First raid by the AAFto Germany, January 1943

More than a third of these men seen would not survive the war.

Profiles trip #10 HFDFW

 

Calvin enlisted in the U.S.Navy in May of 1943. He was 18 years old at the time, and since many of his friends were joining up after high school, he felt like it was the right thing to do as well.

Like so many others who joined the Navy at that time, the obvious theater to join the battle was in the South Pacific. The American government officially placed Germany ahead of Japan in order of importance in the attempt to defeat that country. But to most Americans, since the attack on Pearl Harbor, it was felt that it was the Japanese that needed to be paid back first and foremost.  

Calvin was assigned to the U.S.S.Ashland, LSD #1. This was the first, and the largest ship designated as a (Landing Ship Dock) in the Navy up until that time. There is still a U.S.Navy ship with the name Ashland, the second to do so.

He was also stationed on the U.S.S.Vella Gulf CVE-111, which was a jeep carrier. The carrier served with the U.S.Navy until 1970.

Calvin participated in many Pacific campaigns including the landings on Saipan in 1944, Tinian that same year, Tarawa in the Gilberts, Kwajalein in the Marshall Island group, and finally Eniwetok Atoll in the Marshall’s.

This sailor’s most memorable moment was that of being aboard ship in Tokyo Bay in September 1945 when the Japanese surrendered to the allies.

He was discharged from the Navy in February of 1946.  

Profiles Trip #10 HFDFW

 

Leon joined the United States Army Air Corps in 1939. Later in the war, it was to be called the Army Air Forces. After the war, in 1947 to be exact, a separate and independent U.S. Air Force was created.

Leon was shipped to the southwest Pacific, under the leadership of General MacArthur. He was a crew chief, and side waist gunner on a B-17 Flying Fortress.

He was a member of the of the 19^th Bomb Group of the Far East Air Force. Leon was present during the Japanese attack on Clark Field in the Philippines on December 8, 1941. Luckily, many of the B-17’s had taken to the air after hearing of the attack on Pearl Harbor. It was thought that they could defend themselves better in the air than on the ground. These planes eventually made their way to Australia and safety, better to take the war to the Japanese later on.

Leon went on to see combat over Java, Sumatra, and the Celebes Islands. He also saw action in the Dutch East Indies, and eventually back to the Philippines.

As part of the 20^th Air Force, Leon trained and flew on the new B-29 Superfortress. These bombers were the ones that took the fight to mainland Japan under the generalship of Curtis LeMay.

Leon stayed in the Air Force until February of 1960. During that time he was a flight engineer and instructor on the B-36 Peacemaker bomber. This plane was interesting in that it had “pusher” prop engines with turbo-jet engines at the leading tips of its wings. It also has the distinction of being the only American strategic bomber never to have dropped its bombs in anger. But it was the major deterrent during the Cold War, keeping the Russian’s at bay during the 1950’s.

The 19^th Bomb Group was one of the most decorated in World War II. Along with its crews, it received among other awards the Presidential Unit Citation.   

Profiles #10 trip HFDFW

 

Joe joined the United States Merchant Marine on March 5, 1945 at the age of 18. He said that his friends talked him into joining so hopefully they could serve together. As usually happens, things don’t always go as planned.

After training, Joe was assigned the duty as a Deck Hand, 1^st Class, on a T2 type oil tanker.

During World War II, oil tankers traveled the world’s oceans delivering fuel to far-flung bases and outposts on every continent. Some oil tankers were used to fuel ships while in motion. This was very hazardous duty with the lines strung between the two ships sometimes snapping during heavy seas.

Joe’s ship was anchored in the harbor at Okinawa when the surrender documents, ending World War II were signed in Tokyo Bay.

The war was over, but in October 1945, 1000 ships, including Joe’s, were sent out of anchorage to ride out a typhoon that was approaching Okinawa. At the end of the massive storm, almost 100 ships were sunk and many more hundreds damaged. Many of these ship and amphibious landing craft were to have been used in the invasion of Japan (Operation Olympic) if the Japanese had not surrendered earlier.

Joe says that he felt that he was lucky; his ship was never hit by Japanese kamikazes while sailing near Okinawa during the war.

He was discharged in March, 1947.

HFDFW profiles trip #10

 

Herman was at the College of Wooster in Wooster Ohio on Sunday December 7, 1941, when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

He was inducted into the U.S.Army in May of 1943.

He trained as a paratrooper and was then assigned to the famous 82^nd Airborne Division. He along with thousands of other soldiers were transported to England in preparation for the invasion of Hitler’s “Fortress Europe.”   

Herman was part of the 325^th Glider Infantry Regiment. These gliders were made of wood, with no armor to speak of. When landing, the gliders more often than not broke up into several big, and many more small pieces that as a whole, were described politely as a “controlled crash.”

His unit participated in the invasion of Normandy and later in the winter of 1944, the Battle of the Bulge. His most memorable experience was when his helmet was shot off by a German bullet!

His military experience helped him become a more mature individual, and look at life at life in a more serious manner.

He was discharged from the Army in January, 1946.

 

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Honor Flight DFW 2013

Honor Flight DFW will travel to the WWII Memorial in Washington D.C. on at least four trips this year. Free of charge to the veterans.

Honor Flight DFW trip #10

Loren entered the U.S.Army Air Forces on November 27, 1942. After basic training he was sent to Denver Colorado to attend the Army’s photography school. He trained there and was subsequently sent to the China, Burma, India Theater also known as the CBI.

Loren soon found himself in Jorhat, India in the north Assam Valley. As happens many times in the military, Loren’s photography unit was disbanded and he found himself as a perimeter guard at the base.

He served in this duty for about four months and then was assigned as an Air Transport Technician. This was a fancy term for an airplane loader according to Loren.

After serving in this duty for another four or five months he was assigned to the 82^nd Squadron of the 12^th Bomb Group that had been recently transferred from Italy to the CBI Theater.

One day there was a call for a volunteer photographer/gunner on a B-25 Mitchell bomber. This was the same airplane that flew in the famous “Doolittle Raid” over Tokyo Japan in 1942. The book and subsequent movie “Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo” chronicled this famous mission.

Loren was given a quick, one week familiarization school on the B-25 and also airplane identification. Photography gunners initially were not part of the B-25’s crew. The designer of the aircraft provided for a fixed camera under the radio operators seat. The problem with this was that after a bomb run, the aircraft usually took evasive action to avoid enemy planes and flak. The fixed position of the B-25’s camera was then virtually useless in providing an accurate record of the bombing mission.

An obvious solution was to have a photographer who could shoot pictures of the damage caused by the bombs by holding the camera out an outer door or window on the airplane. The good thing is that Loren finally was able to do his job and flew 52 missions. The bad news was that photo gunners were not authorized and could not receive promotions.

Three memories stand out in Loren’s mind. The first was when the Japanese cut off the base at Jorhat after they invaded India. The second was when his crew had to land at a very short airstrip in India because the plane was running out of fuel. The third was when his plane was shot up during a low level run over southern Burma and the twin engine Mitchell lost one of its engines.

Loren received an Air Medal with cluster, the Asiatic, Pacific service medal with three battle stars, and the Good Conduct medal. His unit also received a Presidential Unit Citation.

Loren was discharged with the rank of Corporal on October 21, 1945.  

  

Honor Flight DFW trip#10

 

Cleatis was at home in Bonham Texas when he heard the news of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. It was Sunday, December 7, 1941.

He joined the Army Air Force on April 7, 1943 at the age of 18.

Cleatis has an interesting story to tell, as he was a ball turret gunner on a B-17 Flying Fortress. Of all the gunner positions on bombers during WWII, the ball turret gunner was considered by many to be the most dangerous position on the aircraft. The gunner was positioned in a very small compartment with his knees basically drawn up on either side of his head. And a small door was the only way to get out. Plus being hung out in the bombers freezing slipstream made for a cold, cold ride, especially if the heating element failed in the gunners flying suit.

Cleatis’ B-17 was hit by flak in May 1945. Flames were spreading along the wing near engine #3. The pilot told him to climb out of his turret and prepare to bail out. Cleatis reported that German fighters were still around and the bomber would possibly get hit while the crew prepared to bail out.

The pilot then decided it was better to try and land the plane. An abandoned German airfield came into view and the crew safely and thankfully kissed the ground when the B-17 pulled to a stop. The crew made their way out Germany back to England. They flew three more missions before the war ended.

Cleatis suffered from high altitude frostbite during his missions and continues with treatment even after all these years. He was awarded the Overseas Air Medal, 3 bronze stars, WWII Victory Medal, Good conduct, and his unit, the 452^nd Bomb Group of the mighty 8^th Air Force, received a Presidential Unit Citation.

He was discharged on November 8, 1945 with the rank of staff sergeant. 

Honor Flight DFW trip #10

On that Sunday, December 7, 1941, Henry was in church in Cleburne Texas. The news of the attack on Pearl Harbor was broadcast to the American people starting around noon on that Sunday. No doubt Henry walked out of church and immediately got the news of the surprise attack.

Henry was inducted into the U.S.Navy on September 12, 1944 at the age of 18.

His job aboard ship was that of a Motor Machinist. He was assigned to the USS Scania AKA 40. Part of his job was that of transporting troops to various islands in the Pacific to replace those who had been lost or wounded in battle. Another task was that of transporting Japanese POW’s from combat zones into captivity.

His most memorable war experience was his participation in the Wake Island campaign. The ship was tasked with transporting troops to and from this strategic island in the South Pacific.

Henry’s war experience had a profound impact on him. He says that it caused him to “grow up,” and appreciate his family and the United States more.

His awards include the WWII Victory Medal, and the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal.

He was discharged with the rank of 2^nd Class Petty Officer on July 2, 1946.  

Honor Flight DFW trip #10 profiles

 

Galbert was already in the Navy when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. He enlisted in the Navy on July 29, 1941. On that Sunday, he was stationed at the U.S.Naval Training Center in San Diego, California.

Galbert was trained as a radioman. Indeed, on that Sunday in 1941 he was attending a radio communication school.

While in the Navy during World War II this sailor traveled all over the world. His most memorable war experience happened in the Indian Ocean. He was sailing on the tanker “Cedar Mills.” That ship was credited with saving the Free French destroyer escort “ Le Triomphant” in the Indian Ocean during a typhoon.

Galbert also served on five different merchant ships as a naval armed guard. On one merchant ship his job was that of the sight setter on the 3inch/50 caliber bow gun. Other duties include a year and a half at the Amphibious Command unit 47 at Camp Pendleton, Pearl Harbor and Okinawa. He also sailed on the USS Point Cruz (CVE 119.) After the war Galbert sailed on two different rips to Japan ferrying Marines to occupation duty on that island.

He says that the five and half years in the Navy were the most important in his life. Many World War II veterans feel this way. Galbert is not alone.

Galbert receives the China Service; occupation with the Asia clasp,the American, Asiatic-Pacific medal ,and the European, African and Middle Eastern campaign medal. He also was awarded the WWII Victory Medal,Good Conduct and the Gallant Ship Unit Citation bar.

After a very honorable naval career, Galbert was discharged on February 24, 1947.