1941
The last notes I wrote in July set forth the prayer that the war's end would soon be forthcoming. I had no idea that it would come so soon. Thank God, it's over. I can feel the sense of relief you all must feel and also the terrific desire that must be yours to get back to civilian life and your long-delayed civilian pursuits. Here's wishing you all a quick demobilization! If there is anything that I can do here in Washington to help things along, let me know. I'm a good errand boy. Now for some news events.
Stu May is a lieutenant aboard the USS Jenks that was in the task force which captured a German U-Boat off the coast of Africa. Lt. John V. Delander has been awarded the Navy Air Medal for piloting a carrier-based Hellcat on 62 combat missions while in the Pacific. He has now returned on leave and is enjoying a reunion with his wife, the former Ann Marie Powell of Cambridge, and his son, John V. III. Chuck D'Olive received his commission as ensign and naval aviator recently at Pensacola, Fla. He is due to go to either an instructors' school or an operational base for further training before joining the Fleet or civilians.
First Lt. Napoleon L. Demara, a veteran navigator with the Troop Carrier Command in the European Theater, has been named instructor of English in a newly-opened school designed to give college credits to returned combat navigators stationed at Ellington Field, Texas. In Europe he served with the 61st Troop Carrier Group, attached consecutively to the 9th, 12th and 15th Air Forces. In his two years of combat duty, he participated in many operational missions, one of the most important of which was dropping of paratroopers in the D-Day invasion of Normandy. He wears the European Theater ribbon and the Air Medal with five Oak Leaf Clusters.
Lt. (jg) George Flather is serving on one of the newest and largest aircraft carriers as assistant supply officer. His chief duties are as disbursing officer. He has served 15 months at sea and wears the Asiatic-Pacific and the American Theater ribbons. George has been in the Navy since November 1942. His wife, the former Carolyn Avery, lives here in Washington.
The last time I mentioned Bob Dixon, I indicated that he was missing in action. Well, good news has reached me that he had been held a Nazi prisoner and has been back in England receiving his fifth Oak Leaf Cluster to his Air Medal. Nice going.
First Lt. William G. Clark, is at the 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Group rest home in Charleroi, Belgium. He is in charge of the rest home which is for officers and enlisted men. He wears four battle stars on his European Theater ribbon and the Presidential Unit Citation, having served in England, France, Belgium, and Germany.
According to a news report that came in, big Capt. Bob O'Brien has been named officer-incharge of the V-12 Detachment at Colgate University. The announcement stated further that OB came from Washington, D. C., where he supposedly had spent 10 months at Marine Corps headquarters. If he was in Washington for 10 months without so much as saying hello to this person, I should like a written explanation. How about that, Mr. Bob?
I shall be very grateful to the Almighty when I can be reasonably joyful throughout my whole column, however, there are still sad tidings that I must relate. Jack Orr, whose atmost miraculous escape from the USS Coopet sinking I related several columns ago, was killed on the USS Indianapolis in one of the most, if not the most, tragic Naval disaster of United States history. Jack's wife and son, Donnie and Mike respectively, were on the West Coast at the time but have now returned to her home in Claremont, N. H. Mrs. Thomas Burns, sister to Lt. William Engle Canniff, informs me that Bill lost his life in an aircraft accident when the P-47 Thunderbolt, in which he was flying, crashed into Delaware Bay, off the New Jersey Coast on May 14, 1945. Gus Broberg left a part of himself in Okinawa as the result of an unfortunate night landing accident which caused his Corsair to turn over, pinning him beneath. As a consequence of this, Gus lost his right arm just above the elbow. He is back in this country now, presumably in the Philadelphia area. I'm sure all of the class of 1941 wish to extend condolences to Lt. Richard D. Hill because of the sudden death of his beloved wife, Martha. Dick, who is in the Pacific on his second tour of duty, was notified by his father over the telephone at Pearl Harbor. Marty, who was stopping with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Gilford W. Plume, in Mamaroneck, N. Y„ was taken suddenly ill during the evening of August 16 and died shortly after midnight from what was described as a cerebral hemorrhage.
Lt. and Mrs. Larry Tennant are happy to announce the arrival of their daughter, Susan, on July 14. Larry married a Fort Smith, Arkansas, girl. Jane Daily, who is a graduate of Weilesley. Larry was in Italy for a short time but reached there about the time hostilities ceased and has since been transferred to the Pacific, presumably in the Philippines.
Capt. Paul F. Mahoney is now engaged in the redeployment (probably no longer) of troops from the European Theater. He is J unit officer at La Senia Air Base, Oran, Algeria, in the North African. Division of the ATC. Paul began his army career with the infantry at Camp Edwards, Mass., became an aviation cadet at Randolph Field, Texas, and went through OCS at Miami Beach, Fla. He served as Squadron Commanding Officer a! Maxwell Field, Ala., before going overseas. In civilian life he was employed by the Canbridge Electric Cos.
Stew Steffey reports that he was looking toward to a dinner and drinking party at the University Club in Frisco at which he expected to see Bill Danforth, Kelly Hess, who is stationed at Fort Mason, Dick Sexton, who looking for a wife so that he will have enough points to get out of the Navy (actually on M way out of the country), and Doctors Clay Messinger and Walt Winchester. Stew has seen Downey Gray, who is navigating officer on an APA and Art Spoeneman, who is CO of an LST. Others expected at the dinner, are Ed Lamer, Dusty Rhoades, Lou Young, Nick Carter, Dave Biggs, and Walt Kuhn. The Ed Larner's are expecting another addition Rhoades expects to return to Yale this fall Lou is at St. Mary's, Dave is flying a PB2Y around and living just around the corn# from Nick in San Mateo. Walt is at Treasure Island. Don Ross and Stew will be passing out cigars as Don has a new daughter and Stew a son. Other news from Stew include the following Frank Myers returned from leave to Italy to find that he was ordered right back to the U. S. for a bond selling tour. Kyser Jones is a doctor and practicing in California someplace. Bob Patey is a resident doctor at the University of Minnesota and, as of July, still single. Gordon Ide is a civil engineer living in St. Paul. Mills Ten Eyck is on an APA somewhere in the Pacific. Hank Gunst, still hitting a mean golf ball, went by aircraft carrier to Pearl Harbor where he was to board the USS New York. Thanks for the dope, Stew.
That's all for now. Let's hear from some of you silent partners.
Secretary, James Buchanan Apt., B 12 Presidential Gardens, Alexandria, Va.
Treasurer, 2617 30th St., S. E., Anacostia, D. C.
