Halsey's Typhoon

Guest Author: John E. Jennings, my brother and amateur historian.

After discovering a distant cousin was killed during World War II when his ship went down during a typhoon, I asked my brother to write about the disaster that caused his death. Machinist Mate 1st Class Edward Henkel's name is included on the Walls of the Missing at the American Memorial Cemetery in Taguig City, Philippines.

***

Almighty Father, strong to save,

Whose arm hath bound the restless wave,

Who bidd'st the mighty ocean deep

Its own appointed limits keep:

O hear us when we cry to thee

For those in peril on the sea.

This old Royal Navy hymn was popularized in the days of sail, but was still readily on the lips of sailors in the closing stages of World War II, for even ships made of steel and powered by steam-turbines had to take heed of Mother Nature’s wrath. Case in point was the typhoon that struck the United States fleet in the Pacific on 18 December, 1944.

By that late stage of the war U.S. 3rd Fleet, commanded by Admiral William F. Halsey—known by the nickname “Bull” because of his single-minded devotion to attacking the enemy—was an all-conquering force, the most powerful armada ever assembled in history. The fleet consisted of 13 aircraft carriers, eight battleships, 15 cruisers and about 50 destroyers. They were supported by a Logistics Group (Task Force 30) of tankers, escort carriers and destroyers, ready to resupply the warships at sea so they could remain longer in the combat zone. Just two months before, Halsey’s fleet had destroyed virtually the entire Japanese Combined Fleet during the Battle of Leyte Gulf. But, there was still plenty of fighting left. MacArthur’s army forces had just invaded Mindoro in the Philippines and Halsey’s carriers operated in support of the ground troops, flying attack missions against Japanese air bases in the northern Philippines. By mid-December, though, his ships were running low of fuel, so he took his fleet far to the east into the Philippine Sea, out of range of enemy aircraft, to rendezvous with TF 30 and refuel.

The rendezvous point lay in the typical path of typhoons for that time of year, but all hands were much more concerned about getting back to fighting the Japanese then they were about the potential for storms. Even as the weather started making up on the 17th, little heed was given to what seemed by all data available to be a rather small tropical disturbance. Typhoon Cobra, however, would fool the fleet’s meteorologists; it worked up from a disturbance to a full-fledged typhoon in short order and was so densely packed that it spun off few tell-tale signs. So as Halsey’s fleet steamed toward its refueling rendezvous, nobody realized they were sailing directly into the path of a fierce typhoon. By the early hours of the 18th, as the wind picked up to more than 30 knots, Halsey realized he was “confronted by serious storm conditions.” He cancelled the planned refueling at 0500 hours and ordered his fleet due south into what he thought would be the calmer southern quadrant of the storm. But his meteorologists had miscalculated the storm’s true position, so this course change brought his ships into the worst of the gathering storm. By 1000 the barometer plunged and winds gusted to more than 70 knots. Seas built into pyramid shaped mountains and slammed into the ships. At 1149 Halsey ordered all units to take the most comfortable course, giving up any semblance of fleet formation. Escort carrier Kwajalein hove to in order to reduce the pounding it was taking after rolling so severely she scooped up green water with her flight deck catwalks. On other carriers planes broke their lashings and crashed about the hangar deck, causing fires aboard light carriers Monterey and Cowpens. In total 146 aircraft were lost, either wrecked or heaved overboard.

Waves breaking over a Navy oiler during Typhoon Cobra, better known as
Halsey's Typhoon; courtesy of the National Archives and Records
Administration

But it was Task Force 30, the Logistics Group and easternmost of all the fleet units, that caught the worst of the storm. And the destroyers suffered the most. Hull was a smallish (1370 tons displacement) destroyer of an older design. She had been modified during the course of war, being fitted with over 500 tons of extra equipment and armament on her decks, which made her top heavy. Worse still she had several half empty fuel tanks, which can be dangerous in heavy seas because the ship’s center of gravity changes as the contents shift, a dynamic which tends to exaggerate rolls. Naval regulations at the time did not advise re-ballasting under such conditions, although it certainly would have helped stabilize the ship. Hull’s skipper, Lieutenant Commander J. A. Marks had experienced storms in the North Atlantic, but not a typhoon like the one now bearing down on his little ship. At 1100, with wind increasing to over 100 knots, the TF 30 commander (Captain Jasper. T. Acuff) ordered a course change to 140°. It proved a death knell for Hull. The ship failed to respond during the course change and ‘lay in irons’ with the northerly wind on her port beam. She was pounded by one, two and then three monstrous waves, rolling the ship over to 70° each time. Her whaleboat, depth charges and nearly everything on deck was carried off by the sea. Then a strong gust of 110 knot wind knocked her down and kept her pinned on her beam ends. The pilothouse flooded and sea poured into her inner spaces through the stacks. Hull sank shortly after noon, taking with her all but 62 out of a crew of 264.

Hull was not the only ship to go down on 18 December, 1944 in what has come to be known in naval
annals as “Halsey’s Typhoon.” Destroyers Monaghan and Spence also capsized and sank. Nine other
ships were damaged badly enough to need repairs. 790 men were lost. A board of inquiry placed
responsibility for the losses on Halsey, but assigned no negligence to the admiral, finding that his errors in judgment stemmed from a “commendable desire to meet military requirements.” It was also found that lack of suitable weather stations in the Western Pacific contributed to the ignorance of the fleet to the approaching storm. Within months the Fleet Weather Center was established on Guam and weather stations staffed at various other islands to keep track of tropical storms. Guidelines were put in place for destroyers to re-ballast half-empty fuel tanks and flood empty tanks in certain sea conditions.

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Edward Henkel (1923-1944): Killed During Typhoon Cobra

Edward Henkel (1923-1944): Killed During Typhoon Cobra

Edward Henkel joined the U.S. Navy in 1940 at the age of 17; he survived the attack on Pearl Harbor, though his battleship sank; and several south Pacific operations, including Wake Island, Marshall Islands, and the Marianas Islands. But Edward did not survive Typhoon Cobra[1] after Task Force 38 sailed into the center of the storm. He was reported missing on 18 December and was memorialized on the Walls of the Missing at the American Memorial Cemetery in Taguig City, Philippines -- one of the 790 Navy men who lost their lives that day.

Machinist's Mate 1st Class Edward Henkel on the Walls of the Missing at the
American Memorial Cemetery in the Philippines; courtesy of the American
Battle Monuments Commission

He was born on 8 May 1923 in Winnipeg, Canada, to Gustav Henkel and Karolina Ziprick (or Tiprik). His parents were of German heritage. His father had immigrated to Canada in 1912 from the Russian Empire, and his mother, with her parents, in 1909. When Edward was four months old, his parents immigrated to the U.S., entering the country in Noyes, Minnesota. They traveled by train to California and settled in Montebello in Los Angeles County. By 1935 they had moved to Antelope, California. Edward's father died in 1937 at the age of 45. His mother listed farming as her occupation in the 1940 census.

After three years of high school, Edward joined the U.S. Navy on 26 November 1940. I imagine he had a short training period at a naval base in California. When that was completed he was rated an able seaman and transferred on 18 January 1941 to the USS Utah (AG-16), an elderly battleship built in 1909. The ship had been turned into a radio-controlled target ship by the Navy in the 1930s and served in a training squadron.

On 14 September 1941, the USS Utah left Puget Sound and steamed for Pearl Harbor where she was to serve in her training capacity. On the night of 6 December she was moored on the west side of Ford Island opposite battleship row. During the surprise attack on the base by the Japanese, the USS Utah was hit by two torpedos and capsized. The ship was a total loss and 64 men lost their lives. There is a memorial platform at Pearl Harbor and parts of the ship are still visible today.

USS Utah (AG-16) after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor; courtesy of
the U.S. Navy

Edward Henkel had been promoted to Fireman 2nd Class by the time the USS Utah arrived in Pearl Harbor. On 13 December, under emergency orders, he reported to his new duty station -- the USS Hull (DD-350), a destroyer, a type of ship often called the Greyhounds of the Sea. During World War II, they were small, fast, close-in combatants used to screen battleships and aircraft carriers or protect convoys.

During the rest of 1941 and 1942, the USS Hull participated in naval operations in Guadalcanal and New Hebrides. She operated in the Aleutian Islands during the early part of 1943 before returning to Pearl Harbor on 26 September. Three days later she left for strikes on Wake Island. The USS Hull returned to the mainland for amphibious training exercises in December, but left San Diego with Task Force 53 and sailed for the Marshall Islands.

In 1944 the ship and her men saw action at Truk before joining Admiral Lee's battleships for the assault on the Marianas Islands. With Admiral Mitscher's carrier task force the USS Hull took part in the "Great Marianas Turkey Shoot," which succeeded in sinking two Japanese aircraft carriers. She patrolled off Guam for a month in July and then returned to Seattle for repairs. By October the USS Hull was back in Pearl Harbor.

She was ordered to join a fueling group departing Pearl on 20 November 1944 in order to rendezvous with Admiral Halsey's carrier strike force in the Philippine Sea. Refueling began on 17 December but operations had to be abandoned during worsening weather conditions. Unbeknownst to Halsey, his strike force had sailed into the teeth of Typhoon Cobra.

USS Maddox (DD-731), a newer class of destroyer during Typhoon Cobra;
courtesy of the U.S. Navy

The USS Hull was caught in trough between two mountainous waves and rolled 70 degrees. Water flooded the pilot house and poured through ship via the stacks. Her commander, Lt. Commander Marks, described her final minutes, "the ship remained over on her side at an angle of 80 degrees or more as water flooded into her upper structures. I remained on the port wing of the bridge until the water flooded up to me, then I stepped off into the water as the ship rolled over on her way down."

The Navy reported Machinist's Mate 1st Class Edward Henkel as missing on 29 December 1944. On 29 March 1945 he was listed as dead in an article in The Los Angeles Times. His body was never recovered -- one of the 202 men serving on the USS Hull who were presumed to have drowned during Typhoon Cobra.

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[1] Typhoon Cobra is also known as Halsey's Typhoon.

5th Infantry Division World War II Combat Narrative

Peter Charles Dagutis was born on 10 March 1918. He was my husband's father and we lost him in 1991. He lived in Detroit as a young man and was engaged to be married. Then, his life was interrupted by the military draft enacted under the Selective Service and Training Act of 1940. He was drafted on 7 April 1941 and did not return home from Europe until 18 June 1945. He served as part of the 5th Infantry Division, more specifically with Company H, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Regiment, 5th Division, Third Army.[1]

This combat narrative was written by Army historians after the World War II and is part of the official history of the U.S. Army.

France

The division arrived at Utah Beach France 11 July 1944 and assumed defensive positions from 1st Infantry Division near Caumont 13 July 1944. On 26 July 1944 it attacked to take Vidouville and made a limited advance to Torigny-sur-Vire-Caumont Road, after which it was reassembled 1 August 1944. On 8 August 1944 the division opened its offensive toward Nantes, taking Angers 10 August 1944, and with the assistance of 7th Armored Division, captured Chartes 18 August 1944. Speeding easter the division crossed the Seine at Montereau 24 August 1944 and took Rheims 30 August 1944 and established a bridgehead across the Meuse at Verdun at month's end. The division began the battle for Metz 7 September 1944 as the 2nd Infantry was stopped in the Amanviller-Verneville area and the 11th Infantry pushed up the Meuse heights near Dornot. The 2nd Infantry continued to batter the city's outer fortifications, and on 8 September 1944 the division gained a precarious bridgehead over the Moselle which immediately came under heavy shell fire and continuous counter attack. The 2nd Infantry made repeated frontal assaults as engineers bridge the river for tanks on 12 September 1944. But the Arnaville bridgehead effort was hampered by German shelling or the deep mud and ammunition shortages. The 10th Infantry and 11th Infantry regrouped inside the perimeter and defended it against a strong German attack 17 September 1944.

Soldiers of the 5th and 95th infantry divisions in Metz; photograph courtesy
of the Center for Military History

The division attacked Fort Driant commencing 27 September 1944, which guarded the northern approaches to Metz. The 11th Infantry forced its way into the bastion's outer edges 3 October 1944, but the Germans counterattacked from the tunnels after dar. The division committed itself entirely into this battle in very costly combat, but by 12 October 1944, attempts to seize the fort were given up, and the division withdrew to rest. On 12 November 1944 the division returned to the assault and was counterattacked at once as it entered the bridgehead of 6th Armored Division. Over the next few days the 2nd Infantry took Ancerville; the 10 Infantry reduced Fort Aisne, BOies de l'Hospital, Marly, and Fort Queuleu; and the the 11th Infantry pushed into Metz itself, the division encircling the town completed the following day. Rear-guard opposition inside Metz had been mopped up by 22 November 1944, but the division kept infantry to contain the forts there while it relieved the 95th Infantry division and attacked cross the Nied 25 November 1944. The Ste. Quentin fortifications surrendered to the division on 6 December 1944 as it was pulled back to assembly areas.

Belgium and Luxembourg

On 16 December 1944, the German Ardennes counteroffensive began, and the division relieved the 95th Infantry Division at Saarlautern bridgehead, attacking out of it 18 December 1944. After slow progress, Waldbilling and Haller fell 25 December 1944. Throughout January the division continued to reduce the southern flank of the German drive in conjunction with 4th Infantry Division. On 4 February 1945 it was relieved in line by 6th Cavalry Group and took up new positions.

5th Infantry Division medics during the Battle of the Bulge; photograph
courtesy of the Center of Military History

Germany

It attacked across the Sauer River near Echternach 7 February 1945 despite strong currents and German shelling which prevented bridging. It expanded this bridgehead to the West Wall LIne by 10 February 1945 and by 19 February 1945 cleared up to the west bank of the Pruem RIver. After regrouping, the 2nd Infantry and 10th Infantry crossed the Pruem near Peffingen during the night of 24-25 February 1945. The 11th Infantry cut the Bitburg-Trier Highway on 27 February 1945 and cleared to the west bank of the Kyll by the following day. The division opened its attack to establish the Kyll bridgehead between Erdorf and Philippsheim on 2 March 1945. Progress was rapid as the division leapfrogged elements past numerous towns and reached the Moselle 10 March 1945. The 2nd Infantry and 11 Infantry crossed the rivier 14 March 1945 after divisional regroupment and seize Treis, Lutz and Eveshausen.

5th Infantry Division crossing the Sauer River; photograph courtesy of Center
for Military History

Working closely with the 4th Armored Division, the division reached the Rhine with the 11 Infantry at Oppenheim and Nierstein on 21 March 1945. The next day the regiment crossed the river with little difficulty. On 26 March 1945 the 10th Infantry captured the Rhine-Main airport as the division reached Frankfurt-am-Main. On 4 April 1945 it completed clearing the city and secured it until 9 April 1945 when it closed into the Olsenburg area. The 10 Infantry attacked to take Arnsberg while the 2nd Infantry reached the Ruhr River 12 April 1945. The 11th Infantry rejoined the division from Frankfurt on 14 April 1945, and the division then occupied Westphalian regions south of the Ruhr until relieved by the 75th Infantry Division on 24 April 1945.

Czechoslovakia and Austria

On 1 May 1945 the division advanced across the Czechoslovaian border and into Austria behind armored units. On 5 May 1945 the division attacked across the Tepla River and followed the 4th Armored Division through the Regen and Freyung passes as the hostilities brought its offensive to a halt.

Worldwide Genealogy: Registering Your U.S. WWII Solider

On 11 November we in the United States celebrated Veterans Day, which was originally called Armistice Day. President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed 11 November 1919 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day when he said, "To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country's service and with great gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations..." The U.S. Congress created Armistice Day as a national holiday on 4 June 1926. The name of the day of commemoration was changed to Veterans Day in 1954.

In my bi-monthly post for Worldwide Genealogy -- A Genealogical Collaboration, I detail how you can commemorate your U.S. World War II ancestor at the National World War II Memorial in Washington and the National World War II Museum in New Orleans.

World War II Memorial in Washington, District of Columbia; courtesy of
Wikipedia

William Anthony Ternes and the Quonset Hut

Marian Ruth (Ternes) Muir was the wife of my first cousin twice removed. Her brother, William Anthony Ternes was a successful business man who founded Ternes Steel Co. in 1946, which merged with Evan Products in 1969. According to his family, he also designed the Quonset hut, of which up to 170,000 were produced during World War II.

William A. Ternes Obituary as published in the Detroit Free Press; courtesy
of FamilySearch.org

William A. Ternes obituary as published in the
Detroit Free Press; courtesy of FamilySearch.org

When the 1940 census was enumerated, William A. Ternes was in Yavapai County, Arizona, at Shadow Croft Court, an auto court, or motel, operated by Herman and Gertrude Dickman. His occupation was listed as salesman for a steel company. Also listed at the motel were several other salesmen.

So it is entirely possible that he worked for Strand Steel Co., as his brother said in his obituary. The company was located in Quonset Point, Rhode Island. The U.S. Navy contracted with the George A. Fuller Construction Co. in 1941 to build an all-purpose, lightweight building that could be shipped anywhere in the world and assembled without skilled labor.

Quonset hut being assembled in post-war Japan; courtesy Wikipedia

Perhaps the Fuller Construction Co. contracted with Strand Steel Co. to design the building. The original design was a 16-foot by 36-foot structure framed with steel members with an 8-foot radius. The sides were corrugated steel sheets. The two ends were covered with plywood, which had doors and windows. The interior was insulated and had pressed wood lining and a wood floor. The building could be placed on concrete, on pilings, or directly on the ground with a wood floor.

The most common design created a standard size of 20 feet by 48 feet with a 10-foot radius, allowing 720 square feet of usable floor space, with optional four-foot overhangs at each end for protection of the entrances from the weather. Several other sizes were developed. The flexible interior space was open, allowing for use as barracks, latrines, offices, medical and dental offices, isolation wards, housing, and bakeries. Eventually several different companies produced the quonset hut.

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William Anthony Ternes was born on 2 July 1912 in Michigan to William Peter Ternes and Elsie Agnes Gerstner. He married Madlyn Erminie Maiullo on 1 October 1838 in Detroit. He was a successful and respected Detroit businessman. He died on 26 February 1982 at Bon Secour Hospital in Gross Pointe following a long illness. He was interred at Mount Olivet Cemetery in Detroit.

World War II Army Awards and Decorations

My father-in-law was drafted into the U.S. Army on 7 April 1941 and today is the 71st anniversary of his honorable discharge. During his active service he earned or was awarded the following medals, ribbons and devices:

• Bronze Star Medal with One Oak Leaf Cluster -- awarded for heroic achievement or service, meritorious achievement or service, or meritorious service in a combat zone; each Oak Leaf Cluster denotes multiple awards
• Purple Heart Medal -- awarded for wounds suffered in combat
• Army Good Conduct Medal -- awarded to active duty military personnel who completed three years of honorable and faithful service
• American Defense Medal -- recognized military service members who were on active service between 8 September 1939 and 7 December 1941 (before Pearl Harbor was attacked and the U.S. entered the war)
• European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with Three Bronze Battle Stars -- recognized military service members who performed military service in the European (including Africa and the Middle East) Theater of Operations; battle stars are awarded for each military campaign[1]
• World War II Victory Medal -- awarded to any military member who was on active service between 7 December 1941 and 31 December 1946

My father-in-law's ribbon "rack;" built using EZ Rack Builder[1]

On 16 May 1945, he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with One Oak Leaf Cluster. His citation read:

Staff Sergeant PETER C. DAGUTIS, 36109224, Infantry, 2d Infantry Regiment, United States Army. For distinctive service in connection with military operations against the enemy during the period 20 September 1944 to 15 April 1945 in Europe. On innumerable occasions, Sergeant DAGUTIS, a squad leader, has voluntarily exposed himself to enemy fire for the safety and protection of his unit. In addition to directing the operation of his squad in SANRY-SUR-NEID, he commandeered a weapon and from the speed with which he completed fire missions, was largely responsible for the disruption of a desperate enemy counterattack. His courage, leadership and devotion to duty reflect great credit upon himself and the armed forces. Entered service from Michigan.

-- ALBERT E. BROWN

Major General, U.S. Army

Commanding

My father-in-law's Bronze Star Citation; personal collection

In addition to the medals and ribbons, he also received or earned the following:

• Combat Infantry Badge -- for active combat
• Expert Infantry Badge -- for attaining certain required infantry skills
• Driver and Mechanic Badge with Driver-W Bar (wheeled vehicles) -- awarded to soldiers who exhibited a high degree of skill in the operation and maintenance of motor vechicles
• Six Overseas Bars -- each bar denotes 6 months in a combat zone
• Honorable Discharge Lapel Button, better known among soldiers as the Ruptured Duck -- awarded to military service members who were honorably discharged during World War II

His uniform would have also included patches indicating rank and the units in which he served. In my father-in-law's case, the 5th Infantry Division and perhaps his 2nd Infantry Regiment patch.

Terrible picture of the shadowbox present I made for my
husband; personal collection

I collected over time all of my father-in-law's medals, ribbons, badges, pins, and patches and had a shadow box made for my husband as a birthday present several years ago. When my father, a Korean War veteran, saw it, he was most impressed with the Combat Infantry Badge, not to be confused with the Expert Infantry Badge.

Combat Infantry Badge; photograph courtesy of the U.S. Army

The Expert Infantry Badge is awarded to infantry men with certain specialities, after testing and exhibiting specific required skills. It is a merit badge, if you will. The Combat Infantry Badge was awarded to soldiers who were 1) infantry men satisfactorily performing infantry duties, 2) assigned to an infantry unit during such time as the unit is actively engaged in armed combat, and 3) actively participating in such ground combat. Campaign or battle credit alone is not sufficient for award of the Combat Infantry Badge. The badge is still awarded today. If you see a soldier wearing one, he has been in an actual ground battle and under enemy fire.

If you would like to learn more about the awards and decorations listed on your ancestor's Army discharge papers, I found the following sources very useful:

Army Regulation 600-8-22, Military Awards

Awards and Decorations of the United States Armed Forces, which includes links to explanations about individuals awards and decorations

Badges of the United States Army

If you are interested in purchasing your ancestor's Army awards, simply Google the term "Army medals" and you will find plenty of sources. Most of these sources include a slew of commemorative medals and ribbons, but none of them are listed in the Army military awards regulation. They do make nice keepsakes and momentos, but should not be confused with the official ones.

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[1] A few days ago, when reading The Army Ground Forces: The Organization of Ground Combat Troops, I learned 5th Infantry Division was informed in early July 1945 that it was entitled to credit for two additional campaigns. My father-in-law's honorable papers reflect only three campaigns as he separated from the Army in mid June. I have not yet updated his ribbon rack to accurately reflect the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with one silver star which is used instead of five Bronze Battle Stars. His updated ribbon rack would look like this:

Top row left to right: Bronze Star with one Oakleaf cluster, Purple Heart, and
Army Good Conduct Medal. Bottom Row left to right: American Defense
Service; European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign with one Silver Battle
Start; World War II Victory; image courtesy of EZ Rack Builder.

7 Tips When Researching Your U.S. Army World War II Soldiers
Women's Army Corps (WACs) in World War Two
Understanding the U.S. Army World War II Infantry Division
Army Campaign Streamers

Project Manhattan Hanford Site

When I researched my grand aunt, Henrietta Muir, I purchased her obituary from the archives of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The obituary included this tantalizing reference: "During WW II, Ms. Muir was employed at Project Manhattan plant in Hanford, WA." I wanted to know more.

The Manhattan Project was a research and development project that produced the first nuclear weapons during World War II. The project was led by the United States with the support of the United Kingdom and Canada. From 1942 to 1946, the project was under the direction of Major General Leslie Groves of the U.S. Army Cops of Engineers (COE).

In order to produce plutonium, a plant needed to be built. COE worked with DuPont to establish criteria for site selection, which included at least 190 square miles of secure space located at least 20 miles from any sizable town and 10 miles from a major highway. The project needed a water supply of at least 25,000 gallons per minute and an electrical supply of at least 100,000 kilowatts.

In December 1942 the site selection team visited six potential sites. Hanford, Washington, was the last location visited. The Columbia river provided abundant water and the newly completed Grand Coulee Dam could supply the necessary electricity. General Groves endorsed Hanford as the proposed production site in January 1943. Two thousand residents within 580 square miles of the site were given 90 days notice to abandon their homes. Law suites ensued but were settled out of court in favor of time saved.

Construction of the production factory was a formidable challenge and required 50,000 workers. They lived in the Hanford Construction Camp, which included 1,175 buildings. It was the third largest city in Washington State. On Saturday nights, the Patriot Brewery opened for business. It was built specifically to serve the construction workers, who worked in shifts 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. Construction was completed in less than 18 months.

Hanford workers waiting to pick up their paychecks at Western Union; photograph
courtesy of the Hanford Classified Documents Retrial System and Wikipedia

Producing plutonium at Hanford involved three major operations -- fuel fabrication, reactor operations, and chemical separation to extract plutonium. Success was achieved when the first irradiated slugs were discharged from the B Reactor on Christmas Day 1944. By the end of January the highly purified plutonium underwent further concentration in the completed chemical isolation building to remove any remaining impurities. The plant went into full-scale plutonium production on 2 February 1945 when it received its first shipment of plutonium.

Women's Army Corps (WACs)

Sisters and my first cousins twice removed, Elizabeth May and Bernice "Bea" Marie Muir both served in the Women's Army Corps during World War II. I realized I didn't know much about the WACs and wanted to learn more.

"Their contributions in efficiency, skill, spirit and determination are immeasurable."

-- Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower

Over 150,000 women served in the Women's Army Corps during World War II, making the equivalent of seven divisions of men available for combat. Applicants had to be between 21 and 45 years of age with no dependents, be at least five feet tall, and weigh 100 pounds or more. The first WACs joined Aircraft Warning Service (AWS) units in the field. Later recruits were sent to the Army Air Forces (AAF), Army Ground Forces (AGF), or Army Services Force (ASF) where they worked as file clerks, typists, stenographers, or motor pool drivers. Gradually each service discovered women were capable of filling numerous positions, such as weather observers and forecasters, cryptographers, radio operators and repairmen, sheet metal workers, parachute riggers, bombsight maintenance specialists, aerial photography analysts, and control tower operators. Some were even assigned flying duties and others ran the statistical control machines (precursors of computers) used to keep track of personnel records.

Soon after Betty Muir enlisted in the WACs as an aviation cadet, recruiting slowed to a trickle as slander campaigns challenged the WACS as sexually immoral. Many soldiers ferociously opposed allowing women in uniform, warning their sisters and female friends they would be seen as lesbians or prostitutes. Other men, seeing the posters that called on women to volunteer in order to "free a man to fight" feared being sent to combat units if women took the safe jobs. Critics outside the military included those with religious objections, reactionaries who wanted to prevent social change, and right-wing critics of Roosevelt's social programs.

Women's Army Auxiliary Corps recruiting poster; photograph courtesy of Wikipedia

Despite initial resistance, the WACs were considered important by many in the Army, who realized they helped the U.S. and its allies win the war. Traditional restrictions placed on women in the workplace before the war were broken by World War II. The WACs were disbanded in 1978 and all-female units were integrated with male units.

General Douglas McArthur called the WACs "my best soldiers," adding that they worked harder, complained less, and were better disciplined than men.

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Treadwell, Mattie E. United States Army in World War II: Special Studies -- The Women's Army Corps, (Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1954)
U.S. Army Center for Military History, http://www.history.army.mil

Killed in Okinawa

During the Battle for Okinawa, U.S. Marine Corps PFC Jay Welba Whitaker, Jr., was injured and died from his wounds. He was 19 years old.

Jay enlisted in the Marine Corps sometime before October 1943 because he reported to the Marine Corps Base Recruit Depot in San Diego on 1 October and was assigned to the 9th Recruit Battalion, Training Regiment. His basic training and specialty schools likely lasted until the end of the year.

He was sent overseas to the Pacific theater about 1 January 1944 and assigned to the 35th Replacement Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, in advance of his permanent assignment. By April 1944 he had been assigned to to Co. M, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division, but by September 1944, he had been transferred to Co. K where he remained until he died. The 1st Marine Division is the oldest active duty division in the Marine Corps today.

When Jay joined the 1st Marine Division they were heavily involved in the long-running Eastern New Guinea campaign, which lasted from January 1942 until August 1945, and the Battle of New Britain, which lasted from December 1943 until August 1945.

1st Marine Division during the Battle of New Britain; courtesy of Wikipedia

The division fought on New Britain until February 1944 at places named Suicide Creek and Ajar Ridge. Following the battle, they were sent to Pavuvu and Russell Islands for rest and refitting.

The next battle for the division was Peleiu, they landed on 15 September 1944. Their commanding general predicted the fighting would be "...tough but short. It'll be over in 3 or 4 days..." The actual fighting was certainly tough. In the first week alone the division lost 3,946 casualties. It wasn't short either, lasting some three months. 1st Marine Division fought on the island for one month before being relieved. It was some of the bloodiest fighting of the war and the division lost 6,526 casualties before pulling out to rest and refit.

First wave of landing craft approaching Peleiu at the onset of the battle; courtesy
of Wikipedia

The final campaign for the division was Okinawa. If Jay would have survived it, he would have returned home after the war, but it was not to be. He was one of the 14,009 battle deaths, succumbing to his wounds while the battle was still raging.

Alabama, WWII Military Dead and Wounded, 1944-1946; courtesy of
Ancestry.com

The battle for Okinawa lasted from 1 April through 22 June 1945 -- 82 long days. The battle has been referred to as "typhoon of steel" by the Americans and "rain of steel by the Japanese. There were intense kamikaze attacks and the sheer number of Allied ships and armored vehicles was mind boggling. The severity of the fighting on an island so close to the Japanese home islands was one of the factors President Truman considered when he gave the okay to drop atomic bombs.

Jay Welba Whitaker, Jr.'s body was returned home and was interred at Forest Hill Cemetery in Birmingham, Alabama. His name is engraved on the Alabama Hall of Honor at the Alabama Veterans Memorial Park.

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My connection to Jay Welba Whitaker, Jr., is convoluted but I thought it was important to tell his story. He was born on 25 November 1925 in Alabama to Jay Welba Whitaker, Sr., and Lorraine Marion Jones. His parents divorced before he was five years old and his mother married Daniel Stuart Carter in 1933 in Bay County, Florida. His first wife, Bessie Bane Beasley, was my 3rd cousin once removed.

Worldwide Genealogy: 7 Tips When Researching U.S. Army World War II Soldiers

After nearly 30 years of researching my father-in-law's WWII military service, which began on 7 April 1941 and ended on 18 June 1945, I now know where he was on almost every day of that time. My husband and I have taken many terrific trips visiting those places and learning more about where he served. So it's no surprise I like to write about the war experiences of my ancestors. To skirmishes with Native Americans prior to the Revolutionary War right through the Global War on Terrorism. However, I write most frequently about my Civil War, World War I and World War II veteran ancestors' experiences. Today, I'd like to share with you what I've learned about researching U.S. Army World War II veteran ancestor -- one of the millions of citizen soldiers Tom Brokaw called the "Greatest Generation."

My seven tips are:

1. Order his military service record
2. Learn about the specific unit in which he served
3. Understand the role he played in his unit
4. Record the awards and decorations he earned

My father-in-law's ribbon "rack;" built using EZ Rack Builder[1]

5. Learn about the campaigns in which he served
6. Use unit societies' websites and books about units
7. Don't forget your women ancestors

To read the details behind each tip and the resources to use and how to find them, click over to 7 Tips When Researching U.S. Army World War II Soldiers at Worldwide Genealogy -- a Genealogical Collaboration.

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Understanding the U.S. Army World War II Infantry Division
Army Campaign Streamers

Understanding the U.S. Army World War II Infantry Division

The United States Army had studied its organization extensively after World War I and reorganized the infantry division in the 1930s and again in 1942 and 1943 after a series of large training exercises. The division that fought in World War II was a more compact offense force than in the previous war, carrying a minimum of defensive weapons, streamlined for open warfare, and backed up by other types of units as needed. "It was the smallest Army unit capable of operating completely independently."[1]

However, divisions were still what most would consider large organizations of about 14,000 men organically composed according to the Order of Battle of the United States Army World War II, European Theater of Operations, Divisions. They could be modified to suit any tactical situation by the attachment of other types of units, such as anti-aircraft, chemical, and engineer, etc. Central to the infantry division's mission was the rifle squad, composed of 8 to 24 men, though 12 was most typical.

Organization of a generic Army World War II infantry division
without the support and specialty unity which augmented
battalions, regiments and divisions; created using Microsoft
Powerpoint

My father-in-law, Peter Charles Dagutis (1918-1991) served as a Staff Sergeant during World War II, having been promoted to that rank from Private, with the 5th Infantry Division. The organic composition of his division included the following units:

Organic units of the 5th Infantry Division; image from Order of Battle of the
United States Army World War II, European Theater of Operations, Divisions

Divisions are attached to corps, corps to armies, and armies to an army group. For example, my father-in-law's chain of command was:

The Army officers in my father-in-law's chain of command; created using
Microsoft Excel

Lt. Gen. Omar Bradley reported to Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, Supreme Allied Commander, Allied Expeditionary Force. When I am reading about World War II, I keep this chart nearby. Enlisted men are very rarely mentioned in the histories or even contemporary unit reports. The commanding officers are much more likely to be mentioned. If I spot a name on this chart, especially a name near the bottom, I make a note of it as whatever occurred may have involved my father-in-law. Knowing how the Army was organized and the chain of command also enables me to better understand combat narratives and the after action reports.

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[1] Forty, George. The Armies of George S. Patton, (London: Arms and Armour Press, 1996) , page 65.

Army Campaign Streamers

Army Campaign Streamers

Today would have been my father-in-law's 98th birthday. In honor of his life and military service during World War II with Company H, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment, 5th Infantry Division, I am starting an occasional series about what I have learned while researching his military service, which I have been doing for nearly 30 years. Today I'm describing Army campaign streamers. If you have visited a museum of a color-bearing Army organization, you've probably seen some of them.

Campaign streamers are ribbons that hang from the top of a military color-bearing unit's flag staff. Each streamer (2-3/4 inches by 4-feet long) is embroidered with the designation of a campaign and the year in which it occurred. The Army flag currently has 189 ribbons commemorating all of the campaigns in which the service fought since its founding in 1775. Individual color-bearing elements of the Army's organization are privileged to add streamers to their flags for each campaign in which they fought.

The concept of campaign streamers became popular in the Civil War when several Army organizations embroidered the names of battles on their organizational colors. This practice was replaced when Army units were authorized to place silver bands, engraved with the names of battles, around their flag staffs. American Expeditionary Force units in World War I were unable to obtain these silver bands so General Pershing authorized the use of small ribbons bearing the names of World War I operations. In 1921 all color-bearing Army organizations were authorized to use the campaign streamers currently used today.

Army flag with campaign streamers; source unknown

Each war or conflict includes a different number of streamers depending on how many campaigns comprised it and each war has a different ribbon design. The design of the streamers are also used for the campaign medals and ribbons soldiers are awarded. The specific names of the campaigns are embroidered on the ribbon.

World War II European Theater of Operations (green/brown) campaign streamers;
photograph courtesy of the 63rd Infantry Division

The complete list of Army campaign streamers, along with an image of the ribbon design, may be found here:

• Revolutionary War (16 streamers)
• War of 1812 (6 streamers)
• Mexican War (10 streamers)
• Civil War (25 streamers)
• Indian Wars (14 streamers)
• War with Spain (3 streamers)
• China Relief Expedition (3 streamers)
• Philippine Insurrection (11 streamers)
• Mexican Expedition (1 streamer)
• World War I (13 streamers)
• World War II (38 streamers)
• Korean War (10 streamers)
• Vietnam War (17 streamers)
• Armed Forces Expeditions (4 streamers)
• Southwest Asia (3 streamers)
• Kosovo (2 streamers)
• War on Terrorism (13 streamers)

My father-in-law's division earned five campaign streamers during World War II:

• Normandy
• Northern France
• Ardennes-Alsace
• Rhineland
• Central Europe

I began trying to collect the streamers several years ago and pretty easily was able to collect the first four streamers. However, Central Europe proved a challenge. A few weeks ago a seller on eBay offered that streamer and had a Buy It Now Button (love that thing!). I've cleaned the ribbons and am having them framed now as a gift to my husband.

World War II European Theater of Operations Central Europe campaign
streamer; image courtesy of UnitHistories.com

If you are interested in learning more information about your ancestor's Army service, then the Center for Military History is a good website to visit. If you want to read something informative buy quite dry, Army Regulation 600-8-22: Military Awards will explain campaign streamers in exhaustive detail.

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NOTE: My third cousin once removed, Haskins Thomas Farrar, served in 10th Infantry, 5th Infantry Division. He died on 19 November 1944. A previous post, Fortress Metz and the 5th Infantry Division, told his story.

I have written about my father-in-law's war experiences: Historic WWII Assault Crossing of the Rhine River, They Called It Ireland, and When Things Went Sour on the Sauer.

To read all my posts related to World War II, click here.

Fortress Metz and the 5th Infantry Division

Haskins Thomas Farrar was my third cousin once removed and the grandson of Alexander Miller and Ann Marie Jennings. He was born on 4 Nov 1924 in Chesterfield County, Virginia, to Thomas Dyson Farrar and Eva O'Lillian Miller. Haskins grew up in Midlothian, Virginia, until he was drafted into the U.S. Army on 2 July 1943. After basic training he was assigned to the 10th Infantry, 5th Infantry Division. My father-in-law, Peter Charles Dagutis, fought in the same division but in the 2nd Infantry Regiment. The 5th Infantry Division was part of General George S. Patton's Third Army and their exploits in France were the stuff of legend until they literally ran out of gas.[1]

Kevin M. Hymel described this time in France in his book, Patton's Photographs: The War As He Saw It: "....Patton put his tanks to work. His armored divisions smashed through the front lines and rolled through the countryside, splitting into three directions. Patton's amazing advance surprised friend and foe alike and he cheered every time he ran off one map and had to use another."

Because of an acute shortage of gasoline, Eisenhower suspended Third Army operations on 22 September 1944. The moratorium lasted six weeks. Instead of rapid advance, Patton would be required to capture Metz. The fortifications of Metz consisted of several forts and observation posts all connected by tunnels. General Patton, said this about Metz: "Fixed fortifications are monuments to the stupidity of man. " But the job was very difficult indeed.

Map of Metz fortifications; image courtesy of eBay

The attack on the first Metz fortress, Fort Driant, began on 27 September 1944; it was repulsed. After several more failures, the attack was called off on 9 October and the last U.S. soldiers withdrew during the night of 12-13 October. The second attempt to capture Metz was called Operation Madison, which began in the General Walton Walker's XX Corps sector on 9 November. (5th Infantry Division was assigned to XX Corps.) Hitler declared Metz would fight to the last bullet two days later.

5th Infantry soldiers clearing houses in Metz on 19 November 1944; image
courtesy of Wikipedia

On 14 November three of the "Seven Dwarves" forts were captured -- Jussy Nord, Jussy Sud, and Saint-Hubert. The 5th Infantry Division was responsible for a close-in envelopment of the city, attacking to the east and making contact with the 90th Infantry Division as it circled around Metz from the north. Men of the 5th entered Metz on the night of 18 November. On 13 December the last fort, Fort Jeanne d'Arc surrendered. The battle for Metz was over.

My father-in-law survived the battle, the war and went on to marry and have three children. Haskins Thomas Farrar was not so lucky. He died on 19 November 1944. I do not yet know if he died of wounds sustained earlier in the campaign or was killed that day as his regiment cleared houses inside the city limits. Haskins was buried at the Lorraine American Cemetery and Memorial in Saint-Avold, France.

Lorraine American Cemetery; image courtesy of Tourism Saint-Avold

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[1]For more information about the 5th Infantry Division's fighting in France, read When Pursuit Comes to an End

For more context about the battle for Metz, read my brother's guest blog, Long, Bloody Battle for Metz.

Cole, Hugh M. Lorraine Campaign (Washington, DC: Center for Military History, U.S. Army, 1993), pages  372-446

Guest Blog: Long, Bloody Battle for Metz

I recently discovered a third cousin once removed in my Jennings line served in the 5th Infantry Division during World War II as did my father-in-law, Peter Charles Dagutis. Sadly, my cousin Haskins Thomas Farrar, died near Metz. So I asked my brother, amateur World War II historian, to write a post about the battle for Metz, providing context for my father-in-law's wartime experience and the death of my cousin.

Over to John.....

As Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force in Western Euorpe General Dwight D. Eisenhower's mission was to "undertake operations aimed at the heart of Germany and the destruction of her armed forces.”  He intended to approach Germany along a broad front, taking advantage of all of the historic invasion routes between France and Germany.  One of those invasion routes was the swath of open terrain between the Ardennes and Vosges Mountains.  Situated along the northern edge of the invasion route the city of Metz had been a kind of gatekeeper since ancient times and was unsurprisingly one of the most heavily fortified cities in Europe.  In all its long history Metz had never fallen to direct assault.  Its fortifications included a line of eleven forts constructed by the French prior to the Franco-Prussian War of 1870 that lay in a ring approximately 2½ miles outside the city.  The German defenders of World War II used this “inner ring” as infantry strongpoints.  An outer ring of eight, more modern forts—built by the Germans before the First World War—formed a line some six miles from the city.  Among the fortications was the impressive Fort Driant, which housed five 150mm guns and was protected by a deep, dry moat and covered by infantry trenches, machine gun nests and barbed wire fences.  The guns of the fort commanded a large sector of the Moselle Valley.

Eisenhower entrusted the advance past Metz and into Germany to Lieutenant-General George S. Patton, Jr.’s US Third Army.  The difficulty of Patton’s mission was three-fold:  his army had to cross the Upper Moselle River, reduce or bypass the forts and finally capture the city of Metz.  The American effort to take Metz began on 6 September, 1944 with the unconventional tactic of using 7^th Armored Division as a kind of reconnaissance-in-force to probe for crossing sites over the Moselle both north and south of Metz.  They reached the Moselle the next day and were soon followed by two infantry divisions, the 90^th being directed toward Thionville north of Metz and the 5^th toward Metz itself.  Despite turning back a German counter-attack the Americans could not get across the Moselle in the Thionville sector due to deadly shellfire from several German forts.  Closer to Metz 5^th Infantry Division, along with elements of 7^th Armored Division, managed to establish a bridgehead at Dornot, but the guns of Forts Driant and Blaise prevented the building of a bridge so the crossing had to be abandoned.  Another bridgehead was achieved on 6 September farther north at Amanvillers and a bridge was successfully erected that night.  A breakout was not to be, however; gunfire from Fort Driant destroyed both the treadway and pontoon bridges and determined resistance from German panzers denied all attempts by American armored units to breakout of the bridgehead.  Although Patton felt the German reserves were thin and a breakthrough imminent if he could just keep the pressure on, by mid-September it was obvious a set piece battle would be required to defeat the defenses of Metz.

Soldiers of Third Army crossing the Moselle River; courtesy of a United States
Army in World War II, Pictorial Record: The War Against Germany: Europe
and Adjacent Areas

Another major effort against Metz would have to wait until supplies could be stockpiled.  In the meantime, Patton initiated what he called a “pecking campaign” to reduce several forts southwest of Metz, particularly the troublesome Fort Driant, whose guns had been so effective in turning back the attempt to cross the Upper Moselle in early September.  Taking the fort would unlock an avenue directly into Metz via the valley of the Moselle.  The task of taking Fort Driant fell to 5^th Infantry Division, which launched its attack on 3 October behind one of the most concentrated artillery bombardments of the war.  For all of its intensity the shelling proved ineffective, for nearby German forts returned the fire, catching American infantry in their assembly areas.  Although the Americans reached the fort and gained entry the following day via a ventilator shaft, the fort’s defenders fought back skillfully in savage subterranean gun duels.  The underground battle raged for several days but the Americans failed to breach any of the fortified casemates.  By sweeping the exterior of the fort with artillery and machine gun fire the Germans denied American reinforcements from entering the battle and eventually gained the upper hand.  Patton finally decided the fort could not be defeated and called off the operation; the last American troops withdrew the night of 12-13 October.

The final battle for Metz began on 8 November.    Patton prepared an envelopment of Metz by concentric attacks from north and south.  90^th Infantry Division crossed the Moselle just north of Thionville.  The combination of German artillery and rising flood waters frustrated all attempts to erect bridges until the second night, but the defending Germans could not take advantage of the precarious American situation because they were not expecting an attack so soon after the torrential downpours of the previous few days.  By the time panzers were able to mount a counter-attack the Americans were secure enough in their bridgehead to turn the enemy tanks back just short of the bridge.  After Forts Koenigsmacker and Metrich had been reduced 10^th Armored Division was committed as the northern encircling pincer and from 15 November they began picking their way carefully over muddy roads to the southeast toward the Nied river.  Meanwhile, 5^th Infantry Division had crossed the Seille southwest of Metz and skirted round the city to cut its eastern approaches.  They met troops from 90^th Infantry Division at Pont Marais on 19 November to encircle Metz.

Third Army Soldiers entering the outskirts of Metz; courtesy of the United
States Army In Europe, Pictorial Record: The War Against Germany: Europe
and Adjacent Areas

Despite Hitler’s decree to hold Metz until the last, the Germans withdrew most of their forces out of the closing jaws of Patton’s pincers, leaving only a volksgrenadier division to garrison Metz.  95^th Infantry Division closed on Metz proper from Maizieres-les-Metz while 5^th Infantry Division invested the city from the southeast.  American troops entered the city on 11/18/44 after Nazi officials and many German civilians had been evacuated.  Firefights erupted throughout the city as the American infantry rooted out the last pockets of German resistance.  The garrison commander gave himself up on 21 November, thus ending the struggle for the city proper.  The outlying forts, which had been contained but not assaulted, were gradually smoked out over the next several weeks; Fort Jeanne d’Arc was the last to capitulate on 13 December.

Some historians have made much of the fact that Patton was perhaps too keen to capture Metz, that the lure of going down in history as the city’s first captor led him to direct too much attention upon the city.  Was it even necessary to capture Metz or could Patton have ensured the security of his northern flank by merely masking the city?  Patton believed it was necessary, thinking it unwise to leave the dangerous enemy concentration around Metz on his flank while transiting the invasion route into Germany.  An interesting opinion was offered by the Germans themselves in their post-war appreciation of the campaign in Europe.  Although they respected Patton as the Allies’ most aggressive general, they criticize his handling of the Lorraine campaign, particularly noting the failure of American forces to concentrate at a single point.  Patton directed his two corps toward separate objectives (Metz and Nancy), preventing them from gaining overwhelming superiority at any one sector.  Had Patton concentrated his corps for a single thrust at either Metz or Nancy, the Germans believed he would have easily broken through.  The fact that Patton did not concentrate everything on Metz (when his enemy expected him to) would tend to discount the theory the city held a kind of vainglorious attraction for him.  Those that fell in the long, bloody battle for Metz gave their lives for a legitimate and necessary military objective, one of many such objectives on the road to ridding the world of Hitler’s evil regime.

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For other World War II guest posts written by my brother, visit War Stories.

Greenfield, Kent Roberts (General Editor). United States Army in World War II, Pictorial Record: The War Against Germany: Europe and Adjacent Areas, (Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1951), pages 147-260.