Salute 2015 by AIM Media Indiana

2015

A tribute to Johnson County area veterans who have served our country

A DAILY JOURNAL PUBLICATION

SALUTE: a tribute TO JOHNSON COUNTY AREA VETERANS WHO HAVE SERVED OUR COUNTRY

MAY 23, 2015

Charles Conrad

James Toney

Christopher May

Bernard Lesniak

Boyce Klutts

Catherine Weiler

Donald Clark

Robert Hyatt

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Salute 2015

Evelyn McGaughey Gross Page 19

Walter Dreyfus Page 20

For editorial content, contact Paul Hoffman in the Daily Journal special publications department at 317-736-2721 or by email at phoffman@dailyjournal.net For advertising content, contact the Daily Journal advertising department at 317736-2730. A publication of the DAILY JOURNAL, 30 S. Water St., Ste. A, Franklin, IN 46131

Charles Schuster Page 22

WE HONOR VETERANS & Every Family We Serve We salute all soldiers, especially those who made the ultimate sacriﬁce. They will always be remembered in the hearts of those they loved...

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MAY 23, 2015

Salute

MAY 23, 2015

CHARLES C. CONRAD

army

Mangled helmet reminder of Battle of the Bulge By Carol Edwards Correspondent

harles Conrad came very close to being one of the casualties in the bloodiest battle fought by American troops in World War

II. The Greenwood resident remembers the Battle of the Bulge all too well as a member of the First Infantry Division. A Charles C. mangled helmet Conrad with his Age: 94 identification Birthplace: Cass number on it was County a vivid reminder Years of Service: of just how close 1943-1945 he came to not Assigned to: coming home Company B, 319th alive. Infantry Battalion, U.S. casualty 80th Infantry estimates range Division anywhere from Duties: Combat 75,000 to more Rifleman Rank: Private than 100,000 for First Class the Battle of the Family: Married Bulge. About 65 years to wife 19,000 of the Geraldine, now 600,000 deceased; two sons; Americans who grandchildren and participated great-grandchildren perished in the Residence: densely forested Greenwood Ardennes region of Belgium, France and Luxembourg on the Western Front toward the end of World War II in Europe. The battle, which caught the Allied forces off guard, lasted from Dec. 16, 1944 to Jan. 25, 1945. Conrad entered World War II in 1943 as a replacement. Even though he was married, he was drafted and became part of the combat infantry division. He served for 26 months before returning stateside. Conrad remembers the dangers he

“Would I want to do No! But it was

again?

something that had to be done.”

— Charles C. Conrad

Greenwood’s Charles Conrad, above, nearly lost his life in Europe during World War II. At left are paintings of Conrad and his wife, Geraldine, done by a German during the war. Above photo by Don Meyer

faced during those years. He recalls one encounter, in particular, where two women, armed with weapons, managed to hold down his company. The women, he said, held the high ground and were behind a large picket fence.

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“We finally got things under control,” he said, and the women were taken away. The most perilous times, Conrad said, were river crossings. Almost always at night, the boats were loaded to

capacity so they rode low in the water to avoid detection. “I couldn’t swim,” Conrad said. The thought of crossing the river, at night, in total darkness was unsettling. Conrad, now 94, thinks about his fellow soldiers of years past from time to time, but has not renewed contact with them in decades. After the war, he went back to work and tried his best to leave behind those memories of the battles he had been part of. Two years ago, he was fortunate to visit the World War II National Memorial in Washington, D.C., with others from the Greenwood area. When he thinks about his call to duty during the war, Conrad said he feels as though he was blessed to fight in Europe rather than in the South Pacific. “I had a gift of going to Europe, not the South Pacific like some of the guys had to do. Would I want to do it again? No! But it was something that had to be done,” he said. Conrad lives in Greenwood near his family. He was married for 65 years to his wife, Geraldine, until her death in 2006. His home is filled with pictures of his family and the quilting his wife loved to do. He enjoys family times with his two sons, his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

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Salute

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Salute

MAY 23, 2015

JAMES CARVER TONEY

NAVY/NAVAL RESERVE

Toney performed many jobs in the Navy By Amy May Staff writer

ames Toney’s interests are many and varied. He enjoys making model ships, including an intricate copy of the HMS Bounty and a U.S. Navy destroyer. He makes arrowheads. He’s working on a radio-controlled airplane with plans to fly it at Johnson County Park. He likes history and is interested in all things Navy. He’s writing a book about his own service, James Carver Toney called “Fantails,” a Age: 85 nickname for the furthest Birthplace/hometown: aft part of a warship. Hammond Residence: Franklin Toney was a medical Years of service: 26 student at Indiana Branch of service: U.S. University, but after Navy and U.S. Naval Reserve running out of money for Assigned unit: Various tuition, he decided to join ships and shore-based the Navy. installations “This was before they Duties: Deck and gunnery had student loans,” he Rank attained: E-8 Senior said. Chief Boatswains Mate He enlisted for three Military honors: Expert years and then served an pistol, Expert rifle shot, U.S. additional year, what they Navy Combat Ribbon, Korean called a “Truman year,” Presidents Medal, WWII Victory due to the Korean War. Medal, United Nations Medal, He was discharged, but a Korean Service Medal, European Occupation Medal, year later, re-enlisted in Asian Occupation Medal, U.S. the U.S. Naval Reserve, Naval Reserve Meritorious where he remained until Service Medal, Asiatic Pacific his retirement. Campaign Medal, American Toney’s 26 years of Campaign Medal, National service in the U.S. Navy Defense Medal, Good Conduct were as varied as his Medal, Surface Warfare Pin. interests. He joined in Family: Wife, Shirley Ann 1948 and said he is Toney; one brother “technically” a World War II veteran since he was part of the occupation force in Europe and Japan. He remembers a visit to Nagasaki, Japan, and seeing the damage wrought by the atomic bomb. “It was completely burned up, but they had cleared the streets of ashes and rubble,” he said. “We had to carry our own food and water and use dosimeter badges to test radiation levels. It was pretty impressive destruction.”

He was on the USS Borie during the Korean War. The destroyer was part of Seahorse Squadron, which patrolled the coast of Korea and took part in the destruction of an enemy submarine. He was a boatswain, which meant he took care of ship’s maintenance, the rigging, mooring and gear and completed general work duty. “I did everything after that on my different ships,” he said. He served on everything from the anti-aircraft cruiser USS Roanoke to captain of a tugboat. He was also a shallow water diver and did a stint in a submarine. The sub was called a guppy. It was diesel powered and used a snorkel to supply air to the engine. When it

We Salute All The Veterans Who Have Served Our Nation So Proudly

submerged, there were lots of pressure changes that made it an uncomfortable ride, he said. He was activated to participate in the blockade during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. Despite being part of this pivotal historical event, the actual assignment was boring, he said. The ship was assigned to patrol the coast of Cuba and intercept any ships, especially Soviet vessels, trying to get in or out of the area. The sailors on his ship never saw any other vessels. “Generally, a sailor’s life is pretty boring because of routine. When you get in combat, it’s a relief to get to do something,” he said. When Toney was discharged, he went to work for a printing company, then a water utility near Valparaiso.

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Salute

MAY 23, 2015

IN HIS OWN WORDS A chapter from James Toney’s book, “Fantails,” recounts a battle during the Korean War:

DEATH AT SEA

Opposite page: James Toney with the USS Borie on his computer screen. At right: A model ship Toney made. He enjoys building models of ships. Photos by Amy May

He developed a system to help the utility prevent contamination of the water supply. The system eliminated the risk of sewage and wastewater being sucked into the clean water lines due to pressure changes. “Ours was the first system to do that,” he said. This work earned him a Sagamore on the Wabash award from Gov. Bob Orr in 1985. Now retired, he and his wife of 57 years, Shirley Ann, live in Franklin and enjoy their various hobbies. He is not sure if he’ll ever publish his book. “I’ll probably never finish it, but I keep plugging away at it,” he said.

“Generally, a

sailor’s life is pretty boring

because of routine. When you get in combat, it’s a relief to get to do something.”

— James Toney

During the Korean War, the Seahorse Squadron, which comprised the USS Borie DD-704 and her sister ships, was assigned to patrol the east coast of Korea. It would be looking for targets of opportunity, such as coastal railroad bridges, troop concentrations, etc. These ships were destroyers of the Sumner class, displacing 2,200 tons. Each vessel was armed with six 5-foot, .38-caliber rifles mounted in three turrets, quad-barreled 40 mm guns and numerous 20 mm machine guns. Amid ship on the second deck were torpedo tubes, and the fantail supported two roll-off type depth charge racks. K guns mounted aft on both port and starboard decks completed the spread capability of a wide depth charge pattern. I was aboard the Borie as the main battery range finder operator. It was an enviable position as I was able to see almost every action in detail and close up. All ships’ crews were at battle stations in this area. The crew ate and slept round the clock at battle stations. It became a harsh existence, especially in bad weather when temperatures bottomed at 30 to 50 below zero. Gun crews on exposed mounts hovered under canvas tarps, which was poor protection from the elements. One afternoon on a calm sea, sonar reported a contact some thousand yards off our port bow. The Borie’s engines went to full speed and the captain ordered sonar to transmit a message to the submarine “to surface and identify.” The target’s response was to dive and change course. Ordinarily, the submarine has the advantage until it is discovered. But now the advantage was ours. The Borie radioed to the other destroyers for assistance. They had been patrolling some hundred miles to the north and

south of Borie’s designated area. It was almost noon the next day before they arrived on the scene. Meanwhile, Borie’s sonar kept track of the target overnight, hoping not to eat one of their “fish.” A tactic known as “Hunter Killer” was put into action where all three destroyers “ping” on the target while circling it. At a designated moment one “killer” breaks off from the circle and makes a depth charge run at the sub. Meanwhile, “hunters” continue circling and pinging the target. After the run, “killer” then becomes “hunter” and another vessel makes a run. This allows the former “killer” to rearm its racks and K guns. A routine is thus established either sealing the fate of the sub or exhausting the ships’ supply of charges. Borie made the first run, and as it turned to cross the center of the circle, it healed over at full speed laying a pattern of charges that detonated, violently hammering the Borie’s ribs. It took about 15 patterns to crack the sub’s hull. Then a giant bubble rose from the sea 50 yards in diameter. The sea turned light blue followed by trash and bodies rolling in the wash. Sonar piped the sounds to the “1-MC,” which is the public address system aboard ship. A dying ship makes an eerie noise as it breaks up under water. There are crunching sounds like the sound that might be made from a person squeezing a handful of potato chips and a warping of metal much like the whine of a person playing a carpenter’s hand saw blade. The Borie slowed to dead in the water. The crew did not celebrate, but stood listening to the noises in silence. They knew it could have been the other way around. Deck hands gathered oil samples and pieces of miscellaneous floating wreckage and body parts which would later be used to determine their origins. Many body parts were left to be digested by the sea. The Borie released its helpers and went back to her here-to-for assignment.

WE SALUTE OUR VETERANS.

Thank you to all our brave men and women who serve and have served our country.

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Salute

MAY 23, 2015

CHRISTOPHER MAY

ARMY/NATIONAL GUARD

May matured when he entered military

By Jenn Willhite Correspondent

f you ask Staff Sgt. Christopher May how the military changed his life, he will answer simply. “The military allowed me to become a man,” he said. The Franklin resident said over the course of his more than decade-long military career, his most memorable experiences run the gamut of good and bad, from being part of a brother/ sisterhood to losing a close friend. From 2002 to 2010, May, 31, served two deployments to Iraq and one to Afghanistan, three years of which was spent in active combat situations. “Each time I came home, I came home different,” he said. “Each experience made me learn something new about myself.” May’s wife, Crystal, believes her husband’s tours overseas definitely impacted his worldview. She acknowledges his outlook on life has changed from that of the 19-year-old kid he was when he enlisted the first time. “When I first heard he was going to the military, I thought it was a negative thing,” Crystal May said. “But, looking back, it was probably the best thing for him.” May grew up with the expectation that he would graduate high school and go on to college. However, after spending a brief time at Ball State University, the Franklin High School graduate quickly realized college wasn’t part of his life’s journey at the time. “So I figured a way to do something with my life was to go and serve,” May said. “Each time I came up for re-enlistment, I was ranking up and did well because I loved what I was doing.” In the military, it’s customary to train for specific duties, but when May joined in 2002, he didn’t know what he wanted to do; he just knew he wanted to be a civilian police officer when he got out. He began his military career as a gunner and driver and quickly worked his way up to an E6 rank of staff sergeant. During his 2004 deployment to Iraq, May trained for seven months to become a K-9 handler. As a member of the specialized search dog program, May was paired with Tazer, a black Labrador-Rottweiler mix. Tazer worked off-leash and would respond to hand signals and verbal commands, May said. The pair worked together to find improvised explosive devices in combat situations. “To actually be on the battlefield and watch Tazer save lives was exceptional,” May said. The most rewarding thing about

working with Tazer was being able to take him from being a very confused, untrained dog to an “IED-finding machine,” he said. May equates watching Tazer during his first day on the battlefield to raising a child and watching him graduate high school. When Tazer found his first IED, he was so happy, even though he didn’t truly understand what it was he did. “All he did was run back, get his ball and he was good to go,” May said. “I remember calling family and all my trainers I ever had in K-9, letting them know he did his job and did it well.” After working together for 2 1/2 years, May and Tazer parted ways. Exposure to repeated explosions and firefights left Tazer with behavioral issues that negatively impacted his ability to work with May. Since his retirement, Tazer has been enjoying the good life in Oklahoma with one of May’s former trainers from Fort George G. Meade in Maryland. May said he stays in contact with the trainer, who regularly sends him pictures of Tazer. In June 2014, May joined the Columbus Police Department as a patrol officer. However, when he re-enlisted in the National Guard in October, he received orders to report for active duty in January 2015. Today, he serves full-time as part of the recruiting and retention battalion with the Indiana Army National Guard in Franklin and said he’s the happiest he’s ever been because he’s able to impact the lives of others in a positive way. Above all, May said his most memorable experience is “making it through everything,” returning home to his family, and being able to start a family of his own. Since the couple married in 2006, Crystal May has discovered how important it is to remember that as hard as the military life is on spouses, it’s a lot harder on the spouse who is serving. “They are the ones who have to come home with some pretty awful memories,” she said. “So it’s important to be supportive of them.” If he could do things differently, May said he might have joined the National Guard first and then pursued a college degree, but he wouldn’t trade the changes he’s undergone for anything. He said when he graduated from his 16-week basic training he had a feeling of pride — that he was going to do something for his family and country. “I look back to when I was 18 and the change is night and day,” he said. “I became a new person, a better person. And it gave me a sense of direction.”

Christopher May

Age: 31 Birthplace/hometown: Franklin Residence: Franklin Years of Service: 2002 to present Branch of Service: U.S. Army; Indiana National Guard Assigned Unit: Attachment 1 Company C (Scottsburg); Recruiting and Retention Battalion with the National Guard (Franklin) Duties: Military police/canine handler; recruitment Rank Attained: E6 (staff sergeant) Family: Wife, Crystal; son, Cruz

Above: Staff Sgt. Christopher May sits in an armored Humvee at the U.S. Army armory in Franklin. At left: May discusses a benefits package with Pvt. Austen Wilson. Photos by Mark Freeland

Salute

MAY 23, 2015

The Edinburgh Lions Club thanks all those who serve our country. We appreciate your service, sacrifice and commitment to keeping our country safe.

GOD BLESS AMERICA!

The Edinburgh Lions Club Serving Our Community!

Salute

MAY 23, 2015

BERNARD LESNIAK

air corps

Greenwood man trained pilots in WWII By Carol Edwards Correspondent

At right: Bernard Lesniak at his residence in Greenwood. Below: Lesniak’s service photo with his Bugs Bunny service patch worn by flight instructors and his flight instructor certification. Photo at right by Don Meyer

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Bernard Lesniak

ernard Lesniak was only 18 when he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1942. He was still in high school, but wanted more than anything else to fly missions in the midst of World War II. Even though he would not fly overseas, he would serve two years as a specialized flight instructor preparing hundreds of young pilots for the perilous missions they would face during the war. Lesniak spent much of his time in the service training pilots in Georgia, Ohio and parts of the Southwest. By the war’s end, he had completed officer training school and was commissioned as a second lieutenant. He was also responsible for the training of those pilots who flew the B-25 bomber. Lesniak remembers much of his years as a flight instructor. The instructions he was given, he said, reflected well on the peril the young pilots would soon encounter. “While I was there, I was told, ‘Don’t get attached to anyone,’” he said. “We were told to not write to soldiers we had met. Sometimes you would get those letters back and know that someone was killed and then you felt bad.” The training Lesniak led was basically a two-month session. During each session, half of the students would learn in a classroom setting, while the others would work on their flight training. The physicals were strict, Lesniak recalled. Pilots had to have keen depth perception and a fairly high IQ. A few

Age: 91 Birthplace: Pennsylvania Years of Service: 1942-1945 Assigned to: United States Air Corps Duties: Flight Instructor, provided training for B-25 pilots Rank: Second lieutenant Family: Married 66 years to wife, Thelma; 3 children; grandchildren and great-grandchildren Residence: Greenwood

wouldn’t make the program. Some were too frightened, even though they desperately wanted to fly. Some would not become pilots, but would serve as navigators or bombardiers. Even though Lesniak did not fly overseas, he had a few harrowing experiences while training potential pilots. One case, in particular, was a training mission with a biplane in the swampland of Georgia. “The engine quit,” he said. He remembers looking all around for a place to land. There was scrub grass and trees everywhere. “I saw a clearing,” Lesniak said. “I thought maybe we could land in that clearing. But that couldn’t happen.” As the plane descended, one wing was torn off, and then the other. He and his student pilot walked away from the crash. The student pilot, however, flunked out, Lesniak said. Today, Lesniak occasionally keeps in contact with a fellow flight instructor from the war years. He has been married for 66 years to his wife, Thelma. Together, they enjoy spending time with their three children, seven grandchildren, and eight greatgrandchildren in their Greenwood home.

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Salute

MAY 23, 2015

VETERANS, WE SALUTE YOU! May is National Military Appreciation Month Congress designated May as National Military Appreciation Month in 1999 to ensure the nation was given the opportunity to publicly demonstrate its appreciation for the sacrifices and successes made by our servicemembers past and present. May was selected because it has the most days set aside for celebrating and commemorating our militaryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s achievements. These days include Loyalty Day, which was established in 1921; Victory in Europe (VE) Day, commemorating the end of World War II in Europe on May 8, 1945; Armed Forces Day, created in 1949; Military Spouse Appreciation Day, established in 1984; and Memorial Day. Memorial Day, the only federal holiday in May, is celebrated on the last Monday of the month. The day, dating from the Civil War era, traditionally has marked recognition of those who have died in service to the nation. With Memorial Day coming up on Monday, the Daily Journal salutes all those who have served, or are currently serving, in our armed forces. Thank you!

Proctor Park

n the tranquil beauty of an open field in the center of Johnson County lies an 11 acre amazing tribute to our beloved Veterans and our Hometown Heroes. It is the hidden jewel of Johnson County.

Proctor Memorial Park was formally dedicated on May 3, 2008 and is a small but sincere means of thanking all of our Military personnel, those who have served and those currently serving. This park is a tribute to all Veterans; those living and deceased. It also honors the families of these brave men and women for their sacrifices as they have been called upon to face separation from their loved ones. There is no greater country in the world than this the United States of America. We are so blessed to call this home and we are forever in your debt for willingly defending our freedom, protecting our borders and keeping us safe.

mond Miller WWII Veteran 1st Lt. Ray

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Not all hero es have nu mb ers on their jerseys.â&#x20AC;?

Proctor Park is also a tribute to all of our Hometown Heroes; those men and women who serve and protect our communities as police officers, firefighters and emergency responders. These are the brave men and women who rush into danger when others are running out. These public servants sacrifice on a daily basis as well, as they put our needs before those of themselves and their families.

In 2012 the Hoosier Heroes Wall was added. This wall bears the name of every Indiana life that has been lost, while in service, since 9/11. Sadly there are more than 200 names on this wall. In 2014 the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was dedicated. Indiana lost more than 1,500 lives during the Vietnam War. Parents and grandparents take children to the park and point out the name of a relative who has served our great country and explain to them the pride and honor that comes with serving as well as the potential sacrifice and cost of doing so. Families are comforted knowing that their loved ones will not be forgotten and that they are remembered in a place that celebrates life and honors their service. Proctor Memorial Park is a place of honor and remembrance, a place of reflection and thanksgiving, a place of community and celebration. A place where visitors are encouraged to reflect on the lives and sacrifices of those so honored and remembered and give thanks for all those who continue in their footsteps. www.newwhiteland.in.gov or contact Maribeth Alspach 317-535-7500

As your family celebrates this Memorial Day, I urge you to make a trip to

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spend some time reflecting on the heroes that live right next door.

Salute

MAY 23, 2015

BOYCE R. KLUTTS

ARMY AIR FORCE

Klutts survived plane getting shot down, POW stint By Amy May Staff writer

The men were assigned to a B-17 “Flying Fortress” based at Framingham, England. Their job was to fly over Germany and take out various targets, which could include ven after getting his plane shot factories, bridges, military down, being installations, etc. taken prisoner, On Nov. 4, 1944, the crew, interrogated and Boyce R. Klutts who called themselves Age: 90 marched 600 miles across Birthplace/hometown: Charlotte, “Hannah’s Children,” in Germany, Boyce Klutts North Carolina honor of the waitress who bears no ill will toward Residence: Greenwood took care of them at the German soldiers. Years of service: 1943-1945 Piccadilly Circus when “They were just doing Branch of service: U.S. Army Air they were on leave, was on their job. They felt sorry Force a mission to bomb a for us and we felt sorry Assigned unit: 390th Bomb Group, synthetic oil plant in for them,” he said. 8th Air Force Merseberg, Germany. Klutts was drafted into Duties: Radioman and right waist “We were flying our 35th the military in 1943, in the gunner on B-17 bomber mission, our last mission midst of World War II. He Rank attained: Technical sergeant before we came home,” was happy to be assigned Military honors: Distinguished Klutts said. to the Army Air Force Flying Cross, Air Medal with three The plane was hit with because “it’s more clusters, Victory Medal, Good flak from German antiglamorous,” he said. He Conduct Medal, European Theatre aircraft guns. attended basic training at Medal, Prisoner of War Medal. “The four officers were Kessler Field, Mississippi; Family: Wife, Betty; sons, Sherrill killed in the hit. The plane and Wesley; grandsons, David, radio school at Sioux Falls, Spencer and Russell. went into a spin and finally South Dakota; and gunnery exploded. The five enlisted school in Yuma, Arizona. men got out,” he said. “I In Tampa, Florida, he was was blown out of the plane. I was trying to united with his flight crew, which stayed get back to the waist door to get out.” together until their last mission. All of them Klutts thinks he was knocked out. He did not come home, though.

Above: Boyce Klutts during his days in the U.S. Army Air Force. At right: Klutts with his wife, Betty, at their Greenwood residence. Above submitted photo; Photo at right by Don Meyer

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MAY 23, 2015

June 1-11

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remembers trying to get his parachute hooked up and getting one hook fastened. His next memory is of floating down to earth in his ’chute. Because of that incident, Klutts is a member of the Caterpillar Club, he said. “This is for anyone who has had to make a forced parachute jump to save your life.” It is named in honor of the silkworms that make the material once used for parachutes. Klutts landed in a small town in Germany. “I was picked up by the local police and put in jail in the little town. The next morning, I was put on a train to Frankfort, the interrogation center. I was there for two weeks,” he said. According to a submission he wrote for “Memories of the Wonderful World of Greenwood 1900-2003,” the German interrogators screamed at and threatened their prisoners, but there were no beatings. He was put on another train and sent to Stalag Luft IV, in what is now Tychowo, Poland, where he remained until Feb. 6, 1945. The prisoners survived on Red Cross parcels, sometimes split between four or five soldiers, to supplement the little food the Germans fed them. The conditions were harsh and history documents abusive treatment of POWs, but Klutts saw no mistreatment, he said. On Feb. 6, the men could hear Russian guns near their camp. “We thought we were going to be liberated, but the Germans had another idea,” Klutts said. “They moved the ones who could not walk out of reach on a train. Then they took about 200 to 300 of us at a time and started us marching. As it ended up, we thought we’d be marching for three or four days. It was 86 days total, about 600 miles to Stalag 13.” The march would become known as the Black March, where 8,000 men were forced to march under guard about 15 to 20 miles per day. Many suffered dysentery,

Drop off locations:

A B-17 bomber like the one on which Klutts served.

frozen feet, malnutrition and pneumonia. Some men fell by the wayside and the others never found out what happened to them, Klutts said. “At the end of the day, they’d put us in a barn if one was available. If one wasn’t, we’d sleep on the ground,” Klutts said. The second stalag was no better than the one they had marched from. “They fed us ‘grass soup’ in the camp or a bucket of potatoes for 26 of us. I lost 35 to 40 pounds.” Then they could hear American guns coming from the other direction. So, they were again evacuated and marched, this time back toward Stalag IV. It was “very frustrating” to be marching around when the Allies were so near, Klutts said. “The second march was not so long. We were at a barn and they got us up to count us. All of a sudden, the guards threw their guns down. We looked down the road and saw a British jeep. We knew we were liberated,” Klutts said. “We felt sorry for the guards. They were old men. They couldn’t fight,” he said. Klutts said there were instances when the enemy showed him kindness. When he was being

Greenwood Parks Department 100 Surina Way

Johnson County Veteran’s Affairs Johnson County Courthouse

Bargersvil e Town Hall 24 North Main Street

Johnson County Recycling District, 900 Arvin Rd., Suite A, Franklin

Retire EdinburghTattered Public Library 119 W. Mai n Cross St . Flags Retire

Trafalgar Town Hall 2770 West State Road 252

June 1-11

Tattered Fl a g Reti r e ment Cer e mony—J u ne 14 7: 0 0 p. m . Flags Drop off locations:

Greenwood Parks Department 100 Surina Way

Johnson County Veteran’s Affairs Johnson County Courthouse

AmeriJune can Legion Post1-11 #205, 1200 Park Ave., Franklin. June 1-11 Public is invited.

Bargersville Town Hall 24 North Main Street

Johnson County Recycling District, 900 Arvin Rd., Suite A, Franklin

Drop off locations:

Edinburgh Public Parks Library 119 W. Greenwood Department • Johnson County Veteran’s Trafalgar TownAffairs Hall Bargersville TownSt. Hall Drop • Edinburgh Public Library Trafalgar Town Hall off locations: 2770 •West State Road 252 Main Cross Johnson County Recycling District

Johnson County Veteran’s Affairs Greenwood Parks Department For more information contact the p.m. Flag Retirement Ceremony—June 14 7:00 100 Surina Way Johnson County Courthouse American Legion Post #205, 1200 Park Ave., Franklin. Johnson County Recycling District at Public is invited. Bargersville Town Hall Johnson County Recycling District, 317-738-2546 24 North Main Street

900 Arvin Rd., Suite A, Franklin

Edinburgh Public Library 119 W.

Trafalgar Town Hall

transported to Frankfort, he was on a German troop train that was standing room only. A German soldier slipped a cigarette in his pocket. Fearing it might be poisoned, Klutts threw it away. Then the soldier gave Klutts a whole, unopened pack. At one stop, they saw refugees, women and children whose town and homes had been bombed. The German warned him not to let the women know he was on the train or they would “tear him apart,” Klutts said. After their liberation, the prisoners were given British uniforms, put on a plane and taken to Camp Lucky Strike near Le Havre, France “to fatten us up.” “We could have anything we wanted to eat. We were there for several weeks,” he said. Then, they got on a ship and came home to Newport News, Virginia. The band played “Don’t Fence Me In” at their welcome-home ceremony. His last mission was the most harrowing, but Klutts said the plane was shot at most times the crew went out. On the 26th mission, their ball gunman got a piece of shrapnel in his hand. Another time, they had to make an emergency landing in Russia. Fortunately, the Air Force sent another plane to pick them up the next day. “We came back alone several times with the engines out or the engines smoking, all from flak,” he said. After his service, Klutts returned to Charlotte, North Carolina, and got a job at Lance Packing, the company that makes the cheese crackers often seen in vending machines, where he met his wife, Betty. After they married, he worked for the Civilian Retired Accounts Branch in St. Louis, and then he got a job with the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad as a dispatcher. The Klutts family, which by then included their two sons, moved to Indiana in 1956.

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CATHERINE WEILER

Salute

ARMY

MAY 23, 2015

Seeking adventure, Weiler enlisted at 31

By Sharon Greene Correspondent

injured. They would still be in shock and distraught at their circumstances. Her first patient was a bilateral amputee. He was an airman attached to t the age of 31, with several a special operations unit in years of college and a few Afghanistan. traditional jobs under her belt, She was quite taken aback by his Cathy Weiler felt she needed injuries and general appearance. some adventure and a challenge. So, “He had a full beard, was thin and she joined the U.S. Army. gaunt looking,” Weiler said. “He was Her decision to dramatically change American, but almost course and become an looked like he was Army nurse has Catherine Weiler Afghan.” impacted many lives Age: 40 His wife, also an besides her own. She Birthplace/Hometown: airman, came to worked as a medical/ Indianapolis Washington, D.C., to be surgical nurse on the Residence: Indianapolis with him. Although the Surgical Orthopedic Years of Service: 2006–2011 wife had a very difficult unit, Ward 57, at Walter Branch of Service: U.S. Army time, her husband Reed Army Hospital for Assigned Unit: 31st Combat displayed an amazing 2½ years, followed by Support Hospital - Afghanistan attitude during his nine months in a combat Duties: Nursing treatment and recovery support hospital in Rank attained: E4 and Weiler credits him Afghanistan. Family: Parents, Dale and with helping her build Her initial training Joanna Weiler; siblings, John her confidence as a was as a combat medic, Weiler, Jennifer Weilernurse. followed by a one year Patterson; brother-in-law, Mike Most double leg course of study to be an Patterson. amputees are LPN. hospitalized for at least “I absolutely loved my job,” Weiler said. “When you’re trained three months after their initial injury to be an Army nurse, all you want to do before they can be fitted with is work with wounded soldiers.” prosthetic legs. The average patient is Her very first patient at Walter Reed hospitalized for about three years and caused her to question whether she can undergo as many as 80 surgeries. would be able to deal with the Nurses got to know them well. Weiler devastating injuries and emotional said being a part of this process and trauma these injured soldiers endured. finally witnessing a patient walk The wounded usually arrived at Walter around on their new legs was very Reed within 24 to 48 hours after being satisfying.

“I

absolutely loved my job. When you’re

trained to be an

Army

nurse, all you want to

do is work with wounded soldiers.” Catherine Weiler, who lives on the southside of Indianapolis, spent five years in the U.S. Army as a nurse. Photo by Don Meyer

In memory of the Veterans from Johnson County who gave their lives in support of Freedom

— Catherine Weiler

We support our troops!

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After 2½ years at Walter Reed, Weiler was nearing the end of her enlistment. One day, on her day off, she was called in for a meeting with about 25 other soldiers by the sergeant major of the hospital. The only one not in uniform, she felt very self-conscious. But when the sergeant major asked her what it would take to get her to re-enlist she said: 1) immediate deployment, 2) a contract that would allow her to be discharged from the Army at the end of the deployment and 3) a huge bonus. Her time at Walter Reed made her feel she needed to deploy and work as a field nurse. The sergeant major immediately agreed with her first two requirements, but dismissed the third because there “was no money for bonuses” for her job. She soon found herself on her way to the Marine base, Camp Dwyer, in Helmand Province near a town called Marjah. Looking back, she knows her time at Walter Reed was preparing her to be a stronger person and a better nurse for when she faced battlefield casualties up close and personal. “It is stunning to see a 19-year-old with both his legs blown off,” she said. “But I could tell him, ‘You’ll be OK. There’s light at the end of the tunnel. You will walk again. I promise.’” Weiler said her greatest accomplishment while in the Army was simple: “Proving to myself I could do it. I joined, I did something awesome and I came back home.”

Catherine Weiler with her family. From left: Dale Weiler, her father, a vet of the 101st Airborne; Joanna Weiler, her mother; Catherine; Jennifer Patterson, her sister, a member of the U.S. Army Reserves and former active duty captain; and Mike Patterson, her brother-in-law, a former Army lieutenant colonel. Photo by Don Meyer

From left: Weiler endured extreme heat while deployed in Afghanistan. Weiler and a fellow army nurse in front of the Blackhawk helicopter with M-16s on their backs. She wore out two pair of gloves constructing the field hospital with Navy Seabees and other soldiers.

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DONALD CLARK

Salute

MAY 23, 2015

NAVY

Brother’s death in WWII didn’t deter enlistment By Kami Ervin Correspondent

Donald “Poke” Clark

Age: 87 Birthplace/hometown: Edinburgh Residence: Edinburgh Years of Service: June 1945-March 1949; Naval Reserve until December, 1953 Branch of Service: U.S. Navy Assigned Unit: USS Chowanoc Duties: Seaman/ boatswain’s mate Rank Attained: BMSN Military Honors: World War II Victory Medal, American Theatre Medal, Asiatic Pacific Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Operation Crossroads Family: Widowed; married for 57 years to Jackie Clark; daughter and son-in-law, Karen and Charles Fitzpatrick; three grandchildren; one greatgrandson

hen Japan surrendered in August 1945, thousands of U.S. troops began making their way back home. Edinburgh resident Donald Clark witnessed one of the famous homecomings in New York City at Times Square as he passed through on his way home from boot camp in Sampson, New York. However, it wasn’t until he participated in the Indy Honor Flight on Sept. 7, 2013, that Clark got a homecoming of his own. Just a year before the surrender, Clark was a 16-year-old getting ready to enter his sophomore year at Edinburgh High School when his brother, Merle, was killed aboard the USS Colorado during the shelling at Tinian Island in the Pacific on July 24, 1944. After his brother’s death, Clark, who was not yet old enough to join the Navy, quit school and worked at Arvin Industries until the following year, when he was of age to enlist with parental consent. Clark had another brother serving in the Army but he doesn’t remember feeling any anxiety about joining the military in the midst of World War II. “I was too young to be afraid,” he said. “I didn’t know any better.” Although the war would end shortly after his joining the Navy, Clark was a part of a series of nuclear tests in the Bikini Atoll during Operation Crossroads. Stationed aboard the USS Chowanoc, Clark’s crew was responsible for hauling ships out to the test site and then going back in several days after the tests to survey the damage. Clark recalls wearing protective colored glasses during the nuclear tests, which was basically the only protection offered to the crew located about 12 miles from the blast site. Clark still maintains that he was too young to be nervous about his duties at that time. “They had no clue of what the end result would be at the time, but eventually several of Dad’s shipmates died of cancer,” said Karen Fitzpatrick, Clark’s daughter. Just after his second year of service, Clark

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Edinburgh’s Donald Clark is honored during a ceremony at Washington, D.C., as part of the Indy Honor Flight. Submitted photo

received news from home that his father had passed away and he was given a brief furlough to return to Edinburgh. It was during this leave that Clark married his sweetheart back home, Jacqueline (Jackie) Lane on Aug. 26, 1947. “I wrote to her every day, even at sea,” Clark said. The two shared 57 years of marriage before she passed away in 2005. Clark spent several months serving in Hawaii before his active service ended in 1949. At that point, Clark was ready to go home. “My wife wanted me to fly, but I decided to take the train so I could see the scenery,” he said.

There was no grand homecoming like the one he had witnessed in New York City. Clark, who served in the Navy Reserve until 1953, returned to Arvin, where he worked in maintenance until his retirement in 1993. He still kept in touch with his Navy life. Before leaving the Chowanoc, the baker on the ship gave him a book containing handwritten names and addresses of the nearly 60 people aboard his ship. As the years went by, whenever the Clarks went on vacation, they took the book with them so they could look up former crew members. Even today, Clark still sends Christmas cards to his surviving Navy buddies.

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Through one of those surviving Navy buddies from Wisconsin, Clark heard of the Honor Flight Network. The nonprofit organization flies World War II, Korean and Vietnam war veterans on a one-day trip to Washington, D.C., to visit the memorials established in their honor. The veterans are treated to mail call en route to home, followed by a homecoming at their return. With the help of Fitzpatrick, Clark applied for an honor flight through Indy Honor Flight (indyhonorflight.org) and was chosen for the Sept. 7, 2013, flight out of Indianapolis with Fitzpatrick serving as his guardian. Guardians are volunteers who accompany veterans on their trip as well as act as a liaison with the Honor Flight Network and the family. Clark, along with 69 other veterans and their guardians, participated in a meet-and-greet event the night before and breakfast the morning of the flight. “They treat you like you were king,” he said. “IFD does a water cannon salute when the plane takes off and Washington, D.C., did one as we arrived.” Greeters, signs, banners and poster-sized military photos of the veterans welcome them to D.C. Each veteran is given a wheelchair for some of the walking parts of the tour, which is followed by a bus tour around several other sites, including a stop at Arlington National Cemetery and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. During their flight home, the veterans hear the announcement “Mail Call!” over the plane’s PA system, at which time they receive handwritten letters and

“I

Donald Clark looks over some of his mementos from his time in the military with his daughter, Karen Fitzpatrick. Photo by Kami Ervin

cards from all generations of participating Hoosiers thanking them for their sacrifices. The mail call is reminiscent of one of the few highlights soldiers had during their service. The final and most moving part of the Honor Flight, according to Clark, is the homecoming that takes place when the veterans arrive home. “There were 3,000 people waiting for us when we got

was too young to be afraid.

home. I shook hands with little kids holding little flags,” Clark said. “I never got a welcome home back then and it was the best thing that ever happened to me.” Clark also got to ride in a 1953 Studebaker in the 2013 Veteran’s Day parade in Indianapolis. Fitzpatrick was so taken with the events that she continues to volunteer for Indy Honor Flight as a greeter on flight days, but she hopes at some point to serve as a guardian again. “There was one 91-year-old woman on Dad’s flight who had been a photographer in the war,” Fitzpatrick recalled. “On another flight, there was a veteran who was blind and his guardian studied ahead of time to help describe all of the memorials in detail. There are just so many nice people.” Clark, 87, looks back on his time of service simply as a learning experience. “You learn to live with people and you learn a lot about people,” he said. Carefully placed around his home are mementos from his Navy days, including a teakwood deck plank from the USS Colorado, on which his brother was killed. The nearly 70-year-old address book, full of notes and corrections from over the years, still sits on his desk waiting for next year’s Christmas card mailing. And one distinct photo among his collection is a group photo of himself and 69 other veterans who were not only given the opportunity to visit memorials in their own honor, but to experience a homecoming that they may not have ever had the chance to experience.

didn’t know any better.”

— Donald Clark

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Salute

MAY 23, 2015

ROBERT HYATT

ARMY/MARINES

Hyatt injured twice while helping ailing soldiers By Greg Seiter Correspondent

Robert Hyatt

argersville native Robert Hyatt spent the vast majority of his service time in the U.S. Army and the U.S. Marine Corps attempting to help others but never did he imagine that his selfless acts would lead to his own injuries. “In World War II, I was tending to a wounded GI and I was shot in the back of the leg,” said the two-time Purple Heart recipient. The bullet passed straight through muscle and he was able to treat himself on the spot without having to go to a hospital. “When I was in the 8055th M.A.S.H during Korea, I was treating a soldier in the field and I got stabbed in the back with a bayonet,” Hyatt added. “Lucky for me it missed all the vital organs and my spine by about an inch. “In Korea and Vietnam, medics had a big cross on their back and the enemy apparently used that cross as a target.” Raised on a farm in Bargersville, Hyatt recalls having absolutely no intention of pursuing a career in agriculture as he grew up. “I didn’t want to be a farmer,” he said. “I was ready to serve. “All of my friends were going and I wanted to go too.” Hyatt served in the U.S. Army as a field medic during World War II and decided to re-enlist for the Korean War after struggling to find a civilian job. “That seemed like sort of a silly thing to do,” Hyatt’s son, David, said as they both shared a laugh. “But I really did want to stay in,” the elder Hyatt insisted while citing his family’s tradition of military service. Hyatt’s father served in World War I and his younger brother, Norman, spent 32 years as a Marine. Even, Hyatt’s brother-in-law, Bill Duke of Franklin, served in World War II. “Back then, everybody wanted to serve,” Hyatt said. And so, when his commitment to the Army was fulfilled, the five-time Bronze Star winner followed the lead of several friends and enlisted in the Marines. While serving as a supply sergeant in Vietnam, Hyatt helped construct an extra runway at the Da Nang Air Base and also helped build a nearby supply depot. But even his time there was filled with adventure. “When we were building the runway, I spotted a guy under the hood of my truck and he wasn’t supposed to be there so I shot him,” he said. “They were actually going to court martial me until they discovered that he

Age: 90 Birthplace/hometown: Born in Mooresville but grew up in Bargersville Residence: Franklin Branch of Service: Army (World War II and Korea), Marines (Vietnam) Years of Service: Army, 1943 to 1952; Marines, 1954 to 1965 Duties: Army (Field Medic), Marines (Supply Sergeant) Rank Attained: Sergeant E5 Military Honors: Purple Heart (2), Presidential citations, Bronze Star (5) Family: Children – David, Ona Mae Boggs, Dallas, Rex, Robert Jr., Charles and Timothy

Bargersville’s Robert Hyatt then (inset) and now (above). Above photo by Mark Freeland

had three sticks of dynamite with him.” After Vietnam, Hyatt returned to civilian life and initially worked at a gas station in Whiteland. He later went on to work as a security guard at the Franklin Methodist Home. “I met my third wife there but employees weren’t allowed to date one another so we both quit,” he said. Hyatt also worked as a security guard in Texas and Illinois. In more recent times, Hyatt has been honored for his military service in a number of ways. In fact, the

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Sagamore of the Wabash and Distinguished Hoosier Award recipient even received a U.S. House of Representatives proclamation that declared March 17, 2015, as Robert Hyatt day in Franklin. And while his son, David, has strived to learn more about his father’s military-related experiences, he acknowledges there are some stories that will probably never be told. “I’ve gotten very little out of him regarding World War II,” David stated. “His brother said that because Dad was a medic, he probably found most of his buddies either dead or dismembered. “Especially being 18 or 19 at the time; that must have been really hard on him. “My sister and brother have both told me that after he came back from World War II, he was different. He was hardened. “People didn’t recognize disorders like that back then. They just called it battle fatigue,” David continued. “They sent you home for a few weeks and then sent you right back. “They just thought you were tired.” Interestingly enough, at least according to Hyatt himself, he never really grew tired of military life. “If I had my health and my body was in good shape, I’d still be in the service,” he proudly said.

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MAY 23, 2015

EVELYN McGAUGHEY GROSS

ARMY NURSE CORPS

Gross spent her service caring for injured, sick By Amy May Staff writer

velyn McGaughey Gross’s war experiences were quite exotic for a farm kid who grew up in Russellville. Stationed in the Philippines, she was assigned to take care of some of the most mistreated soldiers in the war, the men who survived the Bataan Death March. She saw her share of strange diseases and eventually contracted malaria herself. Her farm was located in Putnam County and has been in her family for five generations. It is now farmed by her nephew. She studied nursing at Union Hospital in Terre Haute and was working at the hospital in Crawfordsville when she joined the Army. Her specialty was obstetrics, which was not much use at an Army hospital. “I was a freshman in nurses’ training when Pearl Harbor happened,” she said. “It was a horrible thing. They really took us by surprise. I had no idea I would end up part of it.” She learned the Army needed nurses and was drafting them, so she enlisted at Fort Harrison in Indianapolis. She said she was able to enter the service as a second lieutenant because she enlisted. Women were part of the service during World War II, but served as either military hospital nurses or in the Women’s Auxiliary Corps, all-female units that took on a variety of support duties. She trained at Fort Knox, Kentucky; Fort Jackson, South Carolina; and Camp Beale, California. The Navy hospital ship USS Comfort transported nurses to the 248th General Hospital in the Philippines. “The first night, everybody got sick but me,” she said. During Gross’s time at the hospital, she cared for men rescued from the Bataan Death March. The POWs were suffering from malnutrition and a host of tropical illnesses. “They were starved to death. I’ve got a picture of them. You can just count their ribs,” she said. They talked to her some about what they went through. Many of the men did not learn the fate of their comrades until they got to the hospital. “That was hard on them. They said if a fellow fell down and one of his friends helped him out, they would shoot him.” Gross said there was not much the medical staff could do for many of the men, who had been detained almost three years in brutal POW camps in addition to the tortuous march. “It makes you feel like you’re helpless because there’s

Evelyn McGaughey Gross. Photo by Amy May

not much you could do about it. Some died in the hospital. Starvation gives you lots of diseases,” she said. She also spent some time working in the dermatology ward and took care of people with leprosy. “That’s when I was the most scared (at first.) They were missing fingers and toes, but they weren’t contagious,” she said. She remembers learning about cultural differences there, as well. She was caring for a young man with a venereal disease. Penicillin, which was new, was given with a long needle. The Filipinos, she said, would say

Thank You Veterans!

“oooch, oooch” instead of “ouch” or “ow” like Americans. The hospital was built by the Army and had been bombed by the Japanese. When the Allied Forces won back the Philippines, the hospital was repaired. It was a large building with multiple wards and was quite a bit different from an American hospital. For one thing, it had rats everywhere, Gross said. One jumped out at her at the nurses’ station and she screamed. Another Evelyn McGaughey time, a co-worker left Gross Gross a sandwich in the Age: 90 kitchen, but a rat ate it Birthplace/hometown: before she could pick it up. Russellville For recreation, the Residence: Greenwood nurses were taken to Years of service: 19451946 Bagao, the “Pearl of the Branch of service: U.S. Orient.” Army Nurse Corps “It was the perfect Assigned unit: 248th temperature, up in the General Hospital clouds,” she said. “We Duties: Nurse stayed there two weeks. Rank attained: First We could see the Igorots, lieutenant the working people of the Military honors: Good Philippines. They worked Conduct Medal in the mines.” Family: Husband, Francis While working at the Gross; daughter, Pat, two hospital, she heard about grandsons, one greatthe Army dropping the grandson atomic bombs on Japan. Everyone knew the war was winding down at that point, Gross said. “Truman saved my life because we didn’t invade Japan,” she said. The hospital was repaired and staffed in anticipation of an invasion into Japan, Gross explained. When the bombs brought war with Japan to an abrupt halt, it spared those potential casualties. Gross was scheduled to sail to Korea with other medical staff, but her service ended when she caught malaria. “The area was supposed to be malaria-free, but I guess there was one mosquito,” she said. “I was sicker than a dog. I’ve never been so sick. I was allergic to the first drug they gave me.” No one was sure what she had at first. She suffered from chills and fever, which could indicate several

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WaLTER dreyfus

NAVY

Radio tech ended up in a battle for his life

Walter Dreyfus had hoped to be a ship gunner or torpedo man when he enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He ended up being selected to be a radio technician, however. Photo by Steve McClure

Oran, Algeria, in North Africa, one of the primary landing ports of the Allies, arriving just two weeks after D-Day. ost World War II films Dreyfus was assigned to the USS Samuel depicting the June 6, 1944, Chase, named after a signatory to the D-Day landing at Normandy, Declaration of Independence, and later to were made in black and the USS Ancon, both command ships in white. the Atlantic 11th Amphibious Forces. However, Greenwood resident and “We were fortunate with our mission in former Navy Chief Petty Officer Walter the Mediterranean,” he said. N. Dreyfus, 92, paints a “We were anchored off vivid picture of those days the invasions beaches Walter Nelson in living color. unloading LSTs (landing Dreyfus In fact, he has what ship, tank), vessels Age: 93 many would describe as carrying vehicles, cargo Birthplace/hometown: total recall of the events of and landing troops. Milwaukee, Wisconsin 1942-46 and of particular “The greatest threat Residence: Greenwood. note the day his unit was Years of Service: 1942-46, would be at night when ambushed by German 1951-52. flares were being dropped forces near Cherbourg, Branch of Service: U.S. by German bombers. They France. Navy. would light up the whole Following his graduation Assigned unit: 11th Fleet harbor and you’d feel like from Shortridge High Amphibious Forces. a sitting duck,” Dreyfus Duties: Chief radio School and one year of said. “It was a beautiful technician. study at Butler University sight from the standpoint Rank attained: Chief petty in Indianapolis, Dreyfus, of the anti-aircraft fire officer then 19, enlisted in the U.S. going up. Much like a Military honors: World Navy. fireworks display you War II Victory Medal, EAME Dreyfus, who wanted to can’t imagine from (European African Middle be a ship gunner or hundreds of ships shooting East) Medal with three torpedo man, tested highly at anything in sight.” Bronze Stars, National on his entrance exams, Rarely his unit would go Defense Service pin, Korean especially in math and ashore, but all that Service Medal, 60th electronics, and was told changed on Aug. 1, 1944. Anniversary of Normandy he would be sent for Medal (2004). At the beginning of the training as a radio Family: Wife of 67 years month, the only technician. Catherine (deceased), sons significant port that had Gordon and Mark, two “I was upfront with been liberated in France grandchildren and three them,” he said with a by the Allies was great-grandchildren. smile. “But that didn’t do Cherbourg. me any good. I thought Necessitated by the maybe they wouldn’t know number of Allied units how to put a square peg in a round hole.” crossing onto French soil, additional Soon after completing his tech ports were sought out. training, Dreyfus was aboard the USS For Dreyfus and his Navy party under the direction of Capt. Norman S. Ives, Lyon troop transport ship destined for

By Steve McClure Correspondent

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“The enemy fire became very strong,” Dreyfus said. combined with an Army brigade led by Lt. Col. Kenton “Some of the vehicles were on fire, the first three Carris, they were to check the availability of ports on nearly demolished by mortar explosions and a burst of the north side of Brittany to land supplies badly needed heavy machine gun fire. by the invasion forces. “I fired my rifle a couple times at what appeared to The convoy also was accompanied by four war be the silhouette of a man in a tree and then it correspondents. jammed. Although liberated, the Cherbourg harbor was still “I thought this was going to be like a movie with a not cleared of mines and therefore, men and supplies happy ending. But when I felt the bullets above my were still being landed on Omaha and Utah Beaches. head, I understood it was for real.” Among the 97-member reconnaissance party, Dreyfus After nearly three was part of the hours under a burning communications “I hadn’t received any instruction on the use August sun, Capt. Ives transmission team asked for volunteers to whose truck, equipped of firearms in my classes. I don’t think any of go get help. Before help with a high-frequency us had fired a gun in this type of situation came, three officers and mobile station called four enlisted men had SRC-399, was at the before.” back of the military — Walter Dreyfus been killed. Nine other officers and enlisted men convoy. were wounded and six On its way to Dol-demen were separated from their unit for two days. Bretagne, the convoy stopped several times to scan the The subsequent rescue from death or capture came surroundings and inspect the terrain. Only three from tanks of the U.S. Army’s 6th Armored Division kilometers from its destination, two Germans were and behind them members of C Company of the 25th seen hurrying to hide themselves behind a hedge. The Engineer Battalion. Americans were successful in commanding them to The tanks and soldiers covered the retreat of Dreyfus surrender. and his fellow sailors. But at the same time, sailors observed 15-20 German “It was the most beautiful sight I’d ever seen,” he soldiers scattering. Trapped in an ambush, the small said. “One of the tanks with the familiar American Navy party defended itself with only pistols and white star on the front had the marking ‘Dingbat II.’ carbines against a task force of more than 500 heavily Out of the ditches under the cover of their big guns armed German paratroopers. moving to and fro sweeping the field, we crawled about “I hadn’t received any instruction on the use of a hundred meters on our hands and knees to safety. We firearms in my classes,” Dreyfus said. “I don’t think were then taken charge by the Army and brought to an any of us had fired a gun in this type of situation aid station.” before.” About an hour after the rescue, the 6th Armored A deluge of fire struck the group, with shots coming Division’s Commander, Gen. Grow, also arrived. from all sides, forcing Dreyfus and his unit to take With the war coming to an end, Dreyfus returned to cover in roadside ditches. In arranging a defensive line, the States and was discharged on Jan. 10, 1946. Col. Carris was killed as he attempted to withdraw.

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Above: Reconnaissance Mobile Station SRC399 truck driven by Milton Ransford, left, and Walter Dreyfus, right, that was ambushed by German paratroopers on Aug. 1, 1944 in France. At left: The USS Samuel Chase, the ship to which Dreyfus was assigned. Submitted photos

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CLARENCE J. SCHUSTER

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Schuster’s outfit helped liberate Italy Note: Clarence Schuster passed away between the time he was interviewed and press time. We chose to honor his service by publishing his story.

By Steve McClure Correspondent

he soft-spoken words of Greenwood resident and World War II veteran Clarence J. Schuster speak loudly of American patriotism. When his time came, Schuster, 93, knew his U.S. Army induction by way of the draft was imminent. “It wasn’t a matter of choice; I knew what was ahead and knew it Clarence J. Schuster was going to be tough,” Age: 93 he said. Birthplace/hometown: Schuster spent his Hamilton, Ohio boyhood days in Residence: Greenwood Hamilton, Ohio, and Years of service: 1944-46 with the war raging on, Branch of Service: U.S. Army he joined the Army in Assigned unit: Company H, May, 1944, reporting to 373rd Infantry Regiment, 91st Infantry Division, 5th U.S. Army Fort Thomas, Kentucky, Duties: Heavy machine for training as a gunner, combat rifleman combat infantry Rank attained: Corporal rifleman and heavy Military honors: Combat machine gunner. Infantry Badge, Purple Heart, Boarding a military World War II commemorative transport ship in New victory medal, EAME (European York, Schuster and African Middle Eastern) Theatre the 5th U.S. Army set ribbons, three Bronze Stars off on a nearly twoFamily: Wife of 68 years week voyage to Helen June, daughter Nancy, Europe. two grandchildren, five great “We didn’t know grandchildren where we were going or what we would be doing,” Schuster said. “We sweated out a couple of close calls when submerged German submarines were detected.” A U.S.-led Allied victory in Sicily resulted in the overthrow of Mussolini’s government, and the capitulation of Italy was only a matter of time and negotiation. And it was Schuster’s unit that would be in the thick of things upon entering the boot-shaped country. “There were rumors we would be assigned as MPs (military policemen) to guard small Italian towns that

“We

Above: Clarence Schuster in his residence in Greenwood. At right: Schuster was a heavy machine gunner and combat rifleman during World War II. Above photo by Steve McClure

had been taken by friendlies. But that was not the case,” he said. “We were headed to the front lines of battle. You could hear bombs going off as we slept in pup tents. “One night while I was on guard duty in my foxhole, I could hear a rustling in the weeds. I took aim with my machine gun and was happy to find it was a false alarm with a cat moving about. You don’t think I didn’t take a deep breath?” Schuster said his unit mostly provided overhead fire for advancing infantryman in his unit. “I don’t know how many Germans I killed,” he said. Schuster said on many occasions, troops were required to cross through German-laid mine fields. “It was a narrow line to walk,” he said. “I could see bodies flying through the air with full gear before hitting the ground.

“Fortunately for us, it got to a point where Italians joined the Allies in the fight and switched over to our side. As we walked through these towns, women welcomed us with wine jugs, walking along side of us pouring wine into glasses,” Schuster said with a smile. As the 5th Army made its way northward, the Germans made a stand along the so-called Gothic Line in the North Apennine Mountains. Although reduced in strength by the necessity to relinquish some divisions for use in France, Allied forces initiated a drive in September 1944 that broke the Gothic Line after a three-month campaign until the spring of 1945. While Schuster and his unit pushed across the Po Valley, German resistance began to crumble. It was during this period on April 12, 1945, that Schuster was wounded in the left leg by shrapnel from

were headed to the front lines of battle. You could hear bombs going off as we slept in pup tents.”

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tropical ailments. She waited for her results alone, as all her friends had shipped out. One Air Force soldier visited her, she said. When she was well enough to travel, she was sent to Percy Jones Hospital in Battle Creek, Michigan, to finish recuperation before she was discharged. She went back to work at Crawfordsville Hospital in the OB department, helping deliver and care for babies. She met Francis Gross and married him. They were together 67 years before his death last year. His job with the Pennsylvania Railroad moved them to Indianapolis. After her daughter was born, Gross retired from nursing. “I did private duty but I didn’t like that as much,” she said. She doesn’t remember her service as particularly negative, she said. “It was an experience. I guess I enjoyed it. You might as well enjoy it because you have to do it. I don’t think I’d do it again.”

“They were starved to death. I’ve got a picture of them. You can just count their ribs.”

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Above left: The Purple Heart medal Charles Schuster earned when he was injured by shrapnel from an exploding bomb in Italy. Above right: Two photos of Schuster on lookout duty during World War II.

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a bomb while he was trying to protect a group bringing rations and supplies. “I didn’t really know I was hit until I felt a gushing of blood in my boot,” he said. “A medic came to my aid and I was sent back to the last town for treatment. But within a couple days, I was back on the front line.” Schuster was awarded the Purple Heart, which to this day is proudly protected in its original casing. He also was awarded three Bronze Stars. “It wasn’t my time to go,” he said. Soon after he was wounded, German forces in Italy surrendered on May 2, 1945. The Italian campaign involved some of the hardest fighting in the war and cost the United States some 114,000 causalities. Discharged after demobilization in September 1946, Schuster became a design engineer for General Motors in Anderson until his retirement. He was among eight veterans honored again for their service with a trip to Washington, D.C., visiting the World War II Memorial in September 2013 as part of the third Indy Honor Flight. “It was an emotional trip,” he said. Of his military service, Schuster’s softspoken words speak volumes. “I think about it all the time. I’ll never forget it, especially all the close calls I had.”

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