The Independent-News, Volume 121, Number 13, Walkerton, St. Joseph County, 10 August 1995 — Page 9

HEADLINESI 91945 : KILL 1500. INES SEIZED EWAR IQCLAIMED = ^==== ::::: == : = :: = : * : = :;::::r ^^^ —.r. ■ -: — i^ate,” Warning To Japs RENDERS C E ! 5 A NEW ERA

typewriter, back to the mainland, the supplies were taken by ship, past the reefs and dumped overboard. What a waste I On February 3, 1946, Bob left Guam aboard the USS Neshoba, an attack transport of the “Magic Carpet” fleet, arriving in San Francisco, February 16 and then being discharged February 27, 1946. He enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve April 28, 1947, receiving his discharge from the Reserves on April 27,1955. Submitted by Amybelle Wardman on behalf of Robert H. Wardman (Deceased 1978) HAROLD SCHWEDER UNITED STATES ARMY AIR CORP 301st SERVICE GROUP OF 319th SQUADRON I was drafted on April 17, 1942,

and shipped to Fort Ben, in Missouri for my basic training, but never got it, because they needed a airplane mechanic, and I was lucky enough to pass the test. I was sent to California and went to two mechanic schools. I came east, first to Rome, New York, then to Syracuse, New York, where our 301st Service Group was put together. We then went to Fort Dix, New Jersey, and while there, I received a furlough and went home and Hazel and I got married. I left Fort Dix and went overseas on a converted luxury liner without a convoy. It took 45 days going around South Africa to Bombay, India. We left Bombay and spent seven days on a train to reach Assam, in northeast India. I spent time on three different bases. Our job was to fix or salvage cargo planes or Flying Drums of gasoline over the ‘hump’ into China. India was really hot and nasty. I had malaria once and another time I had a mess

of boils, about 75 all at once. Ilie medics there couldn’t do much for me. Hazel talked to Dr. Linton and he gave her some pills to send in her letters. They cleared me up right away. (That tells a lot about the home-town remedies, doesn’t it?). After Japan surrendered, and after a long wait we boarded a cargo ship in Calcutta and headed for the Philippines. We left the Philippines and landed at Tacoma, Washington. I left the ship on Christmas Eve and went to Fort Lewis. I came back to Camp Atterbury, Indiana, and was discharged on January 16, 1946. That completed my trip around the world and it took much longer than 80 days! PAULZUKAS UNITED STATES ARMY 32nd PORTABLE SURGICAL HOSPITAL I was inducted into service on March 22, 1943, at Camp Perry,

■ ~ 'dm v* < Bivouacs, or in civilian life a with the chiggers and eat with the temporary camp where you sleep ants! •' ^ll^ • . Mwfltt O* -nLi i • * * ■ ■X'V-'""

Pictured are one room sleeping quarters without bath and two fellas sleep in one tent. Ohio. I took my basic training at Fort Custer, Michigan. After basic training I was assigned to the Medical Corp. I received medical training at the General Hospital, in Chickasha, Oklahoma. I was then assigned to the 32nd Portable Surgical Hospital. This was like a ‘MASH’ unit, we worked behind the fighting lines. We were not issued any guns for fighting as we were considered only a peacekeeping unit. Our unit was sent to the China-Asiatic-Pacific Theater, better known as the China-Burma-India (CBI) Theater fighting the Japanese who had penetrated into Burma. Our duties were to care for the wounded of the Chinese Army. However, we treated more cases of syphilis and gonorrhea then we did war-wounded. We were kept busy for about 18 months. There was a lot of fighting going on and we moved closer to the Burmese Front. I was known as the ‘bed-pan commander’ and dispersed pills and shots according to the doctors’ written instructions. Here we had numerous cases of dysentery and malaria to treat as well as the warwounded. At this point our unit was broken up when they moved to the Nurse Corp, and we were reassigned to the 37th Field Hospital and our duties changed. We were assigned to drive trucks hauling war supplies on the Burma Road from India to China. After doing this for several months, I guess the war was winding down as we were told we were no longer needed. So we prepared to be sent home and were sent to Canton, China to wait for a homebound ship. However, we had to go back the way of the Indian Ocean, the Suez Canal, the Mediterranean Sea, the Atlantic Ocean and finally to New York City. From NYC I was sent to Camp Atterbury, Indiana, and discharged on January 3,1946. LEE D. CLINGENPEEL UNITED STATES ARMY 46th ARMORED INFANTRY BATTALION of the sth ARMORED DIVISION Lee Gingenpeel enlisted on June 12, 1941 at Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana, and was a combat infantryman and a supply technician.

AUGUST 10, 1985 - THE INDEPENDENT-NEWS -

In the early morning hours (1:30 or 2:00 a.m.) of December 17, 1944, he was in a supply convoy headed toward the front lines when they were mistaken for the enemy and were caught in a friendly fire ambush. The Americans fighting the Germans in the Ardennes Forest up front thought they had Germans coming up from behind. No one told them it was a supply company for the Americans. This went on until daylight, until someone from the Supply Convoy managed to get up to the front and tell them it was the Americans not the Germans! A quote from Lee, “You never know how scared you can be or how impossibilities seem really possible when you find yourself trying to survive a fire fight in a fierce battle.” Lee was awarded several battle stars as he participated in five major battles in France and in other parts of Europe. He served with General George Patton on a couple occasions (1) in France on the way to Paris and (2) in Germany going to the Rhine River. Lee said that General Patton truly and rightfully earned the nickname “Ole Blood & Guts” and that he was a very brilliant soldier. Lee was discharged on October 18, 1945, at Camp Atterbury, Indiana. Submitted by Ron Gingenpeel (son) on behalf of Lee D. Gingenpeel (Deceased 1994) FRED DANIELS UNITED STATES NAVY BOATSWAIN’S MATE USS ELLYSON USS BUNKER HILL USS WEEKS I joined the Navy on June 12, 1941, before war was declared on Japan and before the bombing of Pearl Harbor. I received my basic training at Great Lakes Naval Training Station, Chicago, Illinois. I was assigned to the USS Cassion in Pearl Harbor — but somehow my records were lost an I was sent to New York to the USS Ellyson on which I stayed for two years. We covered the North Atlantic pretty thoroughly, and then we were sent to Cassablanca. 1 left the Ellyson and was sent to board the USS Bunker Hill, a very large aircraft carrier. We were in every major battle in the Pacific from 1943 until the war ended. (continued on Page 16)

9