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.

Clarksburg Ohio World War II heavy bomber crewmembers busy on March 24!

Today in Ohio World War II veteran history:

March 24, 1942: Bob Anderson attends a war benefit at Santa Monica High School, including performances by actors Red Skelton, Lucille Ball, and Philip Dorary.

March 24, 1943: John Martin arrives Clarksburg, Ohio for a ten day furlough from infantry training. Warren Martin arrives Clarksburg, Ohio for a multi-day furlough with parents and his brother John.

March 24, 1944: Jack Morris flies his 11th bombing mission on the St. Dizier airfield near Metz, France, which at the time was being utilized by the German Luftwaffe. Morris attached to the 392nd Bomb Group.

March 24, 1945: Don Adams flies his tenth bombing mission on the Neuberg Airdrome in Neuberg, Germany. Adams attached to the 485th Bomb Group, 83oth Bomb Squadron, flying B-24 Liberators. Lewis Garrison sees brother Dick Garrison for the first time since the beginning of the war while on a furlough. Norman Trapp flies his 21st bombing mission in a B-17, on the Vechte Airfield in B-17 44-8468 (pictured above) attached to the 351st Bomb Group. Roy Hawkins crosses the Rhine River at 0200 hours as part of the 463rd AAA.

Clarksburg Ohio WWII veteran Lt. Don Adams pilots 9th bombing mission on Germany

Today in Ohio World War II history featuring Clarksburg Ohio servicemen:

March 21, 1944: Vernon Bethel's troopship departs the United States for the European Theater.

March 21, 1945: Don Adams flies his ninth bombing mission in a B-24 Liberator with the 485th Bomb Group, 830th Bomb Squadron, attacking the aircraft factory in Neuberg, Germany. The patch/logo included in this blog is the insignia of the 830th Bomb Squadron. Kenneth Dean arrives the United States.

March 21, 1946: Dwight Casto’s troopship docks in the United States.

Clarksburg Ohio World War II servicemen busy on March 19.

Today in Ohio World War II history: Focus on Clarksburg Ohio servicemen!

March 19, 1943: Morris Templin is serving in Banning, CA. Wendell Bryant is serving overseas in North Africa.

March 19, 1944: Corrine Bochard returns to Clarksburg on a 10-day furlough from Ft. Monmouth, NJ..

March 19, 1945: Don Adams flies his eighth bombing mission piloting a B-24 with the 485th Bomb Group on the Muhldorf Marshalling Yard in Germany. Fred Rittenhouse, part of the 777th Tank Battalion, travels from Ettringen to Wassenach, Germany. Norman Trapp flies his 20th bombing mission part of the 351st Bomb Group, 508th Bomb Squadron, on secondary targets near Plauen, in B-17 44-8774. VISIT THIS website 508th Bomb Squadron and type in "Trapp" to see his entire mission record! Video of the 351st Bomb Group

March 19, 1946: Max McPherson officially ends his service in the Pacific Theater as a USMC Guard Patrolman.

Clarksburg Ohio World War II airmen busy: Crabb returns after 53 missions, Adams flies his 7th, Graham returns to the states

Today in Ohio World War II history. Clarksburg Ohio veteran Charles Crabb first serviceman home

March 15, 1943: Maynard Morris is in the Fort Sill hospital recovering from a broken ankle received during training. Rolland Bookwalter transfers from Fort Benjamin Harrison, IN to training in Robinson, Arkansas attached to E. Company, 105th Medical Training Battalion.

March 15, 1944: Charles Crabb is the first active serviceman to return to Clarksburg from outside of North American service, after flying 53 combat missions with the 12th Bomb Group as a chief armorer and top turret gunner in a B-25 Mitchell bomber. John Martin is enroute for overseas duty to serve as a replacement infantryman with the 90th infantry Division.

March 15, 1945: Don Adams flies his seventh bombing mission with the 485th Bomb Group on the St. Polten Marshalling Yard in Austria. Franklin Mace is transferred from Camp Atterbury, Indiana to Camp J.T. Robinson, Arkansas attached to Company B, 134th Battaion, 75th Regiment.

March 15, 1946: Hoyt Graham's aircraft departs the Pacific Theater bound for the U.S.

Clarksburg Ohio veterans active in World War II on February 25.

Today in Clarksburg Ohio World War II history:

February 25, 1944: John Brooks arrives Africa attached to the 87th Air Service Group, servicing the ground needs of the B-29’s 58th Bomb Wing, as an MP. Tom Eycke arrives the Pacific Theater to serve in Intelligence as part of the 234th Quartermaster Salvage Collection Company.

February 25, 1945: Don Adams flies his sixth bombing mission attached to the 485th Bomb Group attacking the Benzol Refinery in Linz, Austria. Pictured, a crew member of Ring Dang Doo - a B-24 Liberator bomber attached to the 485th Bomb Group and flown by Don Adams during World War II. Francis Ater departs the U.S. bound for the Pacific Theater. Fred Rittenhouse, part of the 777th Tank Battalion, crosses into Germany for the first time, driving through a decimated Aachen, Germany in his Sherman tank.

February 25, 1946: Charles Mallow is discharged from the U.S. Army.

February 22: A big day for Clarksburg Ohio B-24 Liberator crew members during World War II

Today in Clarksburg Ohio World War II history:

February 22, 1944: Lt. Jack Morris (392nd Bomb Group) writes to his parents while in a hospital recovering from fatigue and wounds received in his first crash of World War II - this time in England, the result of being shot up following a bombing mission. Morris does not elude to his wounds nor the crash he and his crew endured two days before on February 20 in his letter to his parents. His war was not over, but he was awrded the Purple Heart for this crash. (photo: February 20, 1944, the remains of Lt. Morris' B-24 in southern England following their crashlanding in a beet field). Roy Hawkins departs the U.S. for the European Theater.

February 22, 1945: Don Adams flies his fifth B-24 bombing mission over Murnau, Germany with the 485th Bomb Group.