Clarksburg Ohio World War II Veteran Spotlight: Harold Garrison

Clarksburg Ohio World War II Veteran Spotlight: Harold K. Garrison

S/SGT Harold K. Garrison served in the U.S. Army as a Survey Instrument Expert and Cook as part of the famed 32nd Infantry Division, 120th Field Artillery Battalion., HQ Battery. Garrison served in the Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns -- New Guinea, Saadore and the Netherlands East Indies.

During World War II, he worked directly with 32nd infantry units as a Forward Artillery Observer to survey Japanese locations for a 105MM Howitzer Battalion. Unfortunately, Garrison was stricken with Malaria during this service and therefore served the remainder of his service in KP.

Back in Clarksburg Ohio, Garrison owned a gas station and served the citizens for many years as a Deerfield Township Trustee.

World War II: Clarksburg Ohio veteran spotlight

Clarksburg Ohio World War II Veteran Spotlight (Now and Then):

PFC Almer E. Sowers

PFC Almer E. Sowers served in the U.S. Army as a light truck driver attached to the 3745th Quartermaster Truck Company. Sowers left the United States in February of 1945 for the Pacific Theater and served in New Guinea and the Phillipines. It’s interesting to note that he had a chance encounter with Clarksburg veteran Russ Furniss aboard the troopship carrying the two to war, while the ship was out to sea. Sowers lived out his life in Deerfield Township just outside Clarksburg Ohio and farmed the fields surrounding his rural home located approximately 3 miles south of Clarksburg on State Route 207. Color photo taken in May of 1984.

Clarksburg Ohio World War II history: Today, Merz on Guadalcanal, Lowe departs for the Pacific

Today in Clarksburg Ohio World War II history:

January 29, 1943: William Merz is based on the island of Guadalcanal.

January 29, 1944: Don Garrison’s troopship departs the U.S. bound for England. Edward Lowe departs the U.S. bound for the Pacific Theater as part of D Company, 369th Inf. Reg., 93rd Infantry Division. Pictured left: 93rd Infantry Division unit troops prepare for deployment from their training base in southern Arizona (photo credit: Life Magazine).

January 29, 1945: Marcus Ater, aboard the USS Denver helps support the troop invasion of Zambales in the southwestern portion of Luzon.

January 29, 1946: Howard Garrison is discharged from the U.S. Army.

Blog Flux Local - Ohio

Clarksburg Ohio World War II: Jack Morris earns his wings, Holloway at Fort Sill

Today in Clarksburg Ohio World War II history:

January 28, 1943: Harmon Jobe departs the U.S. for the Asiatic-Pacific Theater. Harry Holloway is based at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Editor's note: It is interesting to note that Fort Sill was named in honor of Brigadier General Joshua Sill, from Chillicothe, Ohio. On this same day, Jack Morris earns his wings as an aerial bombardier at Midland/Odessa Air Field, Texas, and is eventually assigned to the 392nd Bomb Group.

January 28, 1944: Don Maddux enlists in the U.S. Army. Earl Martin (pictured center with two friends) is participating in basic training at Great Lakes Naval Training Center, Illinois.

January 28, 1946: Morris Templin is discharged from the U.S. Army.

Clarksburg Ohio's John Dawson is forced from flight school while Lt. Jack Morris forced march from POW camp

Today in Clarksburg Ohio World War II history:

January 27, 1944: John Dawson From Sioux Falls, South Dakota, John Dawson writes Clarksburg High School Superintendent Pryor Timmons to update him on his flight school status. Disappointed, he explains to Mr. Timmons about an illness that forced him from flight school and into radio instruction.

January 27, 1945: Lt. Jack Morris of the 392nd Bomb Group (pictured left) and the remainder of the prisoners at Stalag Luft III in Sagan, Germany (Poland) begin their forced march ultimately to Stalag Luft VII in Moosburg, Germany due to the Russian's aggressive pressure on German forces along the Eastern front.

Today in Clarksburg Ohio World War II history: Graham in Georgia

Today in Ohio World War II history: Clarksburg Ohio native, Solon Graham arrives Chatham Field in Savannah, Georgia for flight training in the B-24 Liberator. Graham is pictured with close friends, second from the left.

World War II Now and Then: Exploring German's Network of Bunkers

I enjoy Now and Then photos from World War II. This is a classic example. On the left is a photo of a typical German bunker placed in a forested area to defend a specific sector of the German line. On the right is Vic Cleary and Nick Cleary examining a similar bunker just outside the twin Belgian villages of Krinkelt and Rocherath, that was part of the Siegfried Line defense at Heartbreak Crossroads. The 2nd and 99th Infantry Divisions attacked through this area and fought many days against a fierce and well defended German Army.

Even though they are oftentimes difficult to find without a map from the period, or a guide (like we had), there is plenty to see in the Ardennes Forest and it is amazingly preserved. If you enjoy studying World War II, it is well worth the trip!

World War II update for Clarksburg Ohio: Today in Ohio Military history - January 19, 2009

Today in Clarksburg Ohio World War II history:

January 19, 1942: John Martin enlists in the U.S. Army starting his military service during World War II.

January 19, 1943: Scott Dinkler (photo left L to R: Scott Dinkler with brother Carl Dinker) returns to Patterson Field, Ohio after a 5-day furlough with his parents in Clarksburg Ohio.

January 19, 1944: Amos Morris writes to Pryor Timmons, Superintendant of Clarksburg High School that he was just off a five-day train trip across the country to California for restaging and that he recently received a promotion to 2nd Class Petty Officer. Eugene Overly’s troopship docks in England.

January 19, 1945: Carl Dinkler (pictured above and on the right, with brother Scott) returns to Temple, Texas following a Christmas furlough to Clarksburg, heading back for more therapy and recovery from his wounds received while fighting near Brest, France, part of the 8th Infantry Division’s 28th Infantry Regiment, A Company. Don Harmount is enjoying a furlough home from Foster Field, Texas. Joe Kelly is training at Camp Wolters, Texas as part of the 3rd Platoon, A Company, 56th Infantry Training Battalion. Max Willis receives his discharge from the U.S. Army, ending his World War II service. Solon Graham travels to Westover Field, Massachusetts.

World War II's greatest monuments: Mamayev Kurgan in old Stalingrad

Yesterday's blog, I posted a slide show of photos given to me by Paul Willis, who served in Abadan and Teheran, Iran with the 18th Depot Repair Squadron. The 18th was strategically placed in the Middle East to build and prepare American manufactured aircraft, such as the P-39 Air Cobra, for Russian use against the Germans along the Eastern front of the war.

The Eastern Front has always fascinated me, because a large majority of the entire world war was fought and won on Russian and East German soil. Millions of lives were lost. The Battle for Stalingrad, for example, was extraordinary in comparison to most battles fought during 1941 and 1945. Various estimates exist on the number of men and women killed during the battle --- most of these stats exceed ONE MILLION people.

Even though I will probably never make it to the city of Volgograd (what they call Stalingrad today), I have always wanted to see Mamayev Kurgan, (photo above) the breath taking monument erected to memorialize those who died defending the city, as well as to celebrate a significant turning point during the war. In my opinion, it is BY FAR, the most breath taking and significant monument erected to celebrate and memorialize human loss during World War II. It is absolutely enormous and includes an eternal flame guarded 24 hours by Russian honor guards, a number of statues and symbolic displays, including the massive sword wielding Mamayev figure at the top of the mountain. It must be unbelievable in person.

I would like to think that Clarksburg Ohio residents Scott Dinkler and Paul Willis helped assemble an American made -- Russian piloted P-39, A-20, or B-26 while in Iran, and that aircraft flew over Stalingrad to help defend the city from the Germans. Odds are it happened. Clarksburg men were in position to have an impact on nearly every portion of WWII.

Visit the website for more pictures of this moving monument. Vic Cleary

Clarksburg Ohio Airmen and the 18th Depot Repair Squadron in Iran during World War II

A rarely covered but interesting part of World War II was the American effort in Iran assigned to supply Russia with weapons and equipment to fight the Germans on the Eastern front. The 18th Depot Repair Squadron was based in Abadan, Iran staffed with technical ground crew tasked with receiving American made aircraft oftentimes packed in crates, assemble and test them, and hand them off to Russian pilots to fly off to war.

Proudly, two Clarksburg Ohio men, Paul Willis and Scott Dinkler served in this unit. Dinkler served as a mechanic and Willis along the flight line interfacing with pilots during the test flight procedure. Later, Willis was assigned flying duty and served as a flight engineer aboard a number of the group's specially modified transport aircraft designed to carry VIP's from one point to the next throughout the Middle East. During this period, he spent a considerable amount of time based in Teheran, Iran.

The video above is a collection of photos Mr. Willis gave to Vic Cleary in 2005 to include in his collection of Clarksburg Ohio World War II memorabilia. If you like rare photos of World War II aircraft you will enjoy this video!

Ohio servicemen move into fighting position throughout the globe, Clarksburg's John Peck Awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross!

Today in Ohio World War II history. Clarksburg servicemen move into fighting position:

January 15, 1943: Clarence Minnix is training at Camp McCain, Mississippi and recently transferred from Camp Crowder, Missouri. Clarence's brother Clifford Minnix is training at Fort Bliss, Texas attached to the 509th C.A. Richard Minser arrives North Africa with the Railway Transportation Corps.

January 15, 1944: Harold Hoffman is serving as a machine gunner in the 40th Infantry Division. The division gathers on Guadalcanal in preparation for its first combat assignment at New Britain. The New Britain link is to an excellent 30 minute video of the battle! Richard Stevens is based at Camp Shelby, Mississippi.

January 15, 1945: John Peck receives the Distinguished Flying Cross for logging over 300 hours of flying time in a C-46 Commando cargo plane (C-46 pictured above). Peck, based in India is flying weekly cargo missions over "The Hump," the slang term used to describe a treacherous stretch of Himalayan Mountains between destinations. Orville Watkins completes boot training at Great Lakes Naval Training Center in Illinois and returns to Clarksburg for a 9-day furlough. Roy Holloway, 80th Infantry Division, and Roy Pearce, 1st Infantry Division, arrive the European Theater as infantry replacements, unknown to the fact that both will be wounded in three months time.

Today in Clarksburg Ohio World War II history: Hawkins surrounded by Germans

Today in Ohio World War II history, Clarksburg Ohio’s Roy Hawkins is cut off and surrounded by Germans.

January 7, 1944: Eugene Overly departs the U.S. bound for England. Paul McCormick is newly based at a New Orleans hospital.

January 7, 1945: Don Garrison in France, writes home and suggests setting up a community center in Clarksburg for the boys to go to and socialize after the war. Roy Hawkins, part of the 463rd Anti-Aircraft Artillery is fiercely attacked by three German army divisions, including the 21st Panzer Division at their positions near Hatton and Rittershoffen, Germany.

January 7, 1946: Cecil Southward and Sam Saxour are discharged from the U.S. Army.

Anderson moves his P-38 Lightning to McChord Field, Edward Lowe's ship arrives the U.S.

Today in Ohio World War II history, Clarksburg Ohio residents continue their daily duties:

January 6, 1943: Bob Anderson, along with the 55th Fighter Group move P-38 Lightning fighters from a CCC camp to better facilities at McChord Field, Washington. Don Harmount arrives Clarksburg to enjoy a 14-day furlough from training in Jackson, Mississippi. John Kirkwood Sr., a World War I veteran, transfers to Camp Lee, VA.

January 6, 1946: Edward Lowe’s ship docks in the United States.

Clarksburg's Colonel Bookwalter recalled to active duty, Ater boys receive promotions to SSGT

Today in Ohio World War II history: Clarksburg, Ohio residents are promoted and recalled to active duty.

January 5, 1941: Colonel George Bookwalter, a veteran officer of World War I is recalled to active duty from the U.S Army Reserves.

January 5, 1943: Sgt. Bernard Ater and Sgt. Joe Ater receive promotions to Staff Sergeant while based at Minter Field, CA (Photo left to right: Joe Ater, Ralph Anderson, Bernard Ater and Bob Anderson). Charles Jobe departs Clarksburg bound for Fort Bragg, NC following a brief furlough from training.

January 5, 1944: Don Garrison departs the U.S. for overseas duty in the European Theater. John Martin transfers from Camp Hood, Texas to Fort Dix, New Jersey.

January 5, 1946: Cecil Richardson is discharged from the U.S. Army. Richard Shanton departs the Pacific Theater bound for the United States.

Crabb training in the B-25, USS Denver departs to support the invasion of the Philippines

On this day in Ohio World War II history. Clarksburg Ohio soldiers, sailors and airman keep to a busy schedule but report back regularly to their families in Ross County for regular updates.

January 4, 1943: Charles Crabb (photo left) sees a Japanese Zero for the first time while based in Greenville S.C. The captured Zero was flown to the base for detailed enemy aircraft study. The same day, Crabb flies a training mission in a B-25 Mitchell bomber from Greenville, SC to Atlanta, GA. At this point in his training, he writes to his parents that he has been flying regular training missions and keeping very busy preparing for eventual rotation overseas. Paul McCormick transfers to Duncan Field, Texas.

January 4, 1944: Scott Dinkler is discharged from an Army hospital in Oran after recovering from a leg infection received while working on aircraft in Abadan Iran. Scott returns to his regular duties.

January 4, 1945: Curtis Willis departs Whittier, Alaska bound for the mainland U.S. Marcus Ater, aboard the USS Denver, departs San Pedro Bay to help provide firing cover for the landings at Lingayen Gulf in the Philippines.

January 4, 1946: Eugene Overly’s ship docks in the United States.

Clarksburg Ohio Army replacements fill the ETO, USS Ranger training off the coast of Rhode Island

On this date in Ohio World War II history: Clarksburg replacements, Rittenhouse and Pearce prepare for battle in the European Theater:

January 3, 1944: Ralph Ater is stationed aboard the USS Ranger aircraft carrier (photo left taken post war), currently serving a stint as a training carrier off the coast of Rhode Island.

January 3, 1945: Fred Rittenhouse and the 777th Tank Battalion travel south to Wimborne for staging, prior to receiving final assignment to individual tanks. Roy Pearce departs the U.S. bound for the European Theater to serve as a replacement infantryman with the famed 1st Infantry Division (Big Red One), 18th Infantry Regiment, F Company.

January 3, 1946: Following overseas duty, Lewis Dennis docks in the United States.

On this date in Clarksburg Ohio World War II history

Today in Ohio World War II history. A relative slow day of record for Clarksburg Ohio soldiers and sailors:

January 2, 1944: Clark Wickensimer departs the United States bound for the Pacific Theater to serve in the 1244th MP Company as an Investigator.

January 2, 1945: John Roseboom transfers to Fort Ord, California.

Johnson sails for North Africa as Minser arrives, Delbert Boyer serving with 466th Bomb Group

Happy New Year! On New Year’s Day in Ohio World War II history, Clarksburg Ohio residents continue a busy schedule.

January 1, 1943: Dwight Willis transfers from Atlantic City, NJ to Camp Kilmer, N.J. Franklin Johnson departs the Unites States for overseas duty sailing for North Africa. Richard Minser's parents receive word that he arrived safely in North Africa and is based in Casablanca.

January 1, 1944: Amos Morris completes basic training at Great Lakes Naval Training Center. Delbert Boyer writes a note to Frank Carroll in Clarksburg explaining his new role as a ground crew member for the 466th Bomb Group in Alamagordo, NM. Merrill Hughes returns home on furlough to visit his family. Willis Cleary is briefly admitted into an Irish hospital and alerts wife and family back home that he was discharged and back with his unit.

January 1, 1945: John Haynes is assigned to Camp Wolters, Texas with C Company, 62nd Battalion, 2nd Platoon.

January 1, 1946: Cecil Richardson's ship docks in the United States.