USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Wenham > Wenham in World War II : war service of Wenham men and women and civilian services of Wenham people > Part 8
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He received his second stripe in June, 1942 and in January, 1943 he left VP 51 and joined VP 54 as Flight Officer. As F/O his ground duties were in General Operations and Maintenance Office and consisted mainly in scheduling of crews and aircraft for the various missions assigned to the Squadron. During this period he flew night patrols in "Black Cats" (PBY-5A's) operating from Guadalcanal in the South Pacific. The purpose of these flights was
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to search for, report and track down any Japanese shipping found in the area between Guadalcanal and Bougainville. The Japanese were continually trying to reinforce their garrisons, first in the New Georgia, and then the Bougainville areas.
Frequently friendly task forces' attack planes were guided to the contact with unhappy results for the Japanese. The "Black Cats" also did some bombing. The PBY's also picked up flyers who had ditched or bailed out of their planes, and John Erhard says that the work done in the past in the Pacific by the missionaries bore fruit in the good treatment accorded by natives to downed airmen. He says of one of his rescue trips, "It was what we referred to as a 'gravy' hop. The skipper had planned to fly from Guadalcanal to the Stewart Islands. At the last minute he was unable to go and I was elected to determine whether there might be any pilots await- ing rescue on this beautiful little group of very small coral atolls. We landed on the smooth lagoon and dropped anchor. The natives swarmed over the plane. We were unable to stem the tide and abandoned ship. In getting ashore, it was only a question of whose boat we would honor with our presence. On the way to shore the native in the bow of my outrigger glanced off to the left momentarily. Minutes later, having overcome the first thrill of being received like a king, I began to remember my responsibilities. We were within the Jap search area, so I scanned the sky for any possible enemy aircraft.
"Suddenly my eyes focused on a tiny speck in the sky just barely visible to my fairly sharp eyes. If it proved to be enemy we were too late to turn back for a getaway. I watched the natives. They were looking ahead apparently unconcerned. I tried to pretend that I too had identified it long ago as a PBY."
In January, 1944 Erhard returned to the U.S.A. and after a short leave was assigned as Flight Instructor, NAS Pensacola Feb- ruary 1, 1944. He was promoted to Lieutenant-Commander in March, 1944 and became Executive Officer of Training Squadron 8-B, Bronson Field, NAS Pensacola. He served in this capacity until he was released to inactive duty on September 20, 1945.
Distinguished Flying Cross, for night reconnaissance and bombing roads in the Solomons.
American Defense Service Medal with star for sea duty prior to Pearl Harbor.
American Campaign Medal
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Personal Records of Those in the Armed Forces
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with stars for Coral Sea, Solo- mon Islands, New Georgia and Bougainville.
World War II Victory Medal
DONALD ROSS FERRIS was a member of the ROTC at Cor- nell University and was commissioned in the Army Reserve upon graduation in 1926. In 1942 the Army was looking for engineers and as the result of his construction and engineering experience as well as several years of business administration, he was commissioned as a Captain in the U. S. Army Air Forces on April 8, 1942.
His first assignment was to the Flying Training Command with headquarters at Maxwell Field, Ala. He was assigned at once to Cochran Field, Macon, Ga. This training station was a basic fly- ing training school where Cadets received the second stage of their flight work. Ferris was assigned as Asst. Post Engineer and later given the duty of Post Materiel Officer following which he was pro- moted to the rank of Major in December, 1942. In July of 1943 he was made Station Executive Officer and later Director of Administra- tive and Base Services.
During the first year of the War, Cochran Field trained a large number of British Cadets but later its facilities were used entirely for training American Pilots. This stage of training was done in the BT-13 Aircraft and later, in the final stages, these planes were replaced with AT-6's.
Sometime after V-E Day the pilot training program was cut back and Cochran Field was transferred to the Personnel Distribution Command to be converted into an Army Air Forces Convalescent Hospital. Ferris was held at the Station to assist in the conversion and for a short time during this period was in command until the Hospital Unit was activated.
He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in August 1945 and acted as Station Executive Officer for Colonel F. E. Ammons, a regular Army Flight Surgeon returned from overseas to operate the hospital. Many recreational and therapeutic facilities were estab- lished and ambulatory patients from overseas theaters were returned to Cochran Field for treatment, rest and recuperation. Later the station also became a Separation Center and many men completely cured and restored to full health were released from the Army Air Forces here. By November 1945 with the end of the war a reality
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the need for Cochran as a convalescent hospital diminished and con- solidations resulted in orders for its closing early in 1946.
Donald Ferris was released to inactive duty at Greensboro, N. C. effective February 21, 1946.
HORACE HOWLAND FOSTER enlisted in the Army of the U. S. on March 1, 1942 and qualified as a Volunteer Officer Candi- date. He entered on active duty on May 11, 1942 in the Combat Engineers at Camp Claiborne, La. and was later transferred to Ft. Belvoir, Alexandria, Va. and assigned to Officer Candidate School.
On September 4, 1942 he was transferred to the Enlisted Reserve. World War II Victory Medal
HARRISON GARDNER was commissioned Lieutenant in the U. S. Naval Reserve on May 6, 1942 and after a brief training period at the Boston Navy Yard was assigned to the USS Siren (PY 13) on convoy and patrol duty off the New England coast.
On June 29, 1942 he was ordered to the Boston Section Base as Operations Officer where he was in charge of patrol craft and mine sweeping operations for a period of approximately a year.
After training at the Submarine Chaser Training Center at Miami, Fla. and Landing Craft School at San Diego, Cal. he was appointed Officer in Charge of Standard Landing Craft Unit #28 assigned to the training of Marines in amphibious warfare at a base at Oceanside, Calif. adjacent to Camp Pendleton.
In December 1943 he was sent overseas from San Francisco and served as Executive Officer, helping to establish the Kauai Am- phibious Training Base, Kauai, T. H. He was promoted to Lieu- tenant Commander and assigned as Commanding Officer of the Wai- manalo Amphibious Training Base, Oahu, T. H. where he super- vised the training in amphibious warfare of Marines, beach parties, boat officers, landing boat crews and other attack units.
Gardner was ordered to the USS Lowndes (APA 154), an attack transport, on December 4, 1944. He served aboard this vessel as Executive Officer continuously for about six months and participated in the initial assault landings on Iwo Jima February 19, 1945 and on Okinawa April 1, 1945. Subsequent to these operations he
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Personal Records of Those in the Armed Forces
was promoted to Commander USNR and was released to inactive duty in November 1945.
Letter of Commendation and Ribbon presented December 1944 by Rear Admiral J. L. Hall, Jr., USN.
American Campaign Medal
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with stars for Iwo Jima and Okinawa.
World War II Victory Medal
EUGENE GUAY GERMAIN entered on active duty as a Private in the Army of the United States on May 28, 1942 and was assigned to the Air Forces. After basic training at Miami Beach, Fla. he was ordered to the 1st Troop Carrier Command (Hq.) at Indian- apolis, Ind. where he was assigned to the 441st Troop Carrier Group and sent to Florida and Ft. Bragg, N. C. for glider and commando training.
Orders for overseas duty came, and on March 3, 1944 Germain flew with most of his outfit to Newquay, Devon, England where fur- ther training prepared them for D-Day.
"On D-Day as part of Operation 'Sky-Train' we flew two mis- sions from Maryfield, England. The first was a round trip. Dur- ing the night of June 5-6 we flew paratroopers of the 82nd Airborne across and dropped them behind the beach. Their faces were blacked out for the night landing. The weather was bad and a high wind was blowing so that the troopers were somewhat scattered. Return- ing to England we made a second D-Day run bringing over gliders loaded with guns to reenforce the 82nd Airborne, and miniature bull- dozers, scrapers and graders to build emergency airstrips." Ger- main landed in one of these gliders and making his way back to the coast, returned to England the same day by boat. He says, "The channel was black with ships. On D + 1 the first of many re- supply runs was undertaken. Food, ammunition, medical supplies and equipment were flown over to supply the 82nd who were fight- ing their way across the Cherbourg peninsula. The 441st was awarded a Unit Citation for its work on D-Day and D + 1. And on D + 2 the planes of our unit were the first to land on our own airstrips in France."
In August 1944 the 441st was ordered to Italy to prepare for the invasion of Southern France. Through an error of the Intelligence
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Service they were ordered to land at Grosseto, Italy and found them- selves in the middle of the Rome-Arno Campaign and on German- held soil. They managed to fly themselves and most of their planes back to Africa, returning to Grosseto the next day when it was in American hands. During the invasion of Southern France the duty of the 441st was the same as in Normandy. Troopers were dropped first and this was followed by a glider-tow carrying supplies. They were told to fly high over Cannes and Nice in order to preserve the hotels of those towns for future American rest areas. Hotelkeepers served lunch to their German conquerors and supper to Americans on the same day.
In September 1944 the 441st returned to England. Regrouped they became part of the 1st Allied Airborne Army which included English, French, Dutch, Czechoslovak and other Allied Forces. They landed in Holland, the first complete airborne army. Their mission was to establish a northern approach. Germain flew in by glider with supplies, landing in the Arnheim area, and in two days managed to work his way back to Vertuf near Reims, the gathering point for the unit.
"Working out of Dreux we participated in the crossing of the Rhine. This was in daylight and for us consisted of two elements, troopers first and a glider-tow. Severe losses were incurred. One of our squadrons using a new type of combat plane particularly vul- nerable to anti-aircraft fire was destroyed, losing all its planes and equipment.
"We supported Patton's Third Army during the Ardennes break- through, and after the Rhineland flew in, landing with planes and gliders at the Tempelhof Airdrome in the center of Berlin where we took over occupation duties."
Germain returned to the States on Christmas Day 1945. He had been promoted to Warrant Officer in France, August 8, 1945. He reverted to inactive status January 11, 1946 and re-enlisted for Japan as a Master Sergeant. Since then he has been part of the Occupation Forces in Japan, Korea, the Philippines and China, and after a furlough at Christmas 1947 expects to rejoin his orig- inal unit, the 441st Troop Carrier Group which is still engaged in the occupation of Germany.
Distinguished Unit Badge
Good Conduct Medal with Knot
American Campaign Medal
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Personal Records of Those in the Armed Forces
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with stars for Normandy, Rome-Arno, Southern France, Northern France, Ardennes, Rhineland, Central Europe.
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal
Army of Occupation Medal with bar for Germany and Japan
DANIEL FRANCIS GINTY entered on active duty as a United States Naval Reserve Air Corps Cadet on January 12, 1943. He was sent for training to Pittsfield, Me., Chapel Hill, N. C. for Pre-flight, Glenview, Ill. for Primary, and Corpus Christi, Texas for Advanced Training where he received his wings in March 1944.
As an Ensign, Naval Air Corps, he was ordered to Daytona Beach, Fla. for operational training flying F6F's. He was sent to Charles- town, R. I. where he joined a Night Fighter Squadron. This squadron and a bomber squadron trained at Quonset, R. I. were flown to the Pacific Coast and as Air Group 37 flew to Pearl Harbor to join their carrier, the USS Saratoga (CVG (N)-53). They were the first Night Fighter Air Group to go overseas.
As Night Fighter Pilot Ginty flew with Task Force 58 in raids against Tokyo. In February and March 1945 he took part with TF 58 in the Fifth Fleet raids against Honshu and the Nansei Shoto.
During the assault and occupation of Iwo Jima the Saratoga's planes were providing cover for U. S. Marine Corps landings when she was hit by a Kamikaze plane and forced to return to Pearl Har- bor for repairs.
In February 1945 while off Iwo Jima, Ginty had received his promotion to Lieutenant (j.g.). He returned to the States in June for a 30-day leave and returned to the Pacific for five months duty on the USS Bennington (CV 20) taking part in the Third Fleet operations against Japan.
Daniel Ginty was released to inactive duty in November 1945.
American Campaign Medal
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with stars for Iwo Jima Opera-
tions and Third Fleet operations against Japan.
World War II Victory Medal
JOHN JOSEPH GINTY, JR. entered on active duty as a Seaman 1/c in the United States Coast Guard Reserve on August 14, 1942.
He was ordered to the U. S. Navy Yard, Portsmouth, N. H. where
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he was assigned to off shore convoy and anti-submarine patrol duty in the USCG Cutter 2516 and the USCG Schooner 788.
As Seaman 1/c, Ginty's duty included wheel watches, observa- tion watches and lookout duty besides handling sail and lines while underway. Working out of Portsmouth their area stretched from there to Casco Bay, Me.
John Ginty was honorably discharged at Boston, Mass. on De- cember 23, 1944.
American Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal
GERTRUDE PEARL GLAVIN enlisted in the U. S. Naval Re- serve (WAVES) on May 31, 1945. Her training period was spent at Hunter College, N. Y. She was later sent to NAB (Naval Air Base), Corpus Christi, Texas where she was attached to the NAS (Naval Air Station) Squadron and worked in the Assembly and Re- pair office as typist and bookkeeper. There she was advanced to Seaman 1/c.
Corpus Christi is the largest Naval Air Base in the United States. It has several "P" fields (sub-air stations) which were assist- ing stations. They built airplanes and carried on work similar to the main Naval Air Base but on a much smaller scale.
In so large a base every effort was made to ensure the well-being of the enlisted women. Movies, bowling, tennis and dancing were provided. Every Saturday there was a Regimental Review in dress blues, both WAVES and sailors. They had their own Navy band and once a month Captain's Inspection of several hundred sailors and WAVES. "It was quite a sight to watch. It was a great experi- ence and I wouldn't have missed it for the world."
Gertrude Glavin was honorably discharged at New York on April 9, 1946.
American Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal
RICHARD GOLDSMITH entered on active duty as a Private in the Army of the United States on April 30, 1942. He took basic training at Fort Eustis, Va., a coast artillery anti-aircraft training center, and attended Fire Control Observers' School. In July he was asigned as a machine gun operator to Battery A, 502nd Coast Artillery Anti-Aircraft Gun Battalion (Mobile) at Fort Sheridan, Ill. This unit was ordered to Paterson, N. J., in September of
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Personal Records of Those in the Armed Forces
1942 as part of the anti-aircraft defenses of that area. Here, until April 1943, he acted as radar operator, then was shipped out as cadre to the newly formed 140 AAA Gun Battalion, and assigned to Battery C at Camp Edwards, Mass.
He stayed with the 140th until January, 1945, while the outfit continued its training. At Fort Bliss, Texas, (where Goldsmith was made a Corporal) he served as instrument observer and took part in maneuvers. The 140th was transferred to Camp Phillips, Kan. and then to Camp Gruber, Okla. for special training as field artillery, and to Camp Haan, Calif., where the outfit dissolved as a battalion.
In January 1945 Goldsmith was ordered to the AAA Replacement Pool at Fort Bliss, Texas, where he received orders to join Battery A of the 63rd AAA Gun Battalion at Seattle, Wash. This outfit was preparing for overseas duty at Paine Field and at the Yakima AA firing range. Goldsmith served as a fire control NCO (Non- Commissioned Officer).
In July 1945, the 63rd left the States and was on the high seas when V-J Day occurred. It continued on to Okinawa to remain as part of the Island's permanent complement.
"The 63rd, during the month of October, was attached to the Northern Ryukyus Task Force Group whose mission was to police the previously by-passed Japanese-held islands of the northern Ryu- kyus chain in order to insure the fulfillment of the peace terms. On some of these islands were natives, living under primitive condi- tions, who had never previously seen white men. A patrol would pass through a seemingly deserted village only to find, when turn- ing about on the outskirts, a curious but timid throng standing mo- tionless gazing after it. No resistance was encountered but the task force had to endure a typical China Sea hurricane."
Richard Goldsmith returned to the States after six months on Okinawa and was honorably discharged at Ft. Devens, Mass. Jan- uary 28, 1946.
Good Conduct Medal
American Campaign Medal
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal
JOHN BROOKE GREGORY was commissioned 2d Lieutenant in the Army of the U. S., Specialist Corps, on October 29, 1942, and when the corps was abolished, received a regular AUS commis- sion in the Chemical Warfare Service. He was assigned to the
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CWS Development Laboratory at Massachusetts Institute of Tech- nology, Cambridge, Mass. where he did research and development work on natural and synthetic rubber for use in gas masks and pro- tective clothing. He was promoted to 1st Lieutenant on July 7, 1943.
With the closing of the laboratory at MIT on October 29, 1945 he was transferred to CWS Technical Command, Edgewood Arsenal, Md. where the above work was continued.
The words of his commendation describe the work he was doing, "For rendering exceptionally meritorious service from 29 Oct. 1942 to 20 Oct. 1945 in connection with the development of elastomers for use in gas mask face pieces and for accomplishments as Chief of Rubber Section of Protective Division, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The efforts and accomplishments of Lieutenant Greg- ory have contributed greatly to the knowledge of the CWS in the development of rubber for use in gas mask component parts."
John Gregory was promoted to Captain on February 10, 1946; and on April 25 was ordered to inactive duty.
Army Commendation Ribbon awarded June 14, 1946 by Allen F. Waitt, Maj. Gen., Chief, CWS.
American Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal
ROBERT P. HAGAR entered on active duty as a Private in the Army of the United States on April 14, 1943. He took his basic training in Co. D, 36th Medical Training Battalion at Camp Grant, Ill., and was sent from there for hospital training to the 15th Gen- eral Hospital, Ft. Dix, N. J. He then went to Camp Beale, Calif. and to Camp Hathaway, Wash., Replacement Center.
Robert Hagar sailed from Portland, Ore. August 10, 1944 on the USS Santa Cruz for New Caledonia. From the 6th Repl. Dep. (Replacement Depot) there, he was sent on to Leyte, P. I., and on November 20, 1944 he joined the 382nd Infantry Regiment, 96th Division as a Medical Aid Man.
"At that time the 382nd was in rest camp at 'Fox Hole Corner' after 29 straight days of front line duty. After 17 days of rest, the First Battalion of the 382nd moved to an airfield to combat para- troopers landed by the Japs on December 6, 1944." Robert Hagar took part in this campaign.
"After this, the Battalion camped near Burauen where we trained for the next operation. On March 13, 1945 we boarded the USS
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Personal Records of Those in the Armed Forces
Olmstead and sailed for Okinawa. We landed on the west central coast on April 1, 1945."
Hagar was slightly wounded on Okinawa while working as an aid man assisting soldiers and dressing their wounds on "Big Dick Hill." A bad infection resulted and he was flown to the 111th Fleet Hospi- tal at Guam and hospitalized for two weeks. He was then flown to a replacement camp on Saipan and sailed for Okinawa again on June 15, 1945 where he rejoined the 1st. Bn., 382nd. Inf. Regt., 96th Div. On July 28, they sailed for Mindoro, P. I. and camped near San Jose.
Hagar returned to the United States landing at San Pedro, Calif. on February 1, 1946. He was flown from California to New Jersey and was honorably discharged on February 9, 1946 at Ft. Devens, Mass.
Good Conduct Medal
Combat Medical Badge
American Campaign Medal
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with stars for Leyte and Okina- wa, and arrowhead for initial landing on Okinawa.
World War II Victory Medal
DENNIS ARTHUR HARRIGAN entered on active duty as a Pri- vate in the Army of the U. S. on August 8, 1942. He was assigned to the Army Air Forces at Ft. Devens, Mass., and sent to Miami Beach, Fla. for basic training. From there he was ordered to Air- craft Mechanics School at Amarillo AAF (Army Air Field), Tex; Gunnery School at Ft. Myer AAF, Fla .; to Blythe AAF, Calif., Dyersburg, Tenn. and Grand Island, Neb. for flying and combat training. In February 1943 he was promoted to Staff Sergeant.
Dennis Harrigan left the States for England as a replacement, by air on October 3, 1943. He flew across via Maine, stopping at Labrador, Greenland, Iceland and Scotland. He joined the 8th Air Force, 381 Bombardment Group (H), 532 Bombardment Squad- ron, Yeldham, England.
As top turret Aerial Gunner in a B-17 (Flying Fortress) he flew fifty-five combat missions, a total of 294 combat hours in nine months. He flew in the air offensive over Europe and took part in the heavy bombardment of Germany and other enemy-held coun- tries, the first bombing of Berlin and the Normandy invasion. He became a Technical Sergeant in December 1943.
In July 1944 he returned to the States by boat, landing in New
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York and after twenty-one days' leave, was put through a series of refresher courses preparatory to being sent to the Pacific for Air Sea Rescue. These included Aircraft Mechanic School, Amarillo, Tex .; Gunnery School, Las Vegas, Nev .; Air Sea Rescue training at NAS (Naval Air Station), Corpus Christi, Tex. and Keesler Field AAF, Miss.
The end of the war made further action unnecessary and Dennis Harrigan was honorably discharged on October 25, 1945 at Keesler Field, Miss.
Distinguished Flying Cross
Air Medal with 9 Oak Leaf Clusters
Distinguished Unit Badge
Good Conduct Medal
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with two Bronze Stars
World War II Victory Medal
DEAN LEROY HARWOOD entered on active duty as a Private in the Army of the U. S. on August 20, 1942. He was assigned to the Army Air Corps and sent to Miami Beach, Fla. for basic train- ing, to Aerial Gunnery School, Panama City, Fla. and Enlisted Bombardier Navigator School, Carlsbad, N. Mex.
Harwood was assigned to the 474th Bombardment Squadron at Barksdale Field, Fla. At this field crews were formed for overseas duty on B-26's. After a crew was formed, the men were trained together as a unit and the same men always flew together. They were ordered to POE (Port of Embarkation), Savannah, Ga. From there they were to fly to England. The first stop was Wilmington, Del. Here Harwood was confined to the hospital with scarlet fever and double pneumonia. His crew mates and plane were forced to continue without him and it was six months before he was released, at which time he applied for pilot's training and was accepted.
Harwood was sent for college training as a Cadet and after six months' study took pre-flight training at Santa Ana, Calif., pri- mary flight at Dos Palos, Calif., and went on to Merced, Calif. for basic flight training. As the war had come to an end, he had the choice of finishing his courses or of getting his discharge. He chose the latter and was honorably discharged at Ft. Devens on February 19, 1946.
Good Conduct Medal
American Campaign Medal World War II Victory Medal
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Personal Records of Those in the Armed Forces
DOUGLAS HARWOOD entered on active service as a Private in the Army of the U. S. January 27, 1942. He was assigned to the Coast Artillery (Anti-Aircraft), and was sent to Ft. Eustis, Va. for basic training. He was then assigned to the 514th Regimental Headquarters Battery for cadre training, where he attended com- munication school (telephone and radio). On completion of this course, he was promoted to Sergeant and was sent on cadre as Com- munication Chief in Battery "D" of the newly-formed 201st AAA Battalion (40 millimeter guns). The unit was stationed at Camp Edwards for overseas training.
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