Category Archives: Introduction
CHRISTMAS
TO ALL THOSE THAT BELIEVE IN FREEDOM AND PEACE: MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
FROM: PACIFIC PARATROOPER!!
PLEASE! REMEMBER ALL THOSE THAT FOUGHT FOR US IN THE PAST…
THOSE THAT FIGHT FOR US TODAY…
AND FOR THOSE SPECIAL PEOPLE WHO WAIT PATIENTLY AT HOME…
TO ALL THOSE WHO DO NOT CELEBRATE THIS HOLIDAY … I WISH YOU THE WARMTH AND PEACEFUL CONTENTMENT THAT IS REPRESENTED BY THIS SEASON !!!
TO READ MY FAVORITE CHRISTMAS POEM... CLICK HERE!!
MILITARY HUMOR –
CHRISTMAS FROM: BILL MAULDIN
OOPS!!!
CHRISTMAS FROM: BEETLE BAILEY
Now – Don’t wake me up too early!!
FROM: MARYlOU @ NATUURFREAK.COM…
OPEN LETTER TO: ALL
Courtesy of “The Voice of the Angels.”
As we venture back to the past for the Pacific War, there will continue to be eye-witness stories, the Farewell Salutes, occasionally a homeland episode and military humor. I may not supply all the resources for my posts, since as many as 5 or 6 may be used to verify the information of any given post. My bibliography has grown to 6 pages long and has not even been updated lately; also my own library has grown considerably since I first chronicled the war.
I will be re-blogging some of my own posts from the Archives – updated since they were first published. This entire site is dedicated to my father, Everett A. Smith, aka “Smitty”, who served in the Headquarters Company/187th Regiment/11th Airborne Division in the Pacific during WWII and the 11th A/B as a whole; therefore it is only right that I do so. Smitty never said, “I did this” or “I did that,” it was always – “The 11th did IT!”
Everett “Smitty” Smith at Camp MacKall, N.C.
As a member of the 11th Airborne Association (Member # 4511) myself, I am privy to their newsletter, “The Voice of the Angels,” edited by Matt & Kara Underwood, and I will be using quotes and stories from that publication. Mr. Underwood and the officers of the Association have been of great assistance to me and I thank them very much for their help.
This website is ever changing and being updated, because further knowledge is always being learned. Smitty told me and many others, “I try to learn something everyday. When I stop, Please, close the lid.” I have never forgotten that motto to live by and I sincerely hope you all do the same.
Please, DO continue to share what stories you know and/or a link to data you’ve uncovered and put them in the comments. I am afraid no emails will be opened. If you are not a blogger, you can Follow by clicking the Follow button in the top right-hand corner of each post.
I thank you all for your contributions in the past and hope you will continue to do so. If you are new to this site – WELCOME!! We have a wonderful group of people participating here – join them. Reminder – we have the volunteers and veterans of the Little Rock, AR area watching us too – help show your support of our veterans .
Please remember that these countries, in the following posts, were in a horrendous war and NOTHING written or quoted here is with the intent to disparage any people or nations. And, I have tried to limit the amount of gory details without shading the facts. I hope I succeed.
Click on images to enlarge.
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Military Humor –
Some definitions you may want to keep in mind:
ARMY – a body of men assembled to rectify the mistakes of the diplomats DRAFT BOARD – the world’s largest travel agency MILITARY EXPERT – one who tells you what will happen next week – and then explains why it didn’t NEW GUINEA SALUTE – waving the hand over the mess kit to ward off the flies PACIFIST – a person who fights with everybody BUT the enemy WAR – a time that starts off paying old scores and ends up by paying new debts ################################################################################################################Farewell Salutes –
Brian Ashton – TePuke, NZ; NZ Reg. # 386718, Platoon B, Malaya
George Barton – Joliet, IL; US Air Force, WWII
Richard Crawford – Seattle, WA; US Navy (RET.), submarine service, Vietnam
Arthur Kitts – Singer Island, FL; US Army, WWII, antiaircraft battery
Hung O. Lee – College Point, NY; US Army Air Corps, WWII, 511th/11th A/B Div., PTO
Carmen Edward Mercandante -Amsterdam, NY; US Army, WWII, ETO
Reinhold “Hank” Nagel – Sun Lakes, AZ; US Army Air Corps, WWII, HQ Company/187th Reg./11th Airborne Div., PTO
Johnny Powell – Cartwright, OK; US Navy, WWII & US Air Force, Korea (Ret. 23 years)
Franklin Trapnell Jr. – Richmond, VA; US Army, Colonel (Ret. 34 years), 2 tours Vietnam
Thomas Weatherall – Toronto, Can; British Army, WWII
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MEMORIAL DAY
WWII Memorial poem at Arlington Cemetery
TODAY IS MEMORIAL DAY. WE HONOR HEROES. THEY ARE HEROES, NOT BECAUSE THEY DIED, BUT BECAUSE THEY KNEW WHAT THEY WERE RISKING – AND WENT ANYWAY!
Wear your colors proud!
MEMORIAL DAY
by: CW Johnson We walked among the crosses Where our fallen soldiers lay. And listened to the bugle As Taps began to play. The Chaplain led a prayer We stood with heads bowed low. And I thought of fallen comrades I had known so long ago. They came from every city Across this fertile land. That we might live in freedom They lie here ‘neath the sand. I felt a little guilt My sacrifice was small. I only lost a little time But these men lost their all. Now the services are over For this Memorial Day To the names upon these crosses I just want to say, Thanks for what you’ve given No one could ask for more. May you rest with God in heaven From now through evermore.
MSgt. James J. O’Leary, USMC, my uncle, photo courtesy of Mustang Koji.
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Farewell Salutes –
James “Holly” Black – Easley, SC; US Army, Korea
Keith Borck – Sebring, FL; US Army, Vietnam, helicopter pilot, Distinguish Service Cross
James Crawford – Springfield, IL; US Army Korea
Henry Davis – Augusta, ME; US Army, Vietnam
Virginia Devine – Joliet, IL; WAVES, WWII
John Hamilton Sr. – Jacksonville, AL; US Navy, Korea, SeaBee, Chief Petty officer, 22years
Hubert “Pete” King – McCook, NE & Minneola, KS; US Army Air Corps, WWII
Charles Long – Ocala, FL; US Navy, WWII
James Pasdertz Sr. – Joliet, IL; US Army, Vietnam
Donald Smith – Jacksonville, FL; US Army & US Air Force, Vietnam 3 tours
Gordon Willis – Falmouth, MA – US Air Force, Korea (Famed Hollywood cinematographer)
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A rough background …
Pvt. Everett “Smitty” Smith, Camp MacKall, NC
RE-POSTED IN HONOR OF SMITTY’S 100TH BIRTHDAY
Everett Smith was born Dec. 12, 1914 and grew up across from the gentle waves of Jamaica Bay on an island one mile long and barely four blocks wide. This was the tight-knit community of Broad Channel, New York. He resided with his mother
young Everett and Mother, Anna
Anna on peaceful East 9th Road and spent his days between school, working and helping to care for his grandmother. Everett’s nickname had always been “Smitty” and so, the name of his fishing station came to be. In 1939, at 24 years of age, he married a woman named Catherine and she joined the Smith household.
boats on Jamaica Bay from Smitty’s Boat Station
News of Hitler and his rise to power filtered into the newspapers and radio, but the Smith’s still had the memories of WWI and their financial struggles in what would be become known as the Great Depression. The majority of the U.S. population held the ideal of isolationism in high regard and the Smith household agreed wholeheartedly. Everett was baffled by FDR’s election as his past political and personal records indicated both amoral and often criminal behavior. The president began to stretch his powers to the limit to assist his friend, Winston Churchill, but U.S. citizens were straining to survive.
On Oct. 30, 1940, Roosevelt spouted in Boston, “I give you one more assurance. I have said it before, but I shall say it again and again and again: Your boys are not going to be sent to any foreign wars.” My father did not believe FDR then and as we look back — he was right.
Grassy Point, Broad Channel – where Smitty would often tend bar
Everett received his draft notice in Sept. 1942. He would be sent to Fort Dix, New Jersey where he volunteered for the paratroopers. He would immediately then be sent to Camp MacKall, North Carolina for the start of his vigorous training. Smitty became part of one of the most unique army units of its day, the 11th Airborne Division, Headquarters Company, 187th regiment.
You’re in the Army now!
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Farewell Salutes –
Paul Cross – Virginia Bch, VA; USAAC, WWII, 152nd Artillery, 11th A/B
Gerald Dickey – Richfield, MN; USAAC, WWII Company A, 187th/11th A/B
Raymond Durr – Abbeville, LA; USAAC, WWII, Company E/187th/11th A/B
John Kozeletz – Coral Springs, FL; USAAC, WWII, Company B/187th/11th A/B
Howard Schleimer – Cleveland, OH; USAAC, WWII, 457th Artillery/11th A/B
Everett Smith – Broad Channel, NY/Hallandale, FL; USAAC, WWII, HQ Co/187th/11th A/B
Kenneth Staples – Stroudesburg, PA; USAAC, WWII, Company F/187th/11th A/B
Robert Teske – Fort Myers, FL; USAAC, WWII, 187th/11th A/B
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One of our fellow bloggers, Prior – that can be viewed HERE!! – was kind enough to put this together for Smitty____
Please click on to enlarge.
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Everett Smith’s scrapbook
Everett A. Smith at Camp MacKall, NC
During my project of transposing my father’s scrapbook into my computer to preserve it, my research into the 11th Airborne, the Pacific War and the state of the world during that era grabbed my interest. I amassed a nice size manuscript with bibliography. And I do not appear to be alone in this interest.
I discovered a multitude of forums and websites dedicated to that era and people searching frantically for any information on their relatives.
In the posts to follow I will include not just the photographs, information and portions of letters (if not all) from the scrapbook, but the political aspects of the past that brought the world to such an explosive state. I will make every attempt to only post the facts. Should I find that I wish to make my own opinions on a matter, I will state it as so.
I sincerely hope you not only enjoy this site, but also locate information that is helpful.
Pacific Paratrooper 