Today in Ohio History: Clarksburg Ohio veterans continue through WWII

September 28, 1942: Ralph Ater enlists in the U.S. Navy. Pictured with his family.

September 28, 1944: Marcus Ater, aboard the USS Denver, returns to Manus. Norman Trapp flies his fifth bombing mission on Magdeburg in B-17 43-38405. Willis Cleary and the 23rd Infantry Regiment’s Personnel Group departs the Landereau, France hospital they were using as the regimental base and travels by train heading northeast toward Belgium.

September 28, 1945: Dwight Overly’s ship docks in the United States

WWII History: Clarksburg Ohio's Elwood Dean medically discharged from the 82nd Airborne, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, F Company

Today in Ohio history: Clarksburg Ohio boys in service during WWII:

March 25, 1943: Albert Willis (369th Harbor Craft Company) escapes major injury during fire training at Camp Hathaway, WA when his firehose is turned on suddenly slamming him into a nearby building. Cary Skinner (41st Infantry Division) is actively training at Fort Riley, Kansas in the Medic Corps. Harmon Jobe (542nd Engineer Boat and Shore Regiment) is serving in Australia as a Coxswain of an army landing craft. Herman Dinkler (3rd Armored Division, 548th Quartermaster Depot) returns to Clarksburg for a furlough spent with parents. Dinkler recently graduated from Officer Training School at Camp Lee, Virginia. Walter Whitten (95th Infantry Division, 377th Infantry Regiment, L Company) departs Clarksburg for Fort Sam Houston, Texas following a 10-day furlough spent with parents.

March 25, 1944: Melvin Whiting is discharged from the U.S. Army due to a knee injury.

March 25, 1945: Elwood Dean (82nd Airborne, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, F Company) receives a medical discharge from the U.S. Army at the General Hospital in Louisville, Kentucky and returns to Chillicothe. Dean received wounds in Normandy July 3, 1944 while serving with the famed 82nd Airborne. Marcus Ater writes home describing details of the severe naval fighting he has endured aboard the USS Denver CL-58 (pictured above). Ater also mentioned he witnessed the retaking of the island Corregidor.

February 17, 1943 marks Clarksburg Ohio's most significant enlistment day during World War II

A significant day in Clarksburg Ohio World War II History:

February 17, 1943: Corrine Bochard is participating in basic training at Fort Oglethorpe, GA with WAAC attachment - Company 7, 21st Regiment, 3rd WAAC Training Center. Darrell Templin, Rolland Bookwalter, Jack Ater, Dick Garrison, Howard Bryant, Richard Shanton, Roger Bryant and Roy Hawkins pass their physical exams for induction into the U.S. Army at Fort Hayes, Columbus. Don Bethel enlists in the U.S. Army and eventually volunteers for I Company, 475th Infantry Reg., 5307th Brigade -- MERRILL's MAURADERS. Howard Elliott is stationed in Texarkana, Texas with the 522nd Ordnance Company. John Pool is based at Norfolk, Virginia.

February 17, 1944: From his base in Panama, Forrest Hicks writes to his family to alert them he is taking medical classes and getting decent grades. Ralph Hawkins' USS Stack supports raids against the Japanese at Truk Island and Hawkins is awarded a medal for outstaning service during the battle.

February 17, 1945: Frank Ater, aboard the U.S.S. West Point, docks in Scotland. Aboard the USS Denver Marcus Ater begins three months of support of the ground operations on Mindanao and Palawan. From Holland, SGT AO Watson of the 95th Infantry Division writes a letter to Walter Whitten's parents in Clarksburg Ohio describing his death during the battle for Metz, France.

February 17, 1946: Richard Shanton is discharged from the U.S. Army three years to the day of his induction.

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

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.

Christmas furloughs for some Clarksburg soldiers, Norman Trapp flies 12th bombing mission, Garrison prepares for the ETO

Today in Clarksburg Ohio World War II History:

December 24, 1942: Herschel Bethel visits his mother in Greenland, Ohio while on a ten-day furlough from Camp Van Buren, Arkansas.

December 24, 1943: Hoyt Graham hosts his friend, Lt. Henry Fielder who is also based at Wright Field, at the Graham house in Clarksburg for Christmas. Lewis Garrison’s parents receive word that Lewis is transferred to Alamogordo, NM and attached to the 466th Bomb Group, 787th Bomb Squadron, where the group was preparing for overseas departure. Merrill Hughes receives a furlough from Easton, Pennsylvania to spend a three-day pass with his wife and family in Clarksburg. Tom Eycke returns to Clarksburg to enjoy a holiday furlough from Camp Ellis, Illinois.

December 24, 1944: Allen Anderson returns to Ohio from his base in San Antonio, Texas to enjoy a 14-day furlough with his mother in Chillicothe. Corrine Bochard and Jack Ater return to Clarksburg to enjoy furloughs with their respective parents. Marcus Ater, aboard the USS Denver - returns to Manus. Norman Trapp (photo above - Trapp front row center) flies his 12th bombing mission with the 351st Bomb Group, 508th Bomb Squadron, in B-17 44-8374 and the target is the Biblis Airfield (recon photo through link).

December 24, 1945: Sgt. Dwight Willis returns to the United States following service in China, India and Burma. Robert Boggs departs the European Theater bound for the United States. Tom Eycke is officially discharged from the U.S. Army following service in the Pacific Theater.