Griffith Observatory looking out over LA

I have been lucky enough to have visited LA many times since the 1990's. This view I always loved.

Profiles Spring-Summer 2013 HFDFW

 

James enlisted into the U.S.Navy on December 6, 1944 at the age of 17.

He was trained as a Quartermaster but according to James, spent his naval career mostly in training or waiting at some receiving station for a permanent assignment.  This was not at all unusual in stories that this writer has heard from military personnel during World War II.

One night, as James was pulling guard duty, he had the occasion to guard a perimeter fence surrounding a naval base. During his patrol he observed a figure walking towards him. James yelled “Halt!” The man, who turned out to be an Army Air Forces officer, had been out too late and was drunk. Luckily, James did not shoot, and loaded the officer into a jeep when an MP finally drove by.

When the atomic bombs were dropped on Japan in August, 1945, James was on the west coast waiting for an assignment. Eventually he was shipped out to another receiving station in Hawaii. He boarded the escort carrier U.S.S. Kwajalein and sailed to Guam. While on board the carrier, James witnessed the massive Typhoon that hit the Pacific fleet during this late summer of 1945, seriously damaging many ships and resulting in many casualties among the fleet.

After four months on the island of Guam, James got a permanent assignment to LST (landing ship tank) 930. This ship had been involved in the landings on Iwo Jima and Okinawa.

The ship was designated at this time a small hospital ship, the entire port side on the second deck had been set up as operating rooms and aid stations.

During James’ time on LST-930 the ship sailed to Milne Bay, New Guinea where they loaded surplus war equipment to transfer to Hollandia, New Guinea. Later the ship sailed to Saipan, back to Guam and then to Hawaii. During the trek from Guam to Hawaii, both of the ships engines quit, and she was towed about half the distance to Hawaii.

James was awarded the American Theater medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Victory medal and as James states “The same as everyone.”

He was discharged from the Navy with the rank of 3^rd class Quartermaster on July 8, 1946.

  

Profiles Spring-Summer 2013 HFDFW

 

Frank enlisted into the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1939 at the age of 19. He states that he leaned to fly at the tender age of 10 years old.

In Frank’s military history application to Honor Flight DFW, he was hesitant to include many of his service memories, which I respect.

Frank did indicate that he had served “all over Canada” and Dutch Harbor in the Aleutian Islands, Guam, Japan and bases in the United States.  

He served in the U.S.Air Force ( SAC) as an air craft commander until the year 1969.

 

Profiles Spring-Summer 2013 HFDFW

 

Jamse enlisted into the U.S.Navy in December, 1944 at the age of 17. He had always wanted to be a sailor and to see the world. He did just that!

He sailed on the U.S.S. Chester; a heavy cruiser that was launched in the late 1920’s and eventually received 11 battle stars. The cruiser was assigned to the 16^th fleet and had participated in many campaigns during WWII, including operating out of the gigantic anchorage at Ulithi. From November 1944 to February 1945 the Chester was involved in the bombardment of the island of Iwo Jima and also the Bonin Islands.  

During the spring of 1945 the Chester patrolled off the island of Okinawa during the battle that involved both Marines and soldiers of the U.S. Army.

In August, 1945 the Chester sailed to the Aleutian Islands. In September, 1945 the Chester sailed to the Japanese home islands, which according to John, was one his most memorable experiences. The cruiser participated in the occupation landings of the Japanese islands of Ominato, Hakodate and Otaru during September and October, 1945. The cruiser also transported troops from the Pacific back to the States after the end of the war.   

Jamse crossed the equator on September 2, 1945 on the U.S.S. Chester. This was an important time in the life of a sailor in the U.S.Navy and he remembers the ceremony well!

Jamse received the Asiatic- Pacific Theater medal, and the World War II Victory medal. He was discharged from the Navy on August 8, 1946 with the rank of 3^rd Class Petty Officer.

The U.S.S. Chester, as happens to most naval vessels and after a long and honorable career with the U.S. Navy, was sold for scrap in 1959.  

Profiles Spring-Summer 2013 HFDFW

 

John enlisted into the U.S.Navy on September 17, 1942 at the age of 18. He had always liked the thought of being in the Navy and wanted to be a part of an aircrew.

After basic training he was assigned to the escort carrier, U.S.S. Corregidor (CVE-58.)John was trained as an air craft mechanic and plane captain. He flew in a TBF Avenger torpedo bomber. He participated in 32 air strikes against Japanese targets.

Some of the campaigns that John were involved in were Iwo Jima, Chichi Jima (off Iwo) Okinawa, Sakishima and Gunto.  He arrived in the South Pacific Theater on August 31, 1944 and did not depart until June 20, 1945.

John received the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with 3 stars, the American and Asiatic-Pacific Theater area medal with 2 battle stars, Good Conduct and Aircrew insignia with 3 stars.

He was discharged from the Navy on September 17, 1948.

Profiles Honor Flight DFW Spring-Summer 2013

 

Thomas enlisted into the U.S.Navy on August 23, 1943. He was 18 years old and had recently graduated from Amherst High School in Amherst, New York in May, 1945..

After basic training at Sampson Naval Base in Geneva, New York Thomas was assigned to naval aviation and began further training as an aviation radioman gunner on a TBF Avenger torpedo bomber. This training happened at USNATTC in Millington, Tennessee. He joined Torpedo Squadron 80 at San Diego, California and then it was on to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

Thomas sailed and flew off of the U.S.S. Ticonderoga with the 3^rd and 5^th fleets. He participated in action beginning with pre-invasion strikes on the Philippine Islands. Later in the spring of 1945, the Ticonderoga was hit by two Japanese kamikaze aircraft off the island of Iwo Jima. Thomas’ squadron was transferred to the nearby carrier U.S.S. Hancock for some of the first low level strikes on Tokyo and other Japanese cities.

Once, returning from a strike on the island of Formosa (now Taiwan)Thomas noticed on the Avenger’s radar screen a shape that looked like a cruiser that was camouflaged and hidden on the coastline. Thomas’s aircraft and others destroyed the Japanese cruiser later that day. Thomas received the American Theater Ribbon, six battle stars; three for air to air combat, air to sea, and air to ground combat. He also received the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Ribbon, the Philippine Liberation Ribbon, the Air Medal and the WWII Victory medal.

Thomas was discharged on June 18, 1946 with the rank of Aviation Radioman 2^nd Class.

 

WWII HD-WLA somewhere...