded by a large Jap- anese force.
"The T's arrived off the beach at daybreak. Only LCT 921 was ordered to the beach in order to minimize the target for the Jap- anese. In spite of shallow draft, she was unable to make a 'dry' beaching and the troops had to breast four feet of surf to reach the ramp. Wounded were evacuated first, ammunition was carried out next and then the men were brought aboard.
"The evacuation was almost completed when the Japs opened up with their mortar. Return fire was withheld until the loading was completed in order not to give the mortar men a point of fire.
"The PT boats had moved as close to the beach as their draft would allow and augmented our counterfire with their cannon and heavy machine guns. They laid some fine smoke screens too. By the time the 921 had turned seaward at 'bulkhead' speed, she became obscured in the warm, damp smoke.
"The main job was now over for us but not for the troops. We
42
Wenham in World War II
had to put the tired, wet, infantry boys ashore again further up the coast. The expressions on their faces had changed from a haggard, tense look to an appearance of weary relaxation. They filled their water bottles and slept for an hour. Those who have seen exhausted men after weeks in a South Pacific jungle know that the Infantry has the toughest job of all."
Campbell returned to the United States in October 1945 and was assigned to the State Department, Maritime Division of the Office of Foreign Liquidation Commissioner, Washington, D. C. which disposed of property declared surplus by the Army and Navy overseas. He served as Personnel Officer and head of the Foreign Liaison and Sales Section and was promoted to Lieutenant in April 1946.
John Campbell was released to inactive duty July 13, 1946 in Washington.
American Campaign Medal
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with stars for Eastern New Guinea, Bismarck Archipelago, and Western New Guinea.
Philippine Liberation Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal
AUSTIN DOUGLAS CAMPBELL enlisted as a Private in the Army of the U. S. March 10, 1941, and went through basic train- ing at Camp Edwards. His application for flight training was approved, and he was appointed an Aviation Cadet November 6, 1941. In the course of training he was sent to Maxwell Field, Ala., San Antonio, Texas, and Hondo, Texas, where he was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant on April 22, 1943, and assigned to duty as a Navi- gation Instructor. In July 1944 he was ordered to Ellington Field, Texas, in the same capacity; after six months there, he went to Keesler Field, Miss., for combat crew training.
In April 1945, Campbell joined the 4th Emergency Rescue Squadron, based on Saipan and later on Iwo Jima. He was pro- moted to 1st Lieutenant at the same time. As navigator of a B-17 which carried rescue equipment, in the words of the citation accom- panying his Air Medal, "he participated in numerous, long over- water flights while accompanying heavy bombers to enemy targets. All missions were flown under rapidly changing and often adverse weather conditions. These sustained air sea rescue flights were sub- ject to enemy anti-aircraft fire and fighter opposition. There were constantly present difficult navigational problems, danger of engine
43
Personal Records of Those in the Armed Forces
failure and consequent ditching many miles at sea. Under pro- longed periods of physical and mental strain, and undaunted by the many hazards faced regularly and continuously, he displayed such courage and skill in the performance of his duties as to reflect great credit on himself and the Army Air Forces."
Campbell's plane was a "Dumbo" fitted to carry a two-engined moter lifeboat which could be dropped by parachute, as well as rubber rafts. It worked with submarines, destroyers and Navy pa- trol planes in the Iwo Jima-Honshu stretch of the Pacific. One of his missions was "in the Sagami Bay area, just south of the Tokyo area. A P-51 fighter pilot bailed out of his flaming plane in the bay and I dropped him the boat. He got in it, but in a short time a Jap picket boat started to move out from shore to capture him. We strafed this boat and drove it off, only to be attacked ourselves by three Jap planes. These planes severely damaged a Navy four- engine bomber (Naval Air-Sea Rescue) with us, but failed to dam- age our plane. Due to the fact that we only had just enough gas to return to Iwo, about 650 miles away, we had to leave the fighter pilot to his fate. We never knew what happened to him. We fol- lowed the Navy bomber back to Iwo in case he had to ditch. He crashed on landing but no one was hurt."
Campbell left his outfit in November and came home by ship. He was released to inactive duty on January 6, 1946.
Air Medal
American Defense Service Medal
American Campaign Medal
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with stars for Eastern Mandates, Western Pacific, Air Offensive against Japan, Iwo Jima Ground Combat.
World War II Victory Medal
EWEN MACDOUGAL CAMPBELL entered on active duty in the U. S. Naval Reserve as Storekeeper 3/c, October 16, 1942 and was sent for boot training to Camp Endicott, NCTC (Naval Construc- tion Training Center), Davisville, R. I. He says that he was greeted with "You'll be sorry," and that he often called that to mind later. One of his first impressions was that the entire Navy came from Texas. He was forced to learn the language of Texas as part of his indoctrination and was also forced to admit that it must be good cattle country there.
He was assigned as a CB (Seabee) to the 42nd Naval Construc-
44
Wenham in World War II
tion Battalion at Camp Endicott, and went to Port Hueneme, Calif. to pick up GI winter clothing and was glad to leave the citizens of the Lone Star state that he had been acquainted with in Rhode Island.
On Christmas Day Ewen Campbell says that he "left for Seattle, Washington, and headed for Dutch Harbor and later to Amchitka and Adak, where the unit discharged liberty ships, built roads, liv- ing quarters, and airfields (even some the Army said could not be built). At Klamath Falls, Oregon we caught our first glimpse of a female train repair crew. The boys gave them some lusty cheers. The Marines at Dutch Harbor were found to be pretty regular fel- lows, especially because they served as mess cooks and waiters in the joint mess hall. They were brave, too, roving bands of cockroaches causing them but slight concern.
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.