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World
War IIThe
real stories about the sailors, soldiers and marines that everyone in the war
movies called "Tex." Stories that all too often didn't have a happy ending. Stories
of high school classes enlisting en mass - and of heroes returning one at a time.
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Men
and Women in World War II
Photo
of Higginbotham Brothers courtesy Maurice Higginbotham > |
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| | NEW
George
Olsson Short
(1920-2003)
Chapter Three
Surviving
WWII, and Arriving Home
How
his soldier brother became his savior and how he managed to get home to a post-war
Texas life
3-15-13 | |
A
Sailor's Story: Kamikaze Attacks on the U.S.S. Sandoval by
Lois Wauson 4-20-13
"Then all of a sudden
one of the planes veers toward us in a straight line and before we knew what happened,
it hit us."
Small
Texas newspaper reports: U.S. declares war on Japan by Murray Montgomery
3-5-13
President Roosevelt’s message to a joint session of Congress,
asking for a declaration of war against the Empire of Japan
From the front
page of The Gonzales Inquirer, December 8, 1941 issue Panhandle
Sailors, Flatland Cousins Who Went to Sea
6-29-12
The siren call of the sea seems to reach deep
inland. Historically, it’s typical to find large numbers of naval personnel originating
from land-locked regions.
Rev.
Marcus Valenta achieves longest active-duty record in U.S. history by Murray
Montgomery
Of all the chaplains in the U.S. Armed Forces, one has seen longer
continuous combat-theatre duty than any other... Kid
Mendoza' and the Battle of the Bulge by Murray Montgomery
Medal of Honor
recipient Jose Mendoza Lopez.Lt.
Braly of Brady, A Remembrance 3-18-10
Lt.
Braly died on August the second, 1944, less than a month before the liberation
of Paris.
D-DAY
by Archie P. McDonald
Sixty-four years ago in June the forces of Allied Supreme
Commander Dwight David Eisenhower hit the beaches of Normandy in northwestern
France. The
Oryoku Maru and Lieutenant Walter A. Kelso, Jr.'s Journey by Bill Cherry
"In 1944 Lieutenant Kelso became a Japanese prisoner of war, and he passed
away along with seventy-six other American soldiers because the enemy let them
die of dysentery and starvation in 1945. Only one survived."The
Three Wars of Lt. Col. Kerns by Noel Kerns
Raymond Clyde Kerns - Lieutenant
Colonel, U.S. Army - April 26th, 1921 - February 6th, 2008J.
Frank Dobie and Colonel Jack Jenkins by Mel Brown
Two Texans become friends
in War-torn EnglandThe
King's Texan and USS Texas by C. F. Eckhardt
Archie Ludlow was in elementary
school when, in 1910 to 1912, the two newest battleships for the US Navy—the Texas
Class, USS Texas and USS New York—were under construction. Money was tight for
building battleships...The
Fighting 201st by Maggie Van Ostrand
Mexico organized the 201st Fighter
Squadron, a select group of Mexican pilots. Thirty-five officers and 300 enlisted
men were trained in Mexico, then given additional flight training as P-47 fighter
squadron at Pocatello Army Air Base in Idaho, and were then attached to the 58th
Fighter Group in the Philippines where they began combat operations. They wiped
out machine gun nests, dropped 181 tons of bombs and fired 153,000 rounds of ammunition,
acquitting themselves well and bravely. Seven of their pilots were killed in action.
The
All-Chinese American 555th Air Service Squadron
From "Chinese Heart of Texas" by Mel BrownRockport
Ships by Mike Cox
"All but forgotten today, in the early months of
World War II a Rockport shipyard sent two dozen wooden-hulled subchasers down
the ways to face iron-plated German U-Boats in the North Atlantic..." High
Over Houston, Captain A. J. High: A Positive Altitude by John Troesser How
the Texas Rangers Helped Win WWII by C. F. Eckhardt
"To understand
what happened, you have to be aware of a man known as 'The German Zane Grey.'
His name was Karl May (pronounce it 'my'). He was a German writer in the late
19th and early 20th centuries, and he wrote Westerns..."
I
Remember "The Lucky Stiffs" by W. T. Block
"...Suddenly I recalled
the days I spent with the 'lucky stiffs,' days during which every evil thought
nibbled at my conscious, and days I could never forget. The day before, the 309th
Infantry had jumped across the Roer River, making a lightning advance into the
weakly-defended Rhineland, but several of our 78th Division soldiers had died
during the onslaught..."Flying
Tigers by Archie P. McDonald
Claire Lee ChennaultDoris
Miller: Hero by Archie P. McDonald
African American hero of WWIIThe
Air Ace by Bob Bowman
Lance C. Wade, Royal Air Force
of Britain, World War II Macario
García, Veteran of D-Day by Murray MontgomeryWhere
are you Benny Goodenberger? by Perry Peary
In May of 1942, I had an Uncle by the name of Mark Davis. Mark
was in the Merchant Marine and was assigned to serving on oil and gasoline tankers
coming up the east coast from New Jersey to Texas. In May of 1942, he was on the
SS Virginia coming out of New Orleans when a German submarine, the U-507 torpedoed
the ship. The
Horrors of Bataan by Murray Montgomery
The story of one survivor... Sixtieth
Anniversary of D-Day by Archie P. McDonald Texas
War Casualties by John Troesser
Stone markers and chapels quietly reveal
where America gets its soldiers. Texas
Women in World War II by Cindy Weigand
NURSES, WACS, WAVES, and SPARS,
Uniformed Women of "The Greatest Generation"Tragedy
Over Weatherford - The 1945 night-time collision of two B-29 Superfortress Bombers
by Bob HopkinsThe
Higginbotham Brothers of East Texas: Introduction
Maurice Higginbotham
had four older brothers who were in uniform during WWII. He inherited the role
of family biographer, collected their wartime correspondence and had nearly 500
letters plus photographs published in book form. Here are the stories of Marvin,
Merrion, Murphy and Milton by Maurice.
Merrion
Higginbotham, Thunderbolt and Mustang Pilot Murphy
Higginbotham, Ranger at Normandy A
German Soldier's Last Letter The
Home Front: anecdotal stories, sample letters and photos
Loel
Dene "L.D." Cox, Seaman First Class - U.S.S. Indianapolis
L.D. Cox's narrative
of the sinking of the U.S.S.Indianapolis
Reprinted with permission from
The Lone Star Gazette, Dublin, Texas, Laura Kestner, Publisher/Editor
The
heavy cruiser U.S.S. Indianapolis, was torpedoed in the final few days of the
war. It was on its return trip from delivering the first atomic bomb to the air
base at Tinian Island for delivery to Hiroshima...... The sinking was compounded
by the mistakes made by the U.S. Naval Command in the Philippines. No rescue was
sent and many of the survivors drowned after their waterlogged life jackets pulled
them under. Sharks ate hundreds while their helpless friends watched and it remains
the most horrific incident of a war filled with horror. Seaman First Class Cox
was one of only 317 survivors from the ship's crew of 1,197.Lt.
Clyde "Sparky" Cosper by John Troesser
B-17 Pilot, 367th Bomber Group,
Hometown: Dodd City, Texas
"A B-17 crashed near the town of Princes
Risborough, Buckinghamshire, England on November 13, 1943. The only thing that
prevented the plane from landing directly on the town, was the Herculean effort
of the man at the controls....." (4 vintage photos)Pearl
Harbor Survivor Texan Vic Lively by Sandy Fiedler
"On December 6,
1941, the day before the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, Victor H. Lively, stationed
on the battleship USS Nevada, went ashore to Honolulu to buy Christmas gifts for
his family. The last thing on anyone's mind was war..... " (8 photos)1st
Lt. Loye James Lauraine, Jr. by Murray Montgomery
"He was young,
only 26 years old..... 1st Lt. Loye James Lauraine, Jr. made the ultimate sacrifice
during World War II. He was a hero and was posthumously awarded this nation's
second highest honor, the Distinguished Service Cross. ....." (1 photo)Ira
Eaker: From Covered Wagon to Jet-Age Air Power, Four Stars by Bill Bradfield
"During dark days of World War II when the bitter war was far from
won, it was a Texas tenant farmer's son who took command of the U.S. Eighth Air
Force in England, playing a key role in making the Normandy invasion possible.
..... " Two
Pilots, Three Air Forces, One Hometown by John Troesser
Lt. Col. Alvin
Mueller & Lieutenant Dick Campbell From
Cost, Texas to Normandy Beach - A World War II hero. By Murray Montgomery
Harlon
Block - One of the men who raised the flag on Mount Suribachi on Iwo Jima.
(1 photo) Cornelia
Clark FortRobert
"Bobby" Stephens, WWII P-47 Thunderbolt Pilot, Gilmer, TexasNavy
Ensign Jack Hill Camp, 1916-1942, Port Arthur, Texas Three
Young Men in Post-WWII America by Sandy Fiedler The
Sanchez Brothers from Hunter, TexasThe
Tucker Brothers of Andice: 3 Soldiers, 3 Sailors, an Airman and a Marine Howard
A Tucker, CWO US Navy The
Three Wars of CWO Howard Tucker, and Measuring
Fallout around Bikini Island Howard A Tucker, CWO US NavyAviation
cadets take a break in front of the T & P Depot at Baird in January of 1943
Photo courtesy David Schoeck, Dana Point, CAList
of Dead in WWII by Murray Montgomery
Back on June 27, 1946, the War Department
released a booklet with a list of the war dead and those considered missing in
action. According to authorities this was the first consolidated listing of Army
dead and missing in World War II...
IMAGES ONLY:Somerville
- Soldier & Sailors |
World War
II Camps • Prisoners
of War |
| | Camp
Howze
WWII POW
Camp and Infantry Training near Gainesville Texas |
| | Camp
Hearne
One of
the largest Prisoner of War Camps in Texas during WWII. |
Camp
Swift - 1943 - Nazis of the Purple Sage. By John TroesserCamp
Fannin by Archie P. McDonaldThe
McLean Prisoner of War Camp by Delbert Trew Camp
Maxey - WWII training
camp a few miles north of ParisLiberty
treated POWs well in 1830s and 1940s
by Wanda Orton
9-1-12
POWs
in East Texas by
Bob Bowman
During World War II, the U.S. government established seven camps
in East Texas to house German prisoners-of-war...Adventures
of Eddie Fung: Chinatown Kid, Texas Cowboy, Prisoner of War by Mel BrownPOW
camp stirs memories by Delbert Trew
Since placing a page on the Internet
several years ago about the McLean Prisoner Of War Camp located north of McLean
in Gray County during WWII, seldom a week goes by that we don't receive a request
of more information about the installation. Lanky
and the POWs by Clay Coppedge
Mildred "Lanky" Lancaster
"Accolades
have abounded for her athletic prowess and her contributions to getting girls
and women's sports off the ground locally but music was her ticket into another
world... In a lifetime crammed with unique life experiences, playing accordion
for German POWs ranks near the top."Gulf
U-boats by Mike Cox ("Texas Tales" Column)
"By February
1942, Fort Clark had been guarding the Texas border for nearly 90 years. But the
world was changing. Since Germany’s Sept. 1, 1939 blitzkrieg in Poland, even most
die-hard cavalrymen had begun to understand that men on horses were no match for
machine guns or tanks..."Bombsite
by Mike Cox
The story of the Manhattan Project and its product, the atomic
bombs against Japan on August 6 and 9, 1945, has been well told. But buried in
all the official documents is another story, far less known.Nazis
in East Texas by Bob Bowman
"The POW camps, along with 65 army airfields,
35 army posts, nine naval installations and some 136 auxiliary army airfields,
will be a part of a Texas tribute to the 750,000 Texans who served in uniform
during the war. Of that number, 22,500 lost their lives while in service."Alien
Camp by Mike Cox, from "Texas Tales" column
Nazis
in the Pineywoods, German Prisoner-of-War in East Texas by Archie P. McDonald,
from "All Things Historical" columnThe
Reluctant Warrior, Former German POW Finds Peace in Texas by Heino R. Erichsen
Reviewed by John Troesser Midget
sub commander tells of his role in the attack on Pearl Harbor by Murray Montgomery
(From "Times Past" column)
Glad to be first Japanese prisoner of
war! Camp
Bowie, Brownwood, TexasCamp
Hood, Killeen, TexasFort
D. A. Russell in Marfa, TexasFirst
Officers Training Camp, Leon SpringsPampa
Army Air FieldPyote,
Texas - Home of
the WWII Bomber BasePrinceton,
Texas - Home of a WWII POW Camp |
| | 1943
Secret Storm by Wanda Orton 6-17-12
In the summer
of ’43, German U-boats prowled the Gulf of Mexico, too close for comfort for Texas
coastlanders... |
Rationing
during WWII - How sweet it wasn't by Wanda Orton 7-20-12
Growing
up in World War II wasn't all bad. There were some good days... The
Power We Longed For by Robert G. Cowser
"...Once the United States
entered World War II, we knew there was no hope of getting electricity until the
Axis forces were defeated. Waiting for electrical power was one of our sacrifices
for the war effort..." World
War II Musings by Robert G. Cowser
By 1942, almost all of the young men
in the United States were in uniform. Most of these men were in hastily expanded
training camps, three of which were located near Saltillo, the town nearest our
farm...Preserving
garden seed important by Delbert Trew
The U.S. Department of Agriculture
started the first relief (welfare) program on May 16, 1939, in Rochester, N.Y...
The original program ended in 1943 after serving about 20 million people. The
surplus was needed for the World War II effort.
Problems
for farmers multiplied during war by Delbert Trew Pearl
Harbor attack teaches a valuable lesson by Murray Montgomery ("Lone Star
Dairy")
Sunday, Dec. 7, 2008, marked the 67th anniversary of the sneak
attack on Pearl Harbor ...
"Set 'em up, Bascigallupi!"
by Bill Cherry
How the Moody Club bowlers raised money to buy war bonds.
Stage
Coach by Mike Cox ("Texas Tales" Column)
What with gas rationing
and other shortages due to the war effort, coming up with reliable public transportation
presented a considerable challenge. People who lived in Lake Jackson...
Rationing
reminds of sacrifices for war effort by Delbert Trew
While shopping the
mega-malls of today, reading the reams of media ad materials and watching hours
on hours of screened commercials, it's hard to believe that at one time in the
past, most the these products were rationed... 'Greatest
Generation' kept America together by Delbert Trew
"With all due respect
to the WWII veterans and those who died in the war, the efforts of those remaining
on the home front should never be forgotten."
Gulf
U-boats by Mike Cox ("Texas Tales" Column)
"By February
1942, Fort Clark had been guarding the Texas border for nearly 90 years. But the
world was changing. Since Germany’s Sept. 1, 1939 blitzkrieg in Poland, even most
die-hard cavalrymen had begun to understand that men on horses were no match for
machine guns or tanks..."A
Midnight Gasoline Credit Card by N. Ray Maxie
"... Gasoline was a
rationed item during World War ll, along with other things like coal oil, tires,
sugar, flour, and corn meal, to name a few... if you did as some people did, you
would steal it from the oil leases...."Sign
Painters of WWII Vintage photo courtesy James A. Wilson
Jr World
War II Home Front by Archie P. McDonaldWACs
by Archie P. McDonald
Women's Army Corps The
Home Front: anecdotal stories, sample letters and photosSinging
Bedsprings and German Spies in BeevilleSabine
Pass An
Unsolved Mystery from The World War II Years by Robert
G. Cowser 7-16- 10
While walking across our pasture near
Saltillo one rainy afternoon in 1944, my father noticed a steel bar standing askew
in the damp soil... |
WWII Installations
• Relics • Memorials & Cemeteries |
| | Avenger
Field
AKA Sweetwater Army Airfield
Training facility for the Women's
Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs)
Photos
courtesy Mike Price |
World
War II ForumSubject:
PFC Cruz Gamboa FOD Jan 18, 1945
I adopted the grave of PFC Cruz Gamboa at the Ardennes American Cemetery here
in Belgium. I also build a tribute to Cruz. See http://users.skynet.be/2ltmalrait_gilbert/gamboastoryE.htm,
now is my question:
Cruz was from Barstow,
TX, and I hope to find maybe new information on this man. Have you any tip
where to search? Thanks in advance. - Philippe Vanderdonckt, vanderdonckt.ph@skynet.be
April 14, 2012
WW II Japanese balloon bombs in Desdemona, Texas
>Subject:
Merlin Mitchell from Putnam, Texas
Dear TE, I am a WWII Veteran and served
with a man from Putnam, Texas.
He was a very special person to me and would like to find out, if possible, his
last known whereabouts. His name is/ was Merlin P. Mitchell and her was a fighter
pilot - flying Spitfires with the 307th Fighter Squadron, 31st Fighter Group.
He was shot down and taken prisoner by the Germans. I had heard that he had attended
one of our reunions. Unfortunately it was one that I didn't attend and I haven't
been able to hear any more about him. If anyone in Putnam (or anywhere else) has
any information on Merlin Mitchell, I would greatly appreciate it. - Bill Dickerson,
billdickerson1@cox.net, Owasso, Oklahoma, November 04, 2006Subject:
Jesse Dean Mills
Dear TE, I'm hoping someone can offer some information about a family connection
that we have with Lovelady, Texas,
specifically Jesse Dean Mills who was born approx 1917. Please see the attached
photo. Jesse lived in Lovelady up until about 1941 or 1942, at which time he enlisted,
or was called up, for service in the US Army. Jesse was a Motor Mechanic by trade
and worked for his sister Ola May's husband. Jesse served in the Medical Corps
as a medic and was posted to the Pacific theatre where he spent some time in Melbourne
and at the US Army Hospital in Brisbane Australia until approximately November
1944. The CO of the unit was a Major Coulson. Even though this is such a long
time ago we would be very pleased to hear from anyone that can pass on any information.
Regards and Thanks, Tony Mills, Wynne Melbourne, Australia, July 30, 2006 Port
Lavaca, Texas
During World War II my mother was a volunteer air plane watcher. She worked out
of a tower overlooking Lavaca Bay. Most everyone I mention this to think I am
crazy. I was about eight years old then and I remember the tower and the chart
on the wall. If a plane flew over you had to find it on the chart and call it
in. She was given a pin for service that is a small set of wings that has US Army
Air Force Observer around the edge and in the center is AWS. Have you [or any
of your readers] ever heard of this volunteer service or know where I can find
out about it? - Doris Hinds, February 25, 2006My
grandfather, James (Bud) I. Page was also on the USS
NEVADA, and was also a gunner. He has passed now, but I would like to know
if Mr
Livley knew him. - Suzie Breedlove Georgia, July 11, 2002 I
thought you might be interested in an old guy from Denton, for your world war
II pages. He is still alive, and practicing law in Denton. He was a fighter pilot
in the Jolly Rogers, a highly decorated squadron. His name is Hal Jackson,
.lt.j.g. ret. He was highly decorated during the war, along with the rest of his
squadron. His law firm is Jackson/Hagen llc. in Denton. ... I was in his office
and was overwhelmed by all of his war decorations and memorabilia from his squadron.
Also, you have a great web site, I will be back to it often. Thanks - Pierce
Gawne, Denton, Texas, June 25, 2002 My
kids are writing a report on WWII; they have to have 3 sources. ... I used your
website for "Merrion Higginbotham - Fighter Pilot - WWII" on the texasescapes
website. They seem to be very interested. There's some really good stuff that
you provided. Thanks! - Vivian, 10th grade school teacher in Elkhart High School,
March 14, 2002
I was doing little surfing and looked for images of Princes Risborough
(actually to find out if I could track down one of my sites www.cprra.co.uk) and
came across the story of Lt
Clyde "Sparky" Cosper. Fascinating. Thanks for the memories. Eric Samuel
Web Master Chinnor and Princes Risborough railway
Thanks for your reply. I had another browse around your site. It brought back
more memories for me. I have been fortunate enough to have visited your great
state of Texas many times over the years, mostly on business, but now retirement
beckons I hope to return and spend some time just looking around. Best Regards.
EricMy
grandfather was in the war and he got shot down and was in the sea untill Germans
rescued him and took him to the prisner of war camp untill he was better. He helped
plan the Great Escape with his friends but never got to escape because
he was not well enough. I was wondering if you could help me find any information
on this. His name was Robert Haddock and he was a pilot in both World War
I and World War II. Many regards - Claire Langton, December, 2001
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