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Old #1

Morris, MN

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"Local Stories of WWII Veterans"


Saturday, April 5th 2008

Old #1

Morris, MN

"This site contains local stories of World War II Veterans from Stevens County Minnesota. Currently, the stories come from the two main theaters of World War II-Europe & Asia. Europe: B24 Pilot that was shot down is told by his son, Army of Occupation Medal recipient shares about his gratitude, etc... ASIA: Military Police share his experience in the Guineas and the Philippines, 2nd Tank Battalion soldier shares some fun he had at the beach prior to a battle, etc... These are just some of many videos that will be posted in the future as time permits, so come back and see any new ones. Feel free to add any comments,suggestions, feedback, etc... This historical group gathering of WWII veterans happened on Saturday, April 5th 2008. It was taken place at Old #1 in Morris, MN. Thank you for visiting and please come again for more videos"

*NOTE: This site is also posted on the Minnesota Historical Society’s Minnesota’s Greatest Generation

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Lt. Col Blaine Hill story of his father, who was a B-24 Pilot


"This historical group gathering of WWII veterans happened on Saturday, April 5th 2008. It was taken place at Old #1 in Morris, MN."
Related Sites:
(28) Famous B-24/PB4Y Crew Members (A Tribute to the more "Well Known" WWII Heavy Bomber Celebrities), from b24bestweb.com
Jimmy Stewart Bomber Pilot, from youtube.com
"...In August 1943 he was finally assigned to the 445th Bombardment Group in Sioux City, Iowa, first as Operations Officer of the 703rd Bombardment Squadron and then its commander. In December, the 445th Bombardment Group flew its B-24 Liberator bombers to RAF Tibenham, England and immediately began combat operations. While flying missions over Germany, Stewart was promoted to Major. In March 1944, he was transferred as group operations officer to the 453rd Bombardment Group, a new B-24 outfit that had been experiencing difficulties. As a means to inspire his new group, Stewart flew as command pilot in the lead B-24 on numerous missions deep into Nazi-occupied Europe. These missions went uncounted at Stewart's orders. His "official" total is listed as 20 and are limited to those with the 445th. In 1944, he twice received the Distinguished Flying Cross for actions in combat and was awarded the Croix de Guerre. He also received the Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters. In July 1944, after flying 20 combat missions, Stewart was made chief of staff of the 2nd Combat Bombardment Wing of the Eighth Air Force. Before the war ended, he was promoted to colonel, one of only a few Americans to rise from private to colonel in four years....
-Books:
In Hostile Skies: An American B-24 Pilot in World War II (North Texas Military Biography and Memoir Series) (Hardcover) by James M. Davis (Author), David L. Snead (Editor) "IT WAS FOUR O'CLOCK in the morning on December 7, 1941, when the alarm sounded..." (more) (Amazon.com)
-Clipart
Free Clipart Image of an Army Boeing B-24 Liberator, from wpclipart.com
=>B-24 Liberator BW
Free Color Clipart Image of an Army Boeing B-24J Liberator, from wpclipart.com
=>B-24J Liberator
-Stories
A World War II Hero's Story, from youtube.com
"Ron Yeakle, IM 1948, was a B-24 Bomber pilot in 1942. His plane was shelled at 22,000 feet and here he remembers the harrowing story of bailing out, being captured and spending five months in solitary—and that was only the beginning of this POWs story. It was recorded on October 29, 2003"
-Videos
WWII FOOTAGES:
B24's in action, from youtube.com
"compilation of B-24 newsreels "
CURRENT:
B24 Bomber, from youtube.com
"B-24 Liberator at Olive Branch, MS airport. A Beautiful piece of machinery. Everything accurate as to when it flew in World War II, including machine guns in place and every detail correct. Fabulous! Thank you Collings Foundation for keeping this warbird flying. It was amazing to see in person! I loved it!! " B-24 Cockpit Tour, from youtube.com
"Detailed cockpit tour of the Collings Foundation B-24J Liberator, the only one of its type still flying. "
B-24 Liberator flight, from youtube.com
"Savannah, GA-based television news reporter takes us flying with a World War II veteran pilot as he takes the controls of a B-24 Liberator for the first time in more than fifty years. "

M.P. Leslie Nelson shares about his experience in preparation for Military Police, action in Papua New Guinea, and story of a possible "reunion" of a Filipino boy

PART I-Training & Deployment
left Morris Friday the 13th of 1942

California->Basic Training, Oregon-> Mechanical Training, Washington->Convoys, Georgia->Military Police, California
Military Police Corps (United States Army), From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"History
The Military Police Corps is one of the youngest branches of the United States Army. It was officially established on 26 September 1941. ...
During World War II, Military Police soldiers moved traffic along the Burma Road, supported amphibious operations on Normandy beachheads and managed enemy prisoners of war from Italy to the South Pacific. The Corps was heralded for gallantry at Remagen, as a fighting force in numerous combat actions and as peacekeepers at war’s end. In 1944, the Army again saw the need for a unit to investigate crime involving Soldiers in Europe. The United States Army Criminal Investigation Division was established as a branch of the Provost Marshal General’s Office and has continued investigative activity since......

M.P. WW2, from youtube.com
Australia
Hunged up for 12 hours
Coral Sea From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"..is a marginal sea off the north-east coast of Australia. It is bounded in the west by the east coast of Queensland, thereby including the Great Barrier Reef, in the east by Vanuatu (formerly the New Hebrides) and by New Caledonia, and in the north approximately by the southern extremity of the Solomon Islands.[1] South of it is the Tasman Sea. Map showing the location of the Coral Sea.
While the Great Barrier Reef with its islands and cays belong to Queensland, most reefs and islets east of it are part of the Coral Sea Islands Territory. In addition, some islands west of and belonging to New Caledonia are also part of the Coral Sea Islands in a geographical sense, such as the Chesterfield Islands and Bellona Reefs...

(map)
PART II
*see GoodnewsEverybody.com Asian-Papua New Guineans of Papua New Guinea

M.P. Leslie N. Shares Part 2 of 3-About the Guineas

"This historical group gathering of WWII veterans happened on Saturday, April 5th 2008. It was taken place at Old #1 in Morris, MN
This is the second of three parts that Leslie shares about his experience in the Pacific arena of World War II. The first-"Preparation for Military Police" and second-"Reconnecting with a Filipino Boy" will be uploaded soon. Thanks for your patience. "

British New Guinea for 16 months
18 months
Dutch East Indies (Indonesia)-French New Guinea
Bombers were sabotaged by Japan along an air strip
123 killed-only survivor
thank instructors
cut trees-made a bunker-73 nights of the 84 in the hole due to air raid bombings
3:48 PART III

"WARNING: Description of execution in story may not be suitable for children"
This historical group gathering of WWII veterans happened on Saturday, April 5th 2008. It was taken place at Old #1 in Morris, MN
This is the third of three parts that Leslie shares about his experience in the Pacific arena of World War II. The first-"Preparation for Military Police" and second-"Reconnecting with a Filipino Boy" will be uploaded soon. Thanks for your patience.

Philippines
children eating grass, no parents, Japs chop the parents
5:00-helped child
Sherman and him in Washington D.C. for a WWII tribute-was thanked by a Filipino in the crowd

  • National World War II Memoria, dedication intro

  • "..Nearly 59 years after the end of World War II, the National World War II Memorial was dedicated in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, May 29, 2004.
    The dedication of the memorial was the culmination of an 11-year effort that started when the memorial was authorized by Congress on May 25, 1993. Construction began September 4, 2001, after several years of fund raising and public hearings. The memorial opened to the public on April 29, 2004. (For a complete chronology, click here.)
    The dedication celebration spanned four days and included a WWII-themed reunion exhibition on the National Mall staged in partnership with the Smithsonian Institution’s Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, a service of celebration and thanksgiving at the Washington National Cathedral, and an entertainment salute to WWII veterans from military performing units. ..

    World War II Memorial
    " The World War II Memorial honors the 16 million who served in the armed forces of the U.S., the more than 400,000 who died, and all who supported the war effort from home. Symbolic of the defining event of the 20th Century, the memorial is a monument to the spirit, sacrifice, and commitment of the American people. The Second World War is the only 20th Century event commemorated on the National Mall’s central axis. ..
    {Pacific Pavillion}
  • World War II Memorial Dedication Ceremony , from dcpages.com

  • "President George Walker Bush joined former Presidents George Herbert Walker Bush and William Jefferson Clinton, Bob Dole, Tom Hanks, Tom Brokaw, General P. X. Kelley, dignataries, hundreds of thousands of World War II veterans and their families to officially dedicate the granite and bronze World War II Memorial on the National Mall May 29, 2004. ..

    Krassus story on Fun at the Beach

    Stevens County Military WWII Vet: 2nd Battalion Charles Krassus Shares about the Fun

    ""This historical group gathering of WWII veterans happened on Saturday, April 5th 2008. It was taken place at Old #1 in Morris, MN. Hugh Shares "again" after this public gathering for video recording purposes""

    He shares about "leisure time" before their mission going to Okinawa, Japan

  • 2nd Tank Battalion

  • " 2d Tank Battalion
    PSC Box 20091
    Camp Lejeune, NC 28542
    Duty Number (910)451-1851
    Family Readiness SNCO (910)451-6371

  • 2nd Tank Battalion From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

  • "..is an armored battalion of the United States Marine Corps which is based out of the Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. It falls under the command of the 2nd Marine Division and the II Marine Expeditionary Force...
    History
    [edit] World War II
    The battalion formed on December 20, 1941 at Camp Elliott, San Diego, California, growing to the standard organization with a headquarters, service and four letter companies (Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta). Bravo Company deployed to Samoa in January and Charlie Company sailed with the 2nd Marine Division to Tulagi, landing in an assault there on November 7, 1942 against heavy resistance. 2nd Tanks participated in every action of the 2nd Marine Division to include the Battle of Tarawa, Battle of Saipan and Battle of Okinawa. After a brief tour with the Japan occupation force, the battalion returned to its permanent garrison at MCB Camp Lejeune....

  • 2nd Marine Division in WWII the Marianas Islands Saipan, tarawaontheweb.org

  • U.S. 2nd Marine Division, from absoluteastronomy.com

  • " World War II
    The 2nd Marine Division was officially organized on February 1, 1941 by change of designation from the 2nd Marine Brigade.
    During World War II
    World War II
    World War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a Participants in World War II, including all of the great powers, organised into two opposing military alliances: the Allies of World War II and the Axis powers....
    , the 2nd Marine Division (Headquarters) participated in authorized operations and engagements in the Pacific Theater of Operations
    The Pacific Theater #Theater of operations was the World War II area of military activity in the Pacific Ocean and the countries bordering it, a geographic scope that reflected the operational and administrative command structures of the American forces during that period.... :
    * The Battle of Guadalcanal, in the Solomon Islands campaign
    Solomon Islands campaign
    The Solomon Islands campaign was a major military campaign of the Pacific War of World War II. The campaign began with Empire of Japan landings and occupation of several areas in the Solomon Islands and Bougainville Island, in the Territory of New Guinea, during the first six months of 1942.... — 4 January to 8 February 1943.
    o 2d Marines
    U.S. 2nd Marine Regiment
    The 2nd Marine Regiment is an infantry regiment of the United States Marine Corps. They are based at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina and fall under the command of the 2nd Marine Division and the II Marine Expeditionary Force....
    , reinforced:
    Guadalcanal
    Guadalcanal is a 2,510-square mile island in the Pacific Ocean and a province of the Solomon Islands. The World War II Guadalcanal Campaign happened on and around the island....
    -Tulagi
    Tulagi, less commonly Tulaghi, is a small island in the Solomon Islands, just off the south coast of Florida Island. The town of the same name on the island was the capital of the Solomon Islands from 1896 to 1942, and is today the capital of the Central Province, Solomon Islands....
    landings, 7 to 9 August 1942;
    capture and defense of Guadalcanal, 10 August 1942 to 31 January 1943.
    o 8th Marines
    U.S. 8th Marine Regiment
    The 8th Marine Regiment is an infantry regiment of the United States Marine Corps. They are based at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina and fall under the command of the 2nd Marine Division and the II Marine Expeditionary Force....
    , reinforced:
    capture and defense of Guadalcanal, 2 November 1942 to 8 February 1943.
    * The Battle of Tarawa Battle of Tarawa
    The Battle of Tarawa was a battle in the Pacific War of World War II, largely fought from November 20 to November 23, 1943. It was the second time the United States was on the offensive , and the first offensive in the critical central Pacific region....
    , in the Gilbert Islands campaign
    Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign
    In the Pacific Theater of Operations of World War II, the Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaigns, from November 1943 through February 1944, were the first offensive operations of the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps in the Pacific Ocean Areas .... — 20 November to 4 December 1943.
    * The Battle of Saipan
    Battle of Saipan
    The Battle of Saipan was a battle of the Pacific War of World War II, fought on the island of Saipan in the Mariana Islands from 15 June 1944 to 9 July 1944....
    , in the Mariana Islands campaign
    Mariana and Palau Islands campaign
    The Mariana and Palau Islands campaign was an offensive launched by United States forces against Empire of Japan forces in the Mariana Islands and Palau in the Pacific Ocean between June and November, 1944 during the Pacific War....
    — 15 June to 24 July 1944.
    * The Battle of Tinian
    Battle of Tinian
    The Battle of Tinian was a battle of the Pacific War of World War II, fought on the island of Tinian in the Mariana Islands from 24 July 1944 to 1 August 1944....
    , — 24 July to 10 August 1944.
    * The Battle of Okinawa
    Battle of Okinawa
    The Battle of Okinawa, also known as Operation Iceberg, was fought on the Ryukyu Islands of Okinawa Island and was the largest amphibious warfare in the Pacific War of World War II.... (floating Reserve) — 1 April to 10 April 1945. (Detachment of Headquarters and the 8th Marines, reinforced, from 1 to 30 June 1945). ..."

    -Video:
  • B.O.B "Currahee" - The Story Begins , youtube.com

  • "Band Of Brothers: The story begins July 1942. Easy Company, 506th Battalion, 101st Airborne Corps arrive in Camp Toccoa in Georgia, under the supervision of Company leader, Captain Herbert Sobel.
    Captain Herbert Sobel
    ======================
    Herbert M. Sobel (January 26, 1912 - September 30, 1987) was an officer in the United States Army during World War II. He was initially the commanding officer of Company "E" in the 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, the unit that is the subject of the book Band of Brothers by author Stephen Ambrose. In the BBC/HBO miniseries adaptation of the book, Captain Sobel was portrayed by actor David Schwimmer. "

    The Battle of Saipan, from navysite.de

    Hugh's Story of Post-WWII: Cold War

    Stevens County Military WWII Vet: Hugh R. Shares Gratitude & Post WWII-Cold War in Germany

    ""This historical group gathering of WWII veterans happened on Saturday, April 5th 2008. It was taken place at Old #1 in Morris, MN. Hugh Shares "again" after this public gathering for video recording purposes"

  • Army of Occupation Medal, from absoluteastronomy.com

  • "...is a military decoration Awards and decorations of the United States military
    Awards and decorations of the United States Military are military decorations which recognize service and personal accomplishments while a member of the United States armed forces.... of the United States military which was established by the United States War Department in 1946. The medal was created in the aftermath of the Second World War to recognize those who had performed occupation service in either Germany
    Germany
    Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands.... or Japan
    Japan
    Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south.... . The original Army of Occupation Medal was intended only for members of the United States Army United States Army

    The United States Army is the branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for Army operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S.... , but was expanded in 1948 to encompass the United States Air Force United States Air Force

    The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare branch of the Military of the United States and one of the uniformed services of the United States.... shortly after that service's creation. The U.S. Navy and Marine United States Marine Corps

    The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing Military power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to rapidly deliver Marine Air-Ground Task Force.... equivalent of the Army of Occupation Medal was known as the Navy Occupation Service Medal Navy Occupation Service Medal

    The Navy Occupation Service Medal is a decoration of the United States Navy which was issued to Navy, United States Marines, and United States Coast Guard personnel who participated in the European and Asian occupation forces following the close of the Second World War.... .
    To be awarded the Army of Occupation Medal, a service member was required to have performed at least thirty consecutive days of military duty within a designated geographical area of military occupation. The Army of Occupation Medal was presented with a campaign clasp, denoting either European or Asian service, depending on the region in which occupation service had been performed.
    The following geographical regions qualified for one of two campaign clasps authorized to the Army of Occupation Medal."

  • Timeline of the Cold War, from library.thinkquest.org

  • The Fall of the Berlin Wall 1989, fromremote.org
    "...Later - much later - normality took hold again. Later, the bickering started, and later, there was talk of a "wall in the heads". But during the November of 1989, almost everyone was overwhelmed by happiness - a national and emotional exception. ...
    Berlin Wall From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
    "..When the East German government announced on 9 November 1989, after several weeks of civil unrest, that all GDR citizens could visit West Germany and West Berlin, crowds of East Germans climbed onto and crossed the wall, joined by West Germans on the other side in a celebratory atmosphere. Over the next few weeks, parts of the wall were chipped away by a euphoric public and by souvenir hunters; industrial equipment was later used to remove almost all of the rest of it.
    The fall of the Berlin Wall paved the way for German reunification, which was formally concluded on 3 October 1990...

    *see GoodnewsEverybody.com European: Germans of Germany
    Mitsubishi Motors From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
    "..Immediately following the end of the Second World War, the company returned to manufacturing vehicles. Fuso bus production resumed, while a small three-wheeled cargo vehicle called the Mizushima and a scooter called the Silver Pigeon were also developed. However, the zaibatsu (Japan's family-controlled industrial conglomerates) were ordered to be dismantled by the Allied powers in 1950, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries was split into three regional companies, each with an involvement in motor vehicle development: West Japan Heavy-Industries, Central Japan Heavy-Industries, and East Japan Heavy-Industries...
  • -"These are the times that try men's souls.", from .ushistory.org

  • "..This simple quotation from Founding Father Thomas Paine's The Crisis not only describes the beginnings of the American Revolution, but also the life of Paine himself. Throughout most of his life, his writings inspired passion, but also brought him great criticism. He communicated the ideas of the Revolution to common farmers as easily as to intellectuals, creating prose that stirred the hearts of the fledgling United States. He had a grand vision for society: he was staunchly anti-slavery, and he was one of the first to advocate a world peace organization and social security for the poor and elderly. But his radical views on religion would destroy his success, and by the end of his life, only a handful of people attended his funeral...
    => The Crisis by Thomas Paine
    "..THESE are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman..
    Thomas Paine's Common Sense, from earlyamerica.com
    "...Paine's political pamphlet brought the rising revolutionary sentiment into sharp focus by placing blame for the suffering of the colonies directly on the reigning British monarch, George III.
    First and foremost, Common Sense advocated an immediate declaration of independence, postulating a special moral obligation of America to the rest of the world. Not long after publication, the spirit of Paine's argument found resonance in the American Declaration of Independence...

    Music

    America The Beautiful, from youtube.com
    ""
    O Beautiful for Spacious Skies Words: Katharine Bates, 1904. Music: Samuel Ward, 1882.
    "O beautiful for spacious skies,
    For amber waves of grain;
    For purple mountain majesties
    Above the fruited plain!
    America! America!
    God shed His grace on thee,
    And crown thy good with brotherhood,
    From sea to shining sea...."

    The battle hymn of Republic... Glory Glory Hallelujah, from youtube.com
    "The battle hymn of Republic... Glory Glory Hallelujah "
    The Battle Hymn of the Republic From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
    "...is an American abolitionist song, written by Julia Ward Howe in November 1861 and first published in The Atlantic Monthly on 1 February 1862, that became popular during the American Civil War...

    Video Production by:
    Jeanne Ennen
    H#320.246.3316
    djennen@runestone.net
    DVD Copies by:
    Sal Monteagudo
    H#320.585.5573
    sal@fedtel.net
    Please let me know if we could use your permission for public online viewing-thanks!

    Recommended Resources

    (Original Site, from Goodnews UMM)

    LOCAL

    Goodnews Morris: Military

    Airforce

    -

  • Morris Airport-Airshow, pics from a 2007 once-in-a-lifetime event
  • Veterans

  • Stevens County- Veteran Services
  • STATE

    Goodnews Minnesota: Military

    Museum

  • Minnesota Historical Society’s Minnesota’s Greatest Generation
  • NATION

    Goodnews USA: Military

    Interviews with World War II Veterans

    "Highlights taken from nearly 10 hours of conversations with World War II veterans living in Blount County, TN. These interviews were conducted by Ian Murphy of Boy Scout Troop 87 as part of his Eagle Scout service project. "

    GLOBAL

    World War II Archive, from GoodnewsEverybody.com

    ASIA
    -Korean
    *there were some veterans of this "untold" war present
    -Vietnam

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