Today in Ohio World War II History: Clarksburg Ohio World War II veterans advance!

Today in Clarksburg Ohio World War II history: Ohio World War II veterans from Clarksburg Ohio continue to work their way in hopes for an end to the war.

March 11, 1944: Howard Eisenbrey departs Clarksburg Ohio following an extended furlough with his parents, bound for Foster General Hospital in Jackson, Mississippi. Lt. Lewis Garrison officially arrives the ETO attached to the 466th Bomb Group, serving as a Navigator aboard a B-24 Liberator.

March 11, 1945: Fred Rittenhouse, part of the 777th Tank Battalion, motors toward Zingsheim, Germany and stays with civilians for six days while resting and performing regular maintenance on the battalion's tanks. Kenneth Dean departs the European Theater to return to the U.S. Willis Cleary and the 23rd Regimental Personnel Group depart the village of Kommern, Germany and arrive Ahrweiler, Germany with plans to cross the Rhine River at Remagen once the bridge is secured by the 9th Armored Division. Cleary's regiment moves into German homes and raids a local distillery. Pictured above is Cleary's grandson Vic Cleary standing in streets of Kommern in May of 2000.

March 11, 1946: Dwight Casto's ship departs the ETO bound for the United States. Wendell Carroll's troopship docks in the United States.

Clarksburg Ohio World War II veterans active on March 4:

Today in Ohio World War II history. Clarksburg Ohio WWII veterans are very active.

March 4, 1942: William Merz travels in a long convoy of ships down the east coast of the Atlantic seaboard sailing from the U.S. to the Pacific Theater.

March 4, 1943: Following a dead-stick crashlanding in a farm field north of Eglin Field, Florida, Charles Crabb and his crew are assigned a new B-25 and depart Eglin for Greenville, SC arriving safely this time by 9pm. Roger Bryant, attached to the 330th Engineers, arrives India.

March 4, 1944: After flying his 53rd mission, Charles Crabb departs the ETO bound for the United States to eventually serve as an aerial gunnery instructor in South Carolina. Gerald Bethel, aboard the USS Bache, participates in the shelling of Ndrillo and Karunia Islands in the Admiralty Islands.

March 4, 1945: Norman Trapp flies his 18th bombing mission attached to the 351st Bomb Group on Schwabmunchen in B-17 44-8455. (pictured: Norman Trapp front row, center). The following link is an excellent video of 351st Bomb Group B-17's taking off for a mission. Attached is another excellent video with raw footage from a sqaudron of bomber crews being interviewed after a raid. B-17 Crew Interviews

March 4, 1946: Eugene Mace is discharged from the U.S. Navy at Great Lakes Training Center, IL.

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.

Today in Clarksburg Ohio World War II history -- residents of Clarksburg and Deerfield Township raise $60,000 in War Bond Purchases!

This day in Clarksburg Ohio World War II history:

February 18, 1943: Ralph Hawkins returns to Clarksburg to speak to the student body about his Navy experiences. Hawkins mentioned that he watched the U.S.S. Wasp be destroyed by the Japanese (pictured left). Ray Tucker reports for duty at Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana.

February 18, 1944: Cecil Southward departs Chillicothe following a 10-day furlough and returns to the 693rd Engineers at Camp Claiborne, Louisiana. Don Garrison is a new arrival to England. Don Harmount returns to Clarksburg from his base in Cleveland to visit family on furlough. Harold Garrison is discharged from a southwestern Pacific hospital after feeling better from the effects of Malaria. Howard Betts is promoted to sergeant and is part of a replacement unit based at Fort McClellan, Alabama. Jack Ater’s infantry division completes Louisiana Maneuvers training and returns to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. While training in England with the 981st Field Artillery, James Reisinger writes a note to Pryor Timmons thanking him for the list of Clarksburg servicemen he mailed to him. Back in Clarksburg, Hoyt Graham, Sr., President of the Clarksburg Bank and chair of the local war bond drive, announces that Clarksburg area residents purchased $60,000 of War Bonds during the most recent fundraising drive. Warren Martin is stationed in England as an Army Postmaster.

February 18, 1945: Fred Rittenhouse and the remainder of the 777th Tank Battalion. catches up with A Company at Camp Twenty-Grand, and the entire Battalion moves out toward Soissons, France. Wendell Carroll’s ship docks in the European Theater of Operations.

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.

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.

Dean arrives North Africa, Minnix departs U.S. for the ETO, Garrison describes training to parents

Today in Clarksburg, Ohio World War II history:

December 29, 1942: Kenneth Dean's troopship docks in North Africa.

December 29, 1943: Clifford Minnix departs the U.S. bound for the European Theater serving as a radio operator in Battery D, 129th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion. Don Garrison writes his parents from Camp Pickett, Virginia detailing his rigid training in the desert alongside the 81st Division as well as landing craft training in Florida. John Kirkwood Sr. writes a note to the men at the Chillicothe Paper Company (Mead Paper) thanking them for their donation of cigarettes to the soldiers in Italy.

December 29, 1945: Dwight Willis is discharged from the Army Air Force.

8th Infantry based in Ireland, leave from the USS Ranger, Margraten Cemetery

Today in Clarksburg Ohio's World War II history:

December 15, 1942 - PFC Richard “Jack” Minser is promoted to Corporal while based in North Africa.

December 15, 1943 - Sgt. Dick Garrison, 8th Infantry Division, 121st Infantry Regiment is stationed in Colebrooke, Ireland training for the invasion of Normandy. Lt. Harold Anderson departs the states for a second tour of coastal artillery service in Panama. Herman Dinkler returns to Clarksburg on furlough from Camp Ellis, Illinois. Ralph Ater is on leave from the USS Ranger and flies into Dayton's Wright Field to spend time with his parents in Clarksburg. Solon Graham is participating in flight training in San Antonio, Texas with the 43rd Squadron, Group E, Wing 1. Cpl Warren Martin officially arrives the European Theater when his troopship docks in Scotland.

December 15, 1944 - Fred Rittenhouse’s convoy of troopships departs the U.S. bound for Europe. Rittenhouse serving with the 777th Tank Battalion, A Company. PFC Leo Rose returns to Fort Lewis, Washington following a furlough in Clarksburg.

December 15, 1945 - Cpl Eugene Morris is promoted to the rank of sergeant while based in Bamberg, Germany. T/5 Charles Hughes, Merrill Hughes' brother, writes to his parents from Holland describing Merrill's grave at Margraten, Holland American Cemetery and the Dutch family who has adopted the grave promising to care for it in the family’s absence.