Clarksburg Ohio's Bob Anderson prepares his 14th Fighter Group - 37th Fighter Squadron P-38 for its first mission of World War II

May 3, 1943: Bob Anderson's 14th Fighter Group departs Mediouna, Morocco and repositions in Telergam, Algeria. Anderson's P-38 #85 flies its first combat mission.

May 3, 1944: Bob Anderson's 37th Fighter Squadron becomes active and repositions from Oran to an "undisclosed" North Africa location. Jack Morris flies his 21st bombing mission on ground targets near Wizerns.

May 3, 1945: Gerald Bethel is aboard the USS Bache when it is attacked by Japanese Kamikaze airplanes near Okinawa. The USS Bache is slightly damaged when enemy suicide aircraft overshoots deck, crashing in to the sea. Roy Hawkins, with the 463rd AAA, Battery C is awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for defending Hatton & Rittershoffen (Alsace) from fanatical German attacks in January of 1945. Willis Cleary leaves Frohburg and arrives Nabburg, Germany. He witnesses a mass grave of approx. 200 political prisoners in Nabburg. Slept in town castle.

Today in Clarksburg Ohio World War II History: Garrison confined in neutral Adelboden Switzerland following crash landing

Today in Ohio Military World War II history. A spotlight on Clarksburg Ohio veterans on April 15, 1942-1945:

April 15, 1942: Elwood Dean enlists in the U.S. Army and eventually serves with the famed 82nd Airborne Division, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, F Company,

April 15, 1943: Albert Willis is serving in the base fire department in Vancouver, Washington. Bob Anderson is serving in French North Africa with an on-the-move 37th Fighter Squadron, 14th Fighter Group, servicing P-38 Lightnings. Daryl Williams enrolled in an advanced flying class at Kurtztown Teacher's College in Pennsylvania directly following graduation from Basic Flight Training. Glenn McPherson is based in North Africa. Marvin Carroll is part of the 14th Armored Infantry when it is awarded the Distinguished Unit Citation. Sylvester Bookwalter arrives Clarksburg from training at Drew Field, Tampa for a ten-day furlough with his parents. Tom Eycke enlists in the U.S. Army.

April 15, 1944: Lewis Garrison sends his first correspondence to his family alerting them of his internship in Adelboden, Switzerland (pictured), and that he and his crew are all OK, following a controlled crashlanding in their B-24 (466th Bomb Group) in the neutral country. Solon Graham completes flight training in a PT-19 at Cuero, TX and arrives Waco for additional flight training in the BT-13 Vultee "Vibrator.”

April 15, 1945: Roger Bryant arrives the United States. Tom Sowers, part of the 80th Infantry Division, 318th Infantry Regiment, A Company, writes to his parents informing them he was shot in the shoulder by a German sniper near Erfurt, Germany and flown to a Paris hospital where he is currently located.

Ohio Military History Minute: Spotlight on Clarksburg Ohio WWII Personnel

Today in Ohio Military History: Spotlight on Clarksburg Ohio World War II veterans on April 2 1943-1945.

April 2, 1943: Bernard Ater and Joe Ater arrive Clarksburg Ohio for a 15-day furlough from training at Minter Field in Bakerfield, CA. Kenneth Dean departs the U.S. bound for the European Theater to serve as a Surgical Technician with the 103rd Station Hospital. Anderson - center, sitting atop his maintenance stand and in front of his P-38 #85, is surrounded by his ground crew, and the unidentified pilot holding the squadron's dog mascot bottom center. Far right is Armorer Sgt. Sid Beech.

April 2, 1944: Bob Anderson's 37th Fighter Squadron (14th Fighter Group) of P-38 Lightning fighters is awarded the Distinguished Unit Decoration for the squadron's excellent performance in an air battle over Steyr, Austria.

April 2, 1945: Clarence Minnix arrives the Asiatic-Pacific Theater. Don Adams flies his 11th bombing mission with the 485th Bomb Group, on the main marshalling yard in Graz, Austria. Dwight Overly is based at Fort McClellan, Alabama. Eugene Morris, recently attached to the 1st Infantry Division, arrives Germany to serve in the division's 745th Tank Battalion as a mortar man. Frank Ater moves with the 743rd Tank Battalion from France to Holland. Fred Rittenhouse's A Company, 777th Tank Battalion splits off from the battalion and motors toward Goissons. Rittenhouse and his Sherman Tank seeks cover in a wooded area near Goissons. Colonel George Bookwalter receives the final promotion of his military career to Full Colonel while serving in Pennsylvania.

Today in Clarksburg Ohio World War II History: Some of Ohio's World War II veterans have active days

Today in Ohio World War II History: A handful of Clarksburg Ohio WWII veterans have active days.

March 14, 1943: Corrine Bochard transfers from Fort Oglethorpe, GA to Commerce, Texas to serve and train with Company A, WAAC Branch 5, Army Administration School. Ralph Anderson departs Clarksburg to return to Amarillo, Texas following his grandmother's funeral. Scott Dinkler receives a promotion to PFC while based at Patterson Field in Dayton, Ohio.

March 14, 1944: Sgt. Bob Anderson (pictured with his ground crew and sitting on the maintenance stand top center), based in Italy with the 37th Fighter Squadron, writes to his mother that he can't believe the news that his brother SSGT Ralph Anderson was Killed-In-Action in fighting over Western Germany on December 1, 1943. Kenneth Ater's troopship docks in the United States.

March 14, 1945: John Templin is stationed at Camp Hood, Texas. Norman Trapp flies his 19th bombing mission on enemy targets located in Lohne piloting B-17 number 44-8098. Roger Bryant departs India to return to the United States.

Today in Ohio World War II history: Cleary departs Monschau for Eupen, Anderson graduates air mechanic school and 3 years later leaves the ETO

This date in Clarksburg Ohio World War II history:

February 24, 1942: Bob Anderson graduates air mechanic school at Sheppard Field, Texas.

February 24, 1943: Darrell Templin, Dick Garrison, Dick Shanton, Howard Bryant, Jack Ater and Rolland Bookwalter depart Clarksburg for Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana to immediately report for duty to the U.S. Army. Harmon Jobe arrives the Asiatic-Pacific Theater.

February 24, 1945: Bob Anderson departs the European Theater of Operation bound for the United States. Charlie Jobe reaches the Roer River and the 82nd Airborne are relieved by the British. He returns with the 82nd Airborne Division to their Suippes, France base camp. Willis Cleary departs Monschau, Germany (pictured left) for Eupen, Belgium to reposition along the Siegfried Line.

Anderson promoted to Tech Sergeant, Rittenhouse's troopship docks in England

This date in Clarksburg Ohio World War II history:

December 28, 1942: Bob Anderson Receives promotion from Staff Sergeant to Technical Sergeant while based in Tumwater, WA with the 37th Fighter Squadron.

December 28, 1944: Fred Rittenhouse’s (pictured left) troopship carrying the 777th Tank Battalion docks in England.