On the road
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Profiles Honor Flight DFW Spring-Summer 2014
Donald was a sophomore in high school on Sunday, December 7,
1941. This was in Paullina, Iowa. He was inducted into the U.S. Army on June 6,
1944, which of course was the date of the Allied invasion of Hitler’s fortress
Europe.
After basic training, Donald was sent to Europe as part of
the 9th Infantry Division. The 9th was also called “The
Varsity” division. It was activated on August 1, 1940. The division arrived
overseas on December 11, 1942 as part
of the invasion of North Africa. The division took part in this campaign as
well as Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace and Central
Europe. The division was in combat a total of 264 days.
Donald was part of the 37th Regiment of the 1st
Battalion, C Company of the 9th Infantry Division. His job was that
of rifleman, anti-tank gunner and clerk typist. Among many others he
participated in the battle for the bridge at Remagen and the Ruhr pocket. His
unit entered Winterberg, Germany from the east, going around the edge of the
Ruhr pocket after heavy engagement with the German’s on Easter Sunday 1945.
Donald saw a lot of combat, and he says that of course, out
of necessity, this caused him to mature very quickly. He was awarded the Combat
Infantryman Badge, the WWII Victory medal, the African-Middle Eastern Theater
Ribbon with 2 bronze battle stars. He also received 2 Overseas Service Bars,
the Army Occupation medal-Germany and the good conduct medal.
On June 6, 1946 Donald was discharged with the rank of sergeant.
Profiles HFDFW Spring-Summer 2014
Martha was 23 years old when she enlisted into the U.S. Navy
(WAVES.) She said that she was in an audience in Phoenix Arizona when a group
of “attractive” WAVES gave a recruitment speech. She says that she wanted to do
more for the war effort than sit behind a typewriter. She joined up soon after.
Martha was assigned as a communications and ships service
officer at the Naval Air Station at Norman, Oklahoma.
Her most memorable experience was being in New York City on
V-E Day. She had traveled to the city to pick up engagement rings for the ships
service inventory! Also, Oklahoma was a “dry” state at the time, so she used
that opportunity to bring back a bottle in a brown paper bag!
Martha was discharged from the Navy with the rank of Lieutenant
J.G.
Profile Honor Flight DFW Spring-Summer 2014
Billy enlisted into the U.S. Navy on November 7, 1945. On the
day of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941, he was on a farm
near Elkhart, Texas. He was 13 years old on that fateful Sunday.
After basic training, Billy was assigned to the U.S.S.
Osmus, DE 701, which was a destroyer escort. The Osmus was operating off the
China coast when Billy boarded the U.S.S. Higbee, a Gearing class destroyer who sailed to China with Billy
on board to join his assigned ship.
The Osmus participated in post war customs duty along the
coast of Korea in the American Occupation Zone.
Billy’s job on the Osmus was sonar operation and
maintenance. Billy says that his experience in the Navy taught him responsibility,
discipline, technology, patriotism and love of country.
Bill was discharged on November 14, 1947.
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