Honor Flight DFW profiles and interviews

Melvin enlisted in the US Navy when he was 17 years old. He says he chose the Navy simply because it was the first recruiting station that he found!

He was inducted on February 3, 1944. After basic training, Melvin found himself assigned to the famous battleship, the USS North Carolina. The North Carolina was to become the highest decorated US battleship in WWII. It was awarded 15 battle stars for its service in the war.

His job on the ship was that of radioman, and also was a crew member on 40mm anti-aircraft gun.

The USS North Carolina participated in many of the island hopping campaigns in the South Pacific. These included Saipan, Tinian, Guam, Philippines, Okinawa, Iwo Jima and several others.

One of Melvin’s most memorable moments was the signing of the Japanese surrender documents in Tokyo Bay. The North Carolina was anchored near the USS Missouri, as the document signing began.

He was awarded the WWII Victory medal, American campaign medal, Philippine Liberation medal, Good Conduct award, and the Defense Service medal.

Melvin was discharged on May 1, 1946.    

Honor Flight DFW profiles and interviews

Ray enlisted in the US Navy at the age of 17. He was inducted on March 14, 1944.

His duty included the maintenance of the ship and was eventually promoted to the rank of SK2C.

While in the Navy, Ray participated in the campaign off the Aleutian Islands. These islands were part of the Alaskan chain which was a territory of the US at the time.  It was of an important strategic value to the US because of its proximity to the shipping routes of the North Pacific.

The Japanese also realized this early in the war when they invaded the islands of Kiska and Attu.

Ray’s ship patrolled the areas around these islands. Once his ship was put on full alert to check out an unknown force that was approaching out of the dense fog. The fog and generally bad weather that was a part of the Aleutians hampered vision of the ships lookouts.  This time the force turned out to be American much to the relief of Ray’s crew.

Ray was awarded the Asiatic-Pacific campaign medal, Navy Occupation and National Defense service medal.

He was discharged from the Navy on November 23, 1947.

Honor Flight DFW profiles and Interviews

David was 19 years old when he was drafted into the US Army. The date was March 30, 1943.

After basic training, David was shipped overseas and served in the European theater.

He was assigned to the 712^th Tank Battalion and was attached to the 90^th Infantry Division.

The 90^th Infantry Division was known as the “Tough ‘Ombres.” The division was activated on March 25, 1944. It participated in the Normandy campaign, as well as the Rhineland in Germany. Also it saw combat in Northern France, the Ardennes-Alsace region of Central Europe.  The division saw 308 days of combat.

David was a gunner on a tank, possibly a Sherman, and attained the rank of Corporal.

He was discharged from the military on November 15, 1945.

Honor Flight DFW profiles and interviews

Timothy was 17 years old when he enlisted in the Marines. He reported for duty on March 10, 1944.

He was with G Company, 3rd. Battalion, 28^th Marines of the 5^th Marine Division.

Timothy was a gunner on a machine gun crew during the invasion of Iwo Jima. Before the invasion, Allied intelligence missed one vital fact about the makeup of the sand on the invasion beaches.

 Little did the marines know as they landed on the beach that the sand was volcanic, and thus very fine. The Marines tried to dig in after hitting the beach while under Japanese gunfire. They found that in trying to dig into the sand to create a foxhole, the sand would immediately fill back in, making it difficult, if not impossible to dig a shelter.

His most memorable experience on the island was watching the raising of the American flag on Mt. Suribachi.  

Timothy was discharged from the Marines on July 26, 1946.

Honor Flight DFW profiles and interviews

John enlisted in the US Navy at the age of 18. He was inducted on May 29, 1944.

He was in the Pacific theater and was assigned to an LSM. LSM stood for Landing Ship Medium. They were built between the years 1944-45. 478 were completed by war’s end.

These ships were the workhorses of the Navy in WWII. The ships transported men and material all over the South Pacific. They were frequent targets of Japanese kamikaze attacks off Iwo Jima and Okinawa. John was a Seaman First Class and participated in various invasions during his time in the Navy.

At one point his ship was caught in a Typhoon which what a hurricane is called in the Pacific. John’s ship was sunk and he spent 19 hours in shark infested waters, 23 miles from the nearest shoreline.

John was awarded the WWII Victory Medal, and the American Campaign Medal. He was discharged from the Navy on June 7, 1946.

Honor Flight DFW profiles and interviews

Abner enlisted in the US Army Air Corps on September 11, 1941 at the young age of 16.

His job in the AAF was that of aircraft engineer, or crew chief. Usually these men were the top turret gunners on bombers when in the heat of action. At other times the crew chief was between the pilot and co-pilot. He would monitor the dozens of dials and gauges of the airplane so the pilot and co-pilot could concentrate on flying the plane. On the B-24 Liberator for instance, the crew chief had the important and often hazardous job of transferring fuel from one wing to another, depending on how many engines had been damaged from enemy gunfire and flak.

Abner participated in the Africa, Sicily, and Italian campaigns. He remembers crossing the vast desert in North Africa on a troop train, certainly a memorable experience.

He attained the rank of Staff Sergeant and was discharged from the Army Air Corp on November 5, 1945

Honor Flight DFW profiles and interviews

James was drafted into the US Army and was inducted into the service on April 6, 1943. He was 19 years old.

He was assigned to the Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Aberdeen Maryland.  At its peak in WWII, the facility had billeting space for 2,348 officers and 24,189 enlisted personnel.

Aberdeen was used for the design and testing of ordinance material during WWII. There were also areas of the facility that had steep hills, natural grades, and tight turns to stress engines, drive trains and suspensions for Army vehicles.

James was involved in the training and testing of many of these vehicles and ordinance.

He was discharged from the US Army on February 2, 1945 with the rank of Private First Class.

Honor Flight DFW profiles and interviews

Ben was drafted into the US Army and was inducted on April 7, 1941 at the age of 23.

He was a part of the 29^th Infantry known as the Blue and Gray Division. The division was activated on February 3, 1941 and arrived overseas on October 5, 1942. The division participated in the Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, and Central Europe campaigns. Total days in combat for the division were 242 days.

At different times during his tenure in the Army, Ben was a Platoon Leader, Liaison Officer, and was eventually promoted to 1^st. Lieutenant.

His job at one point was the liaison officer with the “Armee Belge,” or the Belgium Army, acting as a link between the 32 Fusilier BN and the local administration. Thus ensuring that all usual administrative facilities were made available to the BN.

Ben was discharged from the military on November 5, 1945.

Honor Flight DFW profiles and interviews

Cecil was drafted into the US Army and was inducted on January 13, 1943. He was 19 years old.

He was the Gunny Sergeant and Section Chief with the 788^Th AAA-AW-BN Battery A.

One of Cecil’s most memorable moments while in Europe was the day a German pilot surrendered to the US Army. It was well known during the war that the Germans would go to extraordinary lengths to avoid being captured by the Russians.

On this particular day, after the surrender of Germany to the Allies, a German fighter unexpectedly came out of nowhere and landed on the western side of the Rhine River. This was the side that the pilot probably figured was the American, or perhaps the British side of the river. As Cecil watched the pilot landed, flew open the canopy and threw up his hands in surrender!  Cecil also remembers meeting the Belgium citizenry, which apparently welcomed the Allies with open arms!

Cecil was discharged from the military on February 17, 1947.  

Honor Flight DFW profiles and interviews

Clyde was drafted into the US Army and reported for duty on June 16, 1942. He was 20 years old.

He was assigned to the 3352 Quartermaster Corp in the Pacific theater.

His job in the quartermaster corp. was to drive important supplies and ammunition to front line troops engaged in combat.

Clyde’s experience in WWII reads like a travel guide for the South Pacific. One of the many islands that he served on was New Guinea. He also participated in the invasion of the Philippine Islands in particular the island of Luzon in late 1944. He remembers several times running for a foxhole when the Japanese started shelling his area!

Clyde attained the rank of Corporal and was awarded the Good Conduct Medal, Sharpshooter Medal, and the Driver of Wheels Medal. He was discharged from the military on December 30, 1945.

Dallas Police Shield May June 2012

In researching recently the years 1941-42 I found a few interesting articles. There’s not so much crime fighting involved, but shows once again things haven’t changed much in the DPD in these many years.

I was in the Police Choir for one year in 1986 and I really enjoyed it. This fine organization is still in existence of course but there was another police choir just before the war.

Nineteen police officers made up the Dallas Police Department Choral Club in February 1942. Apparently the members were known to be good singers, but also “carried a lot of weight” according to the DMN. Lt. O.P.Wright was the leader of the group. He said that L.S.Reeves, a baritone is 6-foot-6 and 245 pounds. On the other hand there was C.C.Greer, who was 5 foot 10, and “only” 225 pounds. One only has to look at the average weight and height of American males in 1941 to determine that these were considered really “big men” at the time. One of the members, Officer Thompson, described as a “blond giant” was exceptionally good. Some citizens had offered to send him to a nationwide radio show called the “Major Bowes Hour,” kind of like an “American Idol” show. Thompson declined however.

Among the officers were some that would become somewhat famous in the future. Chief Welch, himself a singer, arraigned that the officers got time off for the Tuesday night rehearsals.  There was motorcycle officer J.E.Curry, who later was Chief of police on November 22, 1963. There was another future Assistant Chief Charles Batchelor, who at the time was a Point Control Officer at Main and Akard Streets. The article doesn’t say how long the choir stayed in existence. I would imagine that after the start of WWII, and the reduction of DPD officers due to the draft and enlistments, that the choir probably was put aside for the duration of the war.

On December 20, 1941 it was reported that the DPD received 40 new shotguns. They were only to be used in an emergency and primarily by detectives who were conducting espionage investigations after the start of the war.

Inspector of Detectives Will Fritz said on December 28^th that the DPD would be complying with the nationwide order that all cameras and radios held by “aliens” would be turned in immediately. By “aliens” it was meant that Germans, Italians, and Japanese would turn in such items to authorities and Fritz said that they would be held in the police property room.

It’s hard to believe now the fear and hysteria that gripped the nation after Pearl Harbor. It was thought that the Axis powers had the means to bomb cities as far inland as Dallas. They didn’t, but we didn’t know it and the government ordered that large cities conduct blackout drills. Dallas County had 12,597 temporary air raid wardens on top buildings such as the Baker and Adolphus Hotels as well as other strategic points and big plans were put into place for the even bigger night.

On Monday January 19, 1942 the lights went out all over Dallas. Officers were positioned all over the city to catch violators. As would happen today, and after weeks and weeks of hoopla, there were the usual people (as today) who said “I didn’t know there was gonna be a blackout?” One drunk driver drew attention to himself at Ross and Allen and was arrested when he turned on the lights of his truck before the all clear siren announced the end of the drill. There were 52 reports from citizens who complained on their neighbors that didn’t turn off their lights.   

7000 probably way too eager air raid wardens filled out complaints about willful refusals to turn out lights, flooding the blackout headquarters at 108 Field Street in the days after the drill.

Dallas police as usual were caught in the middle of neighbor ratting on neighbor complaints. They probably hated each other anyway and thought “the doorbell light is still on, I’ll complain!” For instance there was the 1990 block of North Carroll. A porch light was turned on twice during the black out and the householder was “very sarcastic” when warned.

See, nothing ever changes in Dallas Texas.

Honor Flight DFW profiles and interviews

Merle enlisted in the US Navy on September 18, 1945 at the age of 18.

After basic training Merle was assigned as a mechanic on the battleship, USS Alabama BB-60.

Merle was on the Alabama’s final cruise from San Diego to Long Beach, then San Francisco and finally to Seattle Washington.

The USS Alabama is docked at Mobile Alabama as a permanent memorial to the famous battleship.

Merle attained the rank of Seaman 1^st Class, and was discharged from the Navy on September 8, 1946.

Honor Flight DFW profiles and interviews

Raymond enlisted in the US Army Air Corps in 1939 at the age of 17.

After basic training Raymond was assigned to the famous 8^th Air Force based in England. The 8^th Air Force was responsible for the bombing and destruction of the German war industry and its ability to continue the war in Europe. At different times the 8^th, as well as the 15^th Air Force based in Italy focused on what the Air Corps generals had decided what was of vital importance to the continuation of the Nazi war machine. These targets included but weren’t limited to the ball bearing works spread all over Europe, and also the oil industry that powered the machines of the Luftwaffe, and the Weirmacht.

Raymond was trained and participated as an aerial gunner aboard medium and heavy bombers of the 8^th. These gunners were for the most part exposed to the bone chilling temperatures of planes flying above 20,000 feet in planes with no heat (except for the crew’s electric suits) and un-pressurized fuselages. That coupled with the deadly flak and German fighters that were ever present, made the continued existence of an aerial gunner daunting at the least.

He attained the rank of Staff Sergeant and was discharged in 1945.       

Honor Flight DFW profiles and interviews

Curtis was drafted into the US Army and arrived for induction on January 13, 1943. He was 23 years old.

Upon graduating from basic training, Curtis was trained as a chemical warfare specialist.

Curtis was assigned to the 87^th Chemical Warfare Service. Due to the horrendous losses during WWI to the effects of poison gas, many nations signed a treaty declaring that poison gas would never be used in warfare again. However tear gas was used on both the Allied and Axis sides during WWII. Also, there was the ever present threat that poison gas would be used. The Nazi’s of course used Zylcon B poison gas during the Holocaust. The Japanese experimented with chemical agents on civilians and  Allied prisoners of war including American’s during the war.

Curtis‘s   unit was attached to the 4^th Infantry Division known as “The Ivy Division.” This division was activated on June 3, 1940. It was sent overseas on January 18, 1944 and was 299 days in combat. The division participated in the campaigns in Normandy, Central Europe, Northern France, the Rhineland, and the Ardennes-Alsace region.

Curtis participated in the allied landings in Normandy on June 6, 1944.

He attained the rank of Sergeant and was discharged on October 24, 1945.     

HFDFW profiles and interviews

Orville has an interesting military career in which he served in three services.

He entered the US Navy in April 1941 before WWII started. He was flight engineer and gunner in Patrol Wing 1 (VP-12) operating out of Hawaii and the Pacific Theater.

He was discharged from the Navy in 1946. Between September 1947 and January 1948 he was in the US Army.

In 1948 Orville joined the new US Air Force, only in that year becoming a separate military service, before that being known as the US Army Air Forces. He eventually attained the rank of Master Sergeant and was discharged in December 1963.

Orville then joined the Air Force reserves and finally retired in 1975 after a very distinguished career.

He has been awarded the American Defense medal, Asiatic Pacific medal, the WWII Victory medal, and the Korean Conflict medal and many others.     

Honor Flight DFW profiles and interviews

Junior entered the U.S.Navy on November 4, 1940 in Whitesboro Texas at the age of 18.

After basic training, Junior was assigned to the USS Boise (CL-47.)

The Boise had the somewhat unusual distinction of serving in the Atlantic and Pacific theaters.

On December 7, 1941, as the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor the Boise was in the waters around the Philippines Islands off Cebu Island. Junior’s job on the ship was as a gun duty/damage control officer. The Boise was there as the Japanese attacked the Philippines on December 8^th.

During the battle of Guadalcanal in September 1942, the Boise participated in the first night naval battle of WWII. Called the Battle of Cape Esperance it was a fierce and hotly contested fight in total darkness where the opposing ships largely were firing at each other’s muzzle blasts in an area later to be called “Iron Bottom Sound,” since so many ships were sunk there. Radar was not an exact science and naval personnel did not entire trust the new invention, so the fire control officers relied on their limited night vision. The Americans had a slight edge in the new radar technology however, but in this battle, more American ships were sunk than Japanese. The Boise however was credited in sinking six Japanese warships off Savo Island.  The Boise sustained heavy damage however, and was hit in the ships magazine killing everyone near her number 1, 2, and 3 turrets. The ship pulled out of the battle licking its wounds and caring for the wounded.

The Boise was then sent to the Philadelphia Navy Yard for extensive repairs until March 1943.

At this point the Boise was sent to the Mediterranean. She participated in the Invasion of Sicily, Taranto, and Salerno Italy.

The Boise then returned to the Pacific and participated in many engagements including the return to the Philippines by American forces in the Leyte invasion on October 1944, and the Lingayen Gulf landings in late 1944.

 Junior was awarded the American Defense medal, the WWII Victory medal, Asiatic-Pacific w/ 3 stars, Philippine Liberation and defense medal, and the good conduct medal.

Junior did not get out of the Navy and elected to join the reserves. He retired from the Navy after a distinguished career on June 23, 1982   

March 2012 sideways

HFDFW profiles and interviews

Royal enlisted in the U.S.Navy on March 12, 1946.

After he completed basic training, Royal was trained in naval meteorological observation and weather forecasting. He eventually attained the rank of Aerographers mate 3/c.

During his time in the Navy, Royal was stationed in the Aleutian Islands, specifically on the island of Adak. The Japanese invaded these islands in 1942 and were only pushed out through the bravery of the American military forces.

Royal  was also stationed for a time at Kodiak Alaska.

The Aleutian Islands were of course part of Alaska, which was a territory of the United States. The weather in the island chain was brutal, most of the time the islands were encased in snow, ice and fog. Weather forecasting for that area must have been a daunting task since it was always changing. There are many military planes and ships that were not lost to enemy gunfire, but to the limited visibility and icing that made it especially dangerous to conduct missions in the area. Many were lost, and never recovered.

Royal was awarded the WWII Victory medal and was discharged on January 9, 1948.

April 2012

Honor Flight DFW profiles and interviews

Thomas was drafted in 1943 at the age of 18. Most people believe that in WWII, when a male was drafted into the military, he was inducted into the Army. Not so. Late in the war, a male could be drafted into any service, including the Marines.

Thomas was thus drafted into the U.S.Navy. He was assigned to the Navy’s construction unit “The Seabees.” The Seabees were responsible for building runways and other vital military construction jobs. Many times the Seabees would be constructing a runway, and when attacked by enemy forces, such as Iwo Jima, the construction crews would jump off their bulldozers and fight alongside the Marines and soldiers.  

His rating was of a storekeeper30 USN-I. Thomas was assigned to the British West Indies, Trinidad.

Thomas was awarded the WWII Victory medal, American Campaign ribbon, and a marksman medal.

He

Honor Flight DFW profiles and interviews

He was a radio operator on a cutter in the North Atlantic.

In WWII, the Coast Guard was responsible for many duties including air-sea rescue, and the hunt for David enlisted in the Coast Guard on October 14, 1944 at the age of 17.

German submarines in the North Atlantic.

David was discharged from the military on May 14, 1946.

HFDFW profiles and interviews

Albert was drafted out of college in November 1942 at the age of 20. He eventually attained the rank of captain.

Albert was in the Pacific theater, specifically on the islands of Guam and Tinian, and the capital of the Philippines, Manila.

He was the motor pool supervisor that was responsible for getting crewmembers onto B-29’s that were tasked to bomb Japan.

Tinian was the island that the B-29’s, Enola Gay, and Bock’s Car took off from to drop the atomic bombs on Japan that ended the war.

Albert remembers many times hitting the foxholes as the Japanese attempted to bomb and take out the fighter and bomber force that were wrecking havoc on the island of Japan.

He was discharged from the military in August 1946.

 

HFDFW profiles and interviews

Adrian was inducted into the U.S.Army on December 21, 1944, at the age of 19.

Adrian was a platoon sergeant and was assigned to Asiatic Pacific Theater.

He had the duty towards the end of the war as a member of the American occupation troops in Korea that formally was a Japanese stronghold.

He remembers that one of the duties assigned to his unit was to disarm a Japanese cavalry unit. During this time, they found a Korean child about 7 years old that was without a family. He was eating out of garbage cans, and as sometimes happened with American soldiers, the Americans took the child under their wing to care and feed the little boy. 

One of Adrian’s most fervent memories of this time was that a Lt. Young was going to try and adopt the young boy, but unfortunately, Adrian never found out if this actually happened.

Adrian was awarded the Asiatic-Pacific campaign ribbon, the WWII Victory Medal, good conduct medal, two overseas gold bars, and the Occupation of Japan medal.

He was discharged in November 1946.

Honor Flight DFW profiles and interviews

Richard was inducted into the U.S.Navy on July 3, 1944 at the age of 17.

He was assigned to the U.S.S.Amsterdam (Cl-101.) The light cruiser was named after a gold star mother, who had lost a son at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Mrs. William E. Hasenfuss was the first Gold Star mother in Amsterdam New York.

On June 9, 1945 the Amsterdam, with Richard on board as a quartermaster, set course from Hawaii sailing to the Philippines islands and on June 21^st, reported for duty with the 3^rd Fleet .

She joined Task Force 38 on July 1, 1945 to cover air strikes against the Japanese home islands.

On July 10^th, the task forces planes began a series of air strikes on Japanese airfields, factories, and shipping. It was during this time that the Japanese were using kamikaze aircraft and boats in an attempt to sink U.S.Navy warships. During these actions, the Amsterdam protected the carriers from attack by Japanese air and surface forces.

After the surrender of the Japanese, the Amsterdam sailed into Tokyo Bay on September 5, 1945 and remained there until the 20^th.

Richard was discharged from the Navy on June 9, 1946.     

Honor Flight DFW profiles and interviews

Beauford was drafted and entered the U.S.Army on April 17, 1945 at the age of 18.

Beauford was assigned to the 11^th Airborne Division also known as “The Angels.” This division was activated on February 25, 1943. It first went overseas on May 8, 1944. The division’s campaigns included New Guinea, Southern Philippines, and Luzon.

After training, Beauford headed to the south Pacific, where his job was a field lineman. Eventually he landed in occupied Japan where he became part of the occupation forces under the command of General MacArthur. 

Beauford’s memories included the fact that this 18 year old, who like many his age, had never been more than a few miles from home. But now, he and others were in a formally hostile country that had pledged to destroy the United States.

Beauford’s awards included the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Ribbon, Army Occupation Ribbon, Victory Ribbon, and Overseas Service Bar.

He was discharged from the military on December 24, 1946.