Profiles Spring-Summer 2014 HFDFW

 

Charles enlisted in the U.S.Army Corps of Engineers on December 3, 1942 at the age of 24.

After engineering school, Charles was sent overseas to the South Pacific. There his job was to build runways, roads, bridges, mine sweeping and mine laying. He spent time in the Philippines and the island of Okinawa.

On Okinawa, Charles had the unenviable task of disarming a Japanese mine inside a burial cave. He went in by himself and figured out how to disarm it using only his skill and wits since he had no manual or instructions in disarming the deadly explosive.

Charles also built bridges and roads on Okinawa using only the materials on hand, which were usually insufficient and thus had to improvise many times.

After discharge on July 6, 1946 with rank of 2^nd Lieutenant, Charles was awarded the Army Occupation medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign medal with 3 Bronze Stars, the American Theater medal, WWII Victory medal and the Philippine Liberation medal with 2 Bronze Stars. 

Profiles Spring-Summer 2014 HFDFW

 

Richard enlisted into the U.S.Navy in April, 1944. He was 18 years old.

After basic training, Richard was sent to Yeoman school.

Soon he was assigned to the U.S.S. Quirinus (ARL-39) which was a repair ship. While on the ship Richard had the task of making out daily log sheets, and taking care of the ships mail among his other duties such as being the ships Yeoman on the bridge during battle stations.

The Quirinus was laid down late in the war on March 3, 1945. She was launched in the summer of 1945.

The Quirinus sailed to Guantanamo Bay Cuba on January 29, 1946. Later she sailed to the island of Trinidad and continued to sail the Caribbean for several months.

Richard received the American Theater medal and the WWII Victory medal. He was discharged in August, 1946 with the rank of Yeoman 2^nd Class.

Profiles Spring-Summer 2014 HFDFW

 

Earl enlisted into the Army Air Corps, later Army Air forces on December 2, 1941 at the age of 18.

After basic training Earl was sent to communications school. There he learned radio operations and repair. He was based in the Atlantic Theater of operations during WWII.

Earl was based at different bases including Ascension Island in the Atlantic Ocean, and the South American country of Brazil.

One of Earl’s most memorable experiences during the war was the time when he was part of a team that went into the jungle in Brazil to find out why a weather station had been off line for a few days. He and his team soon found the weather station and found the reason for it being off line. The 13 men that manned the station were all dead and beheaded by local natives. Earl and his team then had the task of burying the bodies. Later they had to bring in a new team to man the station, probably somewhat reluctantly.

Earl was discharged on October 24, 1945 with the rank of Technical Sergeant. He had been awarded the American Defense medal, American Theater Campaign medal, the EAME campaign medal with 6 overseas bars.

Pink Floyd

P-38,B-17 and B-24

P-40 and Corsair

Electra Glide in Blue