Re: OMPF records worth reconstruction?
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In reply to:
Re: OMPF records worth reconstruction?
Norm Richards 2/19/11
Wow!!! Morning reports?? I think I just died and went to heaven. :)
I already sent the money on Friday after talking to them. They said it wasn't for the reconstruction as it was already constructed, but something about storing the file for 60 years or so. ??? That the medals they listed for him came out of the record, but some info may be missing. Nothing on purple hearts. I thought next of kin received the file for free, but I guess it is what it is.
I have most of my dad's letters to his mother and can give you a timeline. He was at Camp Walters, TX for basic training. Then they sent him to Fort Meade, MD Feb., 17, 1943. By April 1943 he states in a letter that he's in Australia. He came to Australia when the 32nd was at rest there after their initial battles in New Guinea. On Dec. 1, 1943 he states he is no longer in Australia, but can only say somewhere in the south west pacific. He was in New Guinea during the Drinimor (sp) River campaign. July, Aug 1944. He talked to my husband about the banzai attacks and how the Japanese overran them. That they had to destroy and bury their large weapons and bury any extra ammo. Afterward he came down with scrub typhus and malaria and was in hospital in NG for many months. They were going to retrain him for other work, but (I read that they needed the men for the future invasion of Japan) they ended up sending him back to his company between April 22, 1945 (letter states N, Guinea) and June 5, 1945 (letter states Phillipines). He stated he got back to his company and all his friends were dead. Co. G was hit by friendly fire shortly before he got back to them. They were in the midst of the drive up the Villa Verde Trail. He was with Volckman up in the mt's for awhile according to the 32nd book I have (Co. G was sent to reinforce him). Regarding the purple hearts, a neighbor who knew my grandmother, stated they were worried about his eyes for a while as a ammunition depo blew up near him, but later found out he was fine. I read online somewhere that an ammo dump blew up near where he was located on the Drinuimor, but I guess it could have been anywhere. But possibly this was the first purple heart, that he lost over there. The second purple heart he stated was at the end of the war. He was in Sasebo, Japan in Oct. 1945 and arrived in Seattle, WA in Dec 1945.I know he had large scars on his right leg, but wouldn't answer questions about it.
A Lt Patrinos was over Co. G in NG, but was gone by the time he got to the Phillipines (wounded about a week after the company was hit by friendly fire).
His best friend was Julius Leone after he got back to the Phillipines. Julius was a replacement going to Co G, that traveled with Dad to the Phillipines from NG. Dad told my husband about a time in the Phillipines when a bad storm came thru and he and Julius tied themselves to trees, but the rest of the company didn't and they were washed down the mt and were buried alive/drowned. There are some pics of Dad with Julius and 3 others. 1 named James Sorrel. The others weren't named.
Your help is really appreciated!
Thanks so much for taking the time to look for me.
Carolyn