World War II scrapbook clippings - typed by Marge German as they appeared in the newspapers.

Index of names in this segment:

Blaine Ceretta Curnow English Garey/Staub Heller

Jenkins Johnson Jones Kester McDaniels Nealon

Stevens Thompson Wilkinson Wolfe

FORTY FORT BROTHERS ARE OFFICERS

CAPT. ARTHUR JENKINS, CAPT. HARRY JENKINS, LT. DONALD JENKINS

Mr. & Mrs. Arthur Jenkins, 151 For Street, Forty Fort, are proud that their three and only sons are serving Uncle Sam. The three sons, all commissioned officers, are spread far and wide, with many miles between them.

Arthur Jr., 25, the oldest of the trio, is a captain in the U. S. Field artillery, at Fort Bragg, S.C. A graduate of Fort Sill, Oklahoma Artillery School, he enlisted in the 109 FA in 1940.

Harry, 23, is a captain in the U. S. Army Air Corps stationed somewhere in Africa, and has had one year in Foreign service. He was commissioned early in 1941.

Donald, 21, the youngest of the officer family, is a lieutenant in the U. S. Army Air Corps, stationed at Topeka Fortress School. He was commissioned January, 1943. All three were Eagle Scouts while members of the Boy scouts, left college class rooms to enter service, were former Record carriers, and are graduates of Forty Fort High School. All excelled in athletics.

Dr. E. F. Wolfe is member Surgical Staff

May 4, 1945

6th Army Group, France--Attesting to the skilled medical care wounded Americans receive on the Western Front is one surgical achievement of the 117th Evacuation hospital--50 brain operations without one death.

This 400-bed hospital, following the advance of U. S. Seventh Army troops in General Jacob L. Devers’ 6th Army Group, has treated over 5,000 patients during three months of combat operations in France. Fifty-six of all admissions were surgical cases and 44 per cent medical.

"A battle casualty is received here from six to eight hours after he is wounded," explained Lt. Col. Alfred J. Thom of Washington, D.C., hospital commander. "He received first surgical treatment and his physical condition is improved for safe transport to general and station hospitals where final surgical care is administered. Some patients are completely cured and returned direct to duty from here."

Capt. Walter E. Boohm of New York, N.Y., brain surgeon, recently operated on four soldiers whose hands had been completely penetrated by bullets. In a matter of days, they were well on the way to recovery. Maj. Kenneth E. Kipp, of Monroe, Mich., maxillofacial surgeon, has restored many mutilated faces to normal, skillfully replacing destroyed bone and tissue by plastic surgery.

The 117th usually operates from 15 to 25 miles behind the front. Once, however, the hospital was set up in building just vacated by a German hospital staff, only six miles from the front.

Included in the hospital staff is Capt. Eugene F. Wolfe, of Shickshinny, Pa.

LT. JAMES E. WOLFE WOUNDED AT OKINAWA

June 15, 1945

Marine Lt. James E. Wolfe, 26, son of Walter E. Wolfe, of Shickshinny, R. D., has been reported wounded in action at Okinawa. The information was contained in a letter dated, May 23, to his wife, who now resides in Scranton. A. Telegram from the War Department was also received by his father. He suffered an injury to his left knee.

Lieutenant Wolfe is a graduate of Shickshinny high school where he was well known for his football activities. He also played on the Pennsylvania State College team, and in 1942 was captain of the university of Scranton team, where he was awarded a degree in January, 1943.

He joined the Marines in Mar., 1942, and went overseas last November. He has a son James E., Jr., who was born on November 10th, the day on which Lieut. Wolfe embarked for overseas.

Aug. 24, 1945

Pfc. Donald A. Wandel, has been transferred. his present address is: Pfc. Donald A. Wandel, 3359079, Cannon Co., 39th Infantry, APO 9 c/o postmaster, New York, N.Y.

CPL. ROBERT STEVENS HAS BEEN OVERSEAS 2 YRS.

June 15, 1945

1st Base Air Depot, Warrington, England--V-E Day found Cpl. Robert M. Stevens of Shickshinny, R. D. 2, on the job, helping to ready more combat planes and equipment For immediate action wherever they might be needed.

Cpl. Stevens, son of Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Stevens, of Shickshinny, R. D. 2, Pa., is one of the crack Air Service Command team who pitched in to back the air assaults that helped knock Germany out of the air.

Commanding their battle-backing efforts, Brigadier General Morris Berman, Commanding General of the Base Air Depot Area, Air Service Command, declared: "These soldiers of the Base Air Depot have, since their work began, dispatched 415,000 tons of air corps supplies, assembled and modified 12,000 combat planes, and repaired or overhauled more than 30,000 aircraft engines.

"Every soldier, whatever his job, contributed materially to the magnificent, final result. I commend them, and I know that whatever their next task, they will fulfill it with credit to themselves and their country.

Cpl. Stevens has been overseas since June 1943 and joined the army in October, 1942. He was employed by the AC&F, Berwick, and attended Huntington Mills High School.

HITS THE NAIL ON THE HEAD

JULY 8,1944

Dear Friend: Scott Field, Ill.

Received the first copy of the Echo the other day. Thanks for sending it along. I enjoy reading it very much.

I was just thinking, in these other papers all you see is large sprawling headlines of war, destruction and politics. They tipify the modern bustling city, when as "our" paper is full of good homey news. Oh maybe a little politics but after all some relaxation is necessary. It makes you think of a quiet "homey" little town, very typical of Shickshinny.

Thankling you again, I am,

As Ever,

Kermit McDaniels.

Sgt. English Was At Pearl Harbor

Local Soldier Home After Four Years Service In The Army--Contracted Fever In The South Seas

Sgt. Jack English arrived in town Wednesday after four years of service in Uncle Sam’s army. He enlisted in February, 1940, before his country went to war with Germany, and was at Schofield Barracks in the Hawaiian Islands when the Japs attacked Pearl Harbor. The barracks are ten miles distant from Hickam Air Field which felt the brunt of the Jap attack.

From Hawaii Sgt. English was sent to the South Seas where he participated in four major engagements. He was stricken with fever and was hospitalized back to the states. In the hospital at San Diego he was given a surprise visit by Lt. Herbert Shoemaker of the Navy.

Sgt. English will spend a well-earned furlough with his father, Guy English, of South Main St. and other relatives in town and vicinity.

S. Sgt. A. S. Blaine Tells Of France

S. Sgt. Alfred S. Blaine has arrived in France, according to work received by his wife. He states that he has passed through towns which showed the results of the fierce battles that were fought. Others were not in such bad condition, which showed evidence of the speed of our Army. It didn’t give the Huns time to destroy the things they could not take with them.

S. Sgt. Blaine tells how beautiful France really is. The countryside is very much like ours, except for the hedgerows which surround each field, some large, other small. After one sees these hedgerows he can readily understand why the fighting was so tough because he says they are very much thicker and higher than the usual hedges one sees in the states.

He says further, "The people of France are very friendly. Nearly everyone we passed waved to us. When we arrived in Paris we spent a couple of hours. Every time our truck stopped, a crowd would gather around us and if we got out of the truck--we really had a crowd.

"Paris is beautiful! The buildings are modern in appearance, the streets are wide and clean and traffic was very heavy. Mostly horse drawn carriages and bicycles (with all sorts of contraptions) were used to haul other persons or whatever else they may wish to carry. There were thousands of people on the streets just walking, going no place in particular--happy to be able to walk the streets again. In front of beer gardens people sat at tables (on the sidewalks) drinking beer, wine, etc.

"For a while things were rather tough but life is going better now. For a whole week we were not able to shave nor have a change of clothing."

PVT REYNOLD JONES - 1944

The soldier pictured above is the son of Mrs. Elizabeth Jones, of Muhlenburg. Pvt. Jones observes his 19th birthday today--Friday, September 29. He is stationed at fort McClellan, Alabama, where he has been located since last November.

With Atlantic Fleet - Sept. 13, 1944

Clarence Heller, son of Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Heller, of 61 Canal street, Shickshinny, observed his 19th birthday on August 7. The sailor is serving on a destroyer of the Atlantic fleet.

Had a Birthday - 1944

SGT. ALEX R. CURNOW

Sgt. Alex R. Curnow, son of Mrs. R. J. Curnow of North Main street, observed his birthday yesterday, September 28. Sgt. Curnow, former Supervisor of music in the Shickshinny schools, is a member of the 75th Q. M. Training Co., 14th Bn., Camp Lee, Va.

Garey-Staub Sept. 30, 1944

Miss Mary Hilda Staub, daughter of Nicholas Staub, Trucksville, was married to Chief Petty Officers William L. Garey, USNR, son of Hale W. Garey of Shavertown Saturday morning at 11, in St. Therese’s Church, Shavertown. Rev. J. J. O’Leary performed the ceremony.

Mrs. Alice Fisher Laux played the organ and Herman Kearn was soloist. The altar was decorated with fall flowers, autumn leaves and lighted tapers.

The bride wore a suit of tropical green gabardine and a small brown hat with coquet

feathers of variegated green. Her accessories were brown and her corsage was talisman roses, yellow and bronze poms.

Mrs. William C. O’Connor, sister of the bride, was matron of honor. She was attired similar to the bride and wore a matching corsage. Mr. Staub was best man for his son-in-law.

Breakfast was served at Irem Temple Country Club after which the couple left on a trip.

Mrs. Garey is a graduate of St. Mary’s high School and College Misericordia and is a member of faculty of Kingston Township High School.

Chief Petty Officer Garey is a graduate of Kingston Township high School, and prior to entering the Navy, May 2, 1942, operated Garey Constructions Company. He had been on sea duty since July 21, 1942. A veteran of Guadalcanal, for the last year he had been stationed at New Caledonia.

FLIGHT OFFICER RALPH J. KESTER INJURED

Letter to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Kester, N. Main St., conveys the message that Flight Officer, Ralph J. Kester, was injured when landing in France, having flown there from England. He sustained a fractured ankle and bruises, and is now in a hospital in that country. It is expected he will be sent to his base hospital soon.

His present address is: Flight Officer, Ralph J. Kester, T-640, 100 T. C. Sqn., 441st T. C. Group, APO 133, % Postmaster, New York, N.Y.

Dies in Action

July 8, 1944

CORP. JOHN NEALON

Corp. Nealon, 34, was killed in action in North Burma on June 13, while in action with the U. S. Army Engineers.

He was the husband of the former Miss Elizabeth Beynon of 30 west main Street, Plymouth, and the son of Mr. and Mrs. John Nealon, 8 Scott Street, Plains.

News of Corp. Nealon’s death is being kept from his wife who is seriously ill at Wilkes-Barre General Hospital.

Other survivors include a son Jackie, daughter, Beth Ann; sister, Alice, Plains, and a brother, Pvt. Thomas Nealon, with the U. S. Army at Camp Breckenridge, Ky.

Wounded In Belguim

Oct. 4, 1944

Roy Thompson Suffers Wounds

Shickshinny Soldier Wounded In Belgium; Was On German Soil

Pfc. Roy Thompson, well known Shickshinny soldier, has been wounded in action, a letter written to William Koons, a friend, reveals. The letter was written from an Army Hospital and was written by one of the hospital staff, since the wounds suffered were to the soldier’s arms and hands.

The letter states that Pfc. Thompson was wounded in Belgium, and that he had been on German soil before being hit by enemy fire.

PVT. THOMAS WILKINSON WOUNDED IN ACTION

SEPT. 1944

A letter written by a nurse to Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Wilkinson, of Detroit, former residents here, conveys the news that their son, Thomas was wounded in Action in France and is under her care. That he is doing as well as can be expected and is definitely out of the conflict. The nature of his injuries was not stated. Tommie’s many friends in Shickshinny are anxiously awaiting further news.

His address is Pvt. Thomas Wilkinson, 36881092, Det. of Patients 4191 U. S. Army Hospital Plant, APO 209, P. M. New York.

KENNETH JOHNSON MEETS VINCENT CERETTA RECENTLY

Pvt. Kenneth Johnson, former butcher at the ACME Store here, who has recently been discharged from a hospital in England, where he was confined with pneumonia, had the unexpected pleasure of meeting an "old home town friend", Vincent Ceretta, at a place of amusement, where Ceretta is playing with an orchestra, somewhere in England.

These Articles were donated by: Marge
©1997-2016 by Mary Ann Lubinsky for the PAGenWeb Project, and by Individual Contributors

Mary Ann Lubinsky, County Coordinator

Back To Luzerne Genweb