Sep 04

Our Monarch Butterflies

Spoiler alert. This blog post has nothing to do with genealogy. Instead, it is about one of my other interests, a new project we tried out this year.

Raising monarch butterflies.

Joe and I both enjoy the birds and other wildlife we see in our woods, but Joe is the real gardener around here. He loves working in the yard–landscaping, growing flowers, and nurturing a pollinator garden. He does the majority of the outdoor work around here and I help out to a lesser degree. Dead-heading spent flowers is my specialty and I’m not too bad at raking.

Our pollinator garden sign.

One of Joe’s projects the past couple years has been to start and maintain a pollinator garden, something to help the butterflies and bees. He planted several varieties of milkweed for the monarchs as well as other blooming plants for the bees and for other types of butterflies.

Butterfly Weed, a type of milkweed.

Yellow Milkweed

Last year we attended a monarch butterfly workshop in Celina and learned that some local people were helping the monarch population by putting monarch eggs and caterpillars in a specially-styled box, providing them with food and a place to attach their chrysalis, and releasing the butterfly that eventually emerges.

We decided we wanted to try this, hoping to improve the butterfly’s chances. Joe made a wood-framed, screened-in box last winter for this project.

Monarch caterpillar box Joe built.

The female monarch butterfly lays tiny white eggs on the underside of milkweed leaves. A little caterpillar hatches from the egg in about 5 days and eats the milkweed leaves. The caterpillar grows quickly. They are little eating (and pooping) machines. After about 14 days, when the caterpillar is about 2 inches long, it will attach itself to the underside of a leaf or twig and turn into a chrysalis, like a cocoon, which is the pupal stage. Eventually a butterfly will emerge from the chrysalis in about 10-14 days.

In the wild, monarch eggs have less than a 10% chance of making it to a butterfly.

Monarch caterpillar in the garden, eating common milkweed.

Monarch chrysalis in the wild. The butterfly emerged later that day.

We learned that you can improve the odds of this whole process and help the monarchs by putting the eggs or the caterpillars into a special box and making sure they have plenty of milkweed leaves to eat. This will sustain them through the chrysalis stage, until they become a monarch butterfly, which can then be released.

Four monarch caterpillars in our box, eating milkweed.

On 6 August we found a monarch caterpillar and put it on a milkweed stem and placed it into the box. Joe put the milkweed stem in a little tube of water. That first caterpillar was fairly good sized and two days later, on 8 August, it climbed to the top of the cage and attached itself to the screen in an up-side-down position. By the next day it was a chrysalis. Eleven days later, on 19 August, a beautiful female butterfly emerged. It took a couple hours for her to dry out, spread her wings, and leave the cage, but she eventually flew away and landed on a tree, in the sun.

Our first monarch butterfly, a female. You can see two other chrysalises hanging from the top.

Our first monarch, ready to fly away.

This was fun, so in the meantime we added more caterpillars to the box. On 8 August we added 4 more good-sized caterpillars and 2 more on the 10th. Of course, we had to add more milkweed stems. They really do eat a lot!

Eventually they all climbed to the top of the box and transformed into chrysalises. At one point we had 7 chrysalises hanging from the top of the box. 

Five chrysalises hanging on this side of the cage.

Two other chrysalises on the other side of the cage, seven total.

Over the next week 5 more beautiful butterflies emerged.

Monarch #2, just after emerging from her chrysalis. Note the other two chrysalises.

Monarchs #3 & 4, just after emerging from their chrysalises.

One chrysalis did not survive and we are not sure what happened to it. Five of the monarchs were females and one was a male. Males have a black spot on each of their lower wings. We wonder if there are naturally more females to help perpetuate the species.

The lone male monarch. Note the spots on each of his lower wings.

The male monarch.

Monarchs #5 & 6, shortly after emerging from their chrysalises.

Monarchs #5 & 6, shortly after emerging from their chrysalises.

We thought we were finished for this year, after raising and releasing 6 butterflies. After all, the weather will be getting cooler and the last generation of monarchs will be heading down to Mexico before long, where they will spend the winter.

But on 19 August I found a teeny tiny caterpillar on the underside of a milkweed leaf and we put him in the cage. He grew quickly he turned into a chrysalis on the 29th.

Then Joe found 2 mid-sized caterpillars and put them in the box on 31 August. As of today, these last two are still munching away on the leaves and are about large enough to turn into chrysalises.

When these emerge, we will have raised and released a total of 9 monarch butterflies. What fun and what a good way to help the monarch population. We will definitely do this again next year.

We did learn that we will probably need more milkweed plants. These caterpillars really do eat a lot! One of our larger milkweed plants has a pod on it and we will harvest it for the seeds when it matures.

Common milkweed seed pod.

We took a ride around the woods a couple days ago and saw 2 monarch butterflies flying around. They are so beautiful when they fly.  We wondered if they were ones that we had released.

Hopefully the monarchs we nurtured will make it all the way to Mexico.

Safe travel, little ones.

Sep 01

Tombstone Tuesday-Albert C. Roehm

Albert C. Roehm, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Van Wert County, Ohio. (2012 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of Albert C. Roehm, located in row 4 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Schumm, Van Wert County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

Albert C. Roehm
1883-1953

Albert Christian Roehm was born near Schumm, Van Wert County, Ohio, on 16 August 1883. Albert was a twin. He and his twin sister Alma were the last children born to John and Rosina (Schumm) Roehm. Albert and Alma had six older siblings at the time of their birth, but their sister Marie Therese died in 1892.

Albert Roehm and his twin sister were baptized at home on 19 August 1883, with Christian Schumm and Sophie Schumm serving as his sponsors.    

The John Roehm family in 1900, when Albert was 16 years old: John Roehm 57; Rosina, 55; Fred, 27; Louis J, 18; Albert C, 16; Alma, 16. [1]

The John Roehm family moved to Fort Wayne, Indiana, by 1910, where they resided at 2430 Hanna Street: John Roehm, 66; Rosina, 64; Alma S, 26; and Albert C, 26. Albert worked as a machine hand for a steam railroad. [2]

When Albert registered for the World War I draft he lived at 2229 Smith Street in Fort Wayne and worked as a machinist at S.F. Bowser & Co. in Fort Wayne. Albert was described as short, with medium build, light brown eyes, and light brown hair. [3]

In 1920 Albert lived at 2229 Smith Street in Fort Wayne, living as a lodger in the home of Edwin Buuck and working as an assembler in pump works. Albert was 36 years of age and single. [4]

Albert Roehm moved to Carnegie, Pennsylvania, by 1930 and in 1930 he lived in a boarding house on 829 West Main Street there. Age 46 and single, Albert worked as a machine operator in a paper mill there. [5]

Albert’s father John Roehm died in 1932 and his obituary mentions that Albert was living in Carnegie, Pennsylvania. [6]

In 1940 Albert Roehm, 56, was a boarder in the home of Emma Oriss, age 72, 520 Washington Avenue in Carnegie. Albert reported that he lived in this same house in 1935. He was single and worked as a machine operator in a paper box factory. [7]

Albert Roehm registered for the WWII draft in 1942 and resided at 3032 Norland Ave, Carnegie, Pennsylvania. He was 58 years old, 5’6”, 160 pounds, with hazel eyes, gray-brown hair, and a light complexion. He stated he was born in Willshire and worked at Superior Paper Products Company. Albert stated that Mrs. William Franke, 29 Welsford Street, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was a person who would always know his address. [8] Mrs. William Franke was his sister Mary “Julia” (Roehm) (1875-1957).

Albert Christian Roehm died in Miami-Dade, Florida, 22 February 1953. [9]

Albert Roehm had the following siblings:
Minnie (1871-1953), married George “Frederick” Schinnerer
Andreas “Friedrich” George (1872-1926), married Henrietta Amalia Schumm
Mary “Julia” (1875-1957), married William Conrad Franke
Charlotte “Paulina” (1876-1962), married Frederick J. Acker
Marie Therese (1878-1892)
John “Louis” (Rev.) (1881-1975), married Anna Elizabeth Peters
Alma Sophie (1883-1974), married Herman Kraft

[1] 1900 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 97, p.8, dwelling 165, family 178, John Roehn; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7602/ : viewed 23 Aug 2020). 

[2] 1910 U.S. Census, Fort Wayne Ward 7, Allen, Indiana, ED 554, p.16B, dwelling 360, family 366, John Roehm; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7884/ : viewed 23 Aug 2020).

[3] World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918, Allen County, Indiana, Draft Board 3, Roll 1503885, Albert Christian Roehm, Serial no. 3304; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com.

[4] 1920 U.S. Census, Fort Wayne Ward 10, Allen, Indiana, ED 82, p.20B, dwelling 408, family 452, Albert C Roahm [Edwin Bunck (Buuck) household]; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6061/ : viewed 30 Aug 2020).

[5] 1930 U.S. Census, Carnegie, Allegheny, Pennsylvania, ED 534, p.19A, dwelling 337, family 7, Albert C Roehm, household of Agnes Augustine; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6224/ : viewed 30 Aug 2020).

[6] Van Wert Daily Bulletin, Van Wert, Ohio, p.3, 1 Sep 1932, digital images by subscription, Ancestry.com.

[7] 1940 U.S. Census, Carnegie, Allegheny, Pennsylvania, ED 2-73, p.13B, household visited 222, Albert Rochner, household of Emma Orris; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2442/ : viewed 30 Aug 2020).

[8] Records of the Selective Service System, World War II Draft Registration Cards for the State of Pennsylvania, 1942, Record Group 147, Series No. M1951, Albert C Roehm, Serial no. 143.

[9] Florida Death Index, 1877-1998, Florida Department of Health, Albert Christian Roehm, 1953; database, Ancestry.com.

Aug 28

1943 U.S. Army Map of Nürnberg

Last week I shared my dad’s account of his arrival at Liverpool by ship in 1944, just before he sailed across the English Channel to France. Soon after he entered the Battle of the Bulge.

I am fortunate that my dad, Herbert Miller, and his family saved many of the letters that he sent home during his WWII service in Europe.

Another item they saved is this 1943 Nürnberg map.

1943 Nürnberg Map

1943 Nürnberg Map

My dad sent this map to his parents, Carl and Gertrude (Brewster) Miller, RR #1, Willshire, Ohio, in October 1945. The map had to pass inspection and was certified that it did not contain government property. That was certified by Stankey K. Brooke.

1943 Nürnberg Map, addressed to Mr. & Mrs. Carl Miller, Willshire, Ohio.

1943 Nürnberg Map, sent to Mr. & Mrs. Carl Miller

This 1:100,000 Nürnberg map measures 36 x 25 inches. It is a First Edition-AMS2 map, written in English, for use by the War and Navy Department Agencies.

Nürnberg, also spelled Nuremberg, is a city in Bavaria, in southern Germany. Nürnberg is Bavaria’s second largest city, after Munich, and is located on the Pegnitz River. I am not sure if my dad ever was in Nürnberg, but he was in Heidelberg, about 140 miles away.

1943 Nürnberg Map, city of Nürnberg

Looking over the map, I recognize the names of a couple towns on the left side of the map, to the west of Nürnberg, the towns of Ipsheim and Windsheim. My maternal great-great-grandfather Friederick Schinnerer was from Ipsheim, which is about 35 miles from Nürnberg.

Towns of Ipsheim & Windsheim on 1943 Nürnberg Map

Some of my other ancestors were from a little south of Ipshiem, but these towns are not shown on this map. Crailsheim, the home of the Ruecks, is about 66 miles from Nürnberg. Ruppertshofen, the ancestral home of the Schumms, is about 100 miles from Nürnberg. Bierbach, where my great-grandfather Jacob Miller was born, is farther away, about 219 miles from Nürnberg.

1943 Nürnberg Map

Written on the map:

Germany 1:100,000, Sheet U-5, Nürnberg
For use by War and Navy Department Agencies only. Not for sale or distribution.
First Edition-AMS 2
Compiled by the Army Map Service (GD), U.S. Army, Washington, D.C., 1943.
From German General Staff maps of Germany.

Scales 1:25,000 1923-1938., 1:100,000 1933, and 1:2000,000 1910-1911. Partially revised from 1941 1942-1943 aerial photography. Road widths shown by figures between wedges from Strassenkarte, 1:300,000 German General Staff 1938.

First Edition 1943

Note: Officers using this map will mark herein corrections and additions which come to their attention and mail direct to the Chief of Engineers, Washington, D.C.

A.M.A. M641 (G.S.G.S. 4416)
Army Map Service, U.S. Army, Washington, D.C. 133777
1944
Nürnberg, Germany
N4915-E1020/30s60

It is an interesting item from WWII. The war was over when my dad sent the map home and I wonder if maps like these were left over after the war. Or, perhaps my dad used this map during combat.

Unfortunately I will never know.

Aug 25

Tombstone Tuesday-John & Rosina (Schumm) Roehm

John & Rosina (Schumm) Roehm, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Van Wert County, Ohio. (2012 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of John and Rosina (Schumm) Roehm, located in row 10 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Schumm, Van Wert County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

John
1842-1932
Rosina
1845-1928
ROEHM

John Roehm was born in Dixon, Ohio, on 22 December 1842, the son of Andrew (1814-1902) and Anna “Katharine” (Bienz) (1819-1858) Roehm. John’s parents were both German immigrants. [1]

The Andrew Roehm family in 1850, when John was 7 years old: Andrew Roehm, 37; Catharine, 31; Mary, 9; John, 7; Elizabeth, 5; Jacob, 3; and Christian, 1. Andrew was a farmer. [2]

John Roehm’s mother Katherine (Bienz) died in 1858. His father married Friedericke Gutheil in November 1860 and they had three children.

The Andrew Roehm family in 1860: Andrew Roehm, 45; Mary, 18; John, 16; Elizabeth, 14; Jacob, 13; Christina, 11; Henry, 9; Emanuel, 7; and Anna, 3. [3]

John Roehm married Rosina Schumm at Zion Schumm on 10 April 1870.

Anna “Rosina” Schumm was born 1 January 1845, likely in Van Wert County, Ohio, the daughter of George Martin (1812-1871) and Maria (Pflueger) (1820-1903) Schumm. Her baptism is not recorded in Zion Schumm’s records. Both of her parents were German immigrants.

The George Martin Schumm family in 1850, when Rosina was 5 years old: George Schumm, 38; Mary, 30; Fred, 11; Louis, 9; George, 8; John, 6; Rosina, 5; Margaret, 2; Mary, 1; Elisabeth Pflueger, 14; Jacob Bienz, 24. [4] Elizabeth Pflueger was Rosina’s aunt, her mother Mary’s sister. Jacob Bienz was a brother to Katherine (Bienz) Roehm, wife of Andrew Roehm. Elizabeth Pflueger married Jacob Bienz in 1851.

The George Martin Schumm family in 1860, when Rosina was 15 years old: George, 47; Mary, 46; Frederick, 21; Louis, 19; George, 18; John, 17; Rosina, 15; Mary, 11; Jacob, 9; Christian, 7; Henry, 5; and Martin, 4 months. [5] 

After their April 1870 marriage John and Rosina Roehm lived with Martin and Mary (Schumm) Schinnerer. Rosina and Mary were first cousins. Their mothers were sisters.  

The John Roehm family in 1870: John Roehm, 27; Anna R, 25; Martin Schinnerer, 63, [36] male, born in Bavaria; Mary Schinnerer, 27; Frederick Schinnerer, 9; Henry Schinnerer, 7; John Schinnerer, 5; and Barbara Schinnerer, 3. John Roehm was a farmer. [6] Frederick Schinnerer, age 9 in this enumeration, would eventually marry John and Rosina Roehm’s daughter Minnie, who was born in 1871.

The John Roehm family in 1880: John, 37; Rosina, 34; Minnie, 8; Andrew, 6; Julia, 5; Pauline, 4; and Mary H, 2. [7]  

The John Roehm family in 1900: John 57; Rosina, 55; Fred, 27; Louis J, 18; Albert C, 16; Alma, 16. The couple had been married 30 years and had 8 children, 7 of whom were living at that time. They had a pair of twins, Albert and Alma, born in 1883. [8]

The John Roehm family moved to Fort Wayne, Indiana, by 1910, living at 2430 Hanna Street: John, 66; Rosina, 64; Alma S, 26; and Albert C, 26. No occupation was given for the father John, but Albert worked as a machine hand for a steam railroad. Alma worked in a jewelry shop. [9]

The John Roehm family in 1920, still residing at 2430 Hanna Street in Fort Wayne: John, 77; Rosa, 75; and Alma, 36. John was retired and Alma had no occupation. [10]  

Rosina (Schumm) Roehm, died in Willshire Township, on 22 May 1928 of mitral valve regurgitation. She was 83 years, 4 months, and 21 days old. Her usual residence was Fort Wayne but she had been living in Van Wert for 1 month. She was married to John Roehm and was a retired housewife. She was buried on the 24th.  [11]

In 1930 widower John Roehm lived with his daughter Alma and husband Herman Kraft, at 2208 Oliver Street in Fort Wayne. Their household: Herman Kraft, 51; Alma Kraft, 46; and John Roehm, 87, widower. Herman Kraft was a molder in a foundry. [12]

John Roehm died from pneumonia in Willshire Township on 31 August 1932, at the age of 89 years, 8 months, and 9 days. His death/burial is not recorded in Zion Schumm’s records, but according to his death certificate he was born in Dixon, Van Wert County, Ohio, to Andrew Roehm and Anna Bienz, was married to Rosina Roehm, but was widowed. He was a retired farmer and was buried on 2 September. [1]

John Roehm’s obituary:

John Roehm of Fort Wayne, died yesterday at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Fred Schinnerer, in Willshire, after an illness of about two years. Mr. Roehm was aged about ninety years and removed to Fort Wayne from Willshire in 1906. He was a member of the Zion Lutheran Church and was a retired farmer. Among his direct survivors are four daughters, Mrs. William Franke, of Pittsburgh, Mrs. Fred Acker, and Mrs. Herman Kraft, of Fort Wayne, and Mrs. Fred Schinnerer, of Willshire, two sons, Rev. Louis J. Roehm, of Hudson, New York, and Albert Roehm, of Carnegie, Pennsylvania, one brother, Henry Roehm, of Long Lake and two sisters, Mrs. Henry Reidenbacher [sic], of Schumm, Willshire township, and Mrs. Joseph Coon, of Celina. A brief funeral service will be held Friday afternoon, at 1:30 o’clock, at the Lutheran Church, at Schumm. Interment will be made in the church cemetery. [13]

John and Rosina (Schumm) Roehm had the following children:

Maria Wilhelmina Amalia “Minnie” (1871-1953), married George “Frederick” Schinnerer
Andreas “Friedrich” George (1872-1926), married Henrietta Amalia Schumm
Mary “Julia” (1875-1957), married William Conrad Franke
Charlotte “Paulina” (1876-1962), married Frederick J. Acker
Marie Therese (1878-1892)
John “Louis” (Rev.) (1881-1975), married Anna Elizabeth Peters
Albert Christian (1883-1953)
Alma Sophie (1883-1974), married Herman Kraft

[1] “Ohio Deaths, 1908-1953,” Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, John Roehm, 31 Aug 1932; database with images, FamilySearch.org (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GPRW-SWCB?i=135&cc=1307272&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AX6SP-PM9 : viewed 23 Aug 2020).

[2] 1850 U.S. Census, Tully, Van Wert, Ohio, p.189A, dwelling 406, family 425, Andrew Reem; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/8054/ : viewed 23 Aug 2020).

[3] 1860 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, p.427, dwelling 1099, family 1093, Andrew Rackin; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search419 /collections/7667/ : viewed 23 Aug 2020).

[4] 1850 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, p.166B, dwelling 114, family 131, George Shuman; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/8054/ : viewed 23 Aug 2020).

[5] 1860 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, p.425, dwelling 1068, family 1062, George Schanen; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search419 /collections/7667/ : viewed 2 Aug 2020).

[6] 1870 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, p.432B, dwelling 86, family 87, John Rochin/Roehm; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7163/ : viewed 23 Aug 2020).

[7] 1880 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 154, p.449B, family 123, John Roehm; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6742/ : viewed 23 Aug 2020).

[8] 1900 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 97, p.8, dwelling 165, family 178, John Roehn; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7602/ : viewed 23 Aug 2020). 

[9] 1910 U.S. Census, Fort Wayne Ward 7, Allen, Indiana, ED 554, p.16B, dwelling 360, family 366, John Roehm; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7884/ : viewed 23 Aug 2020).

[10] 1920 U.S. Census, Fort Wayne Ward 7, Allen, Indiana, ED 65, p.21A, dwelling 455, family 466, John Roehm; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com  (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6061/ : viewed 23 Aug 2020).

[11] “Ohio Deaths, 1908-1953,” Willshire Twp, Van Wert, Ohio, Rosina Ann Roehm, 22 May 1928; database with images, FamilySearch.org (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GPK4-STS8?i=2741&cc=1307272&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AX8G3-4Q6 : viewed 23 Aug 2020).

[12] 1930 U.S. Census, Fort Wayne, Allen, Indiana, ED 42, p.22A, dwelling 464, family 496, Herman Kraft; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6224/ : viewed 23 Aug 2020).

[13] Van Wert Daily Bulletin, Van Wert, Ohio, p.3, 1 Sep 1932, digital images by subscription, Ancestry.com, viewed 23 Aug 2020.

Aug 21

Pfc. Herb Miller Arrives in Liverpool, 1944

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II. Victory over Europe (V-E Day) was 8 May 1945 and Victory over Japan (V-J Day) was 15 August 1945.

Back then our country was united in the effort to defeat Hitler’s Nazism and to defeat Japan after its attack on Pearl Harbor.

My dad, Herbert Miller, was a patriotic American and wanted to do his part to assist the war effort, so in the spring of 1944, at age 18, he volunteered for the draft. He was drafted in May 1944 and completed basic training during the summer and fall of that year. On Christmas Eve 1944 he was in Europe, at a Replacement Depot in France, where he was assigned to the 84th Division, 333rd Company, Infantry. He first fought in the Battle of the Bulge and after that in several other European countries.

Herbert Miller

The war in Europe ended in May 1945 but my dad did not have enough time and points to come home. Besides, the U.S. was still at war with Japan in the Pacific. Had the war with Japan not ended in August 1945 my dad probably would have been sent to fight somewhere in the Pacific. As it turned out, he was able to stay in Europe with the Occupation Force, where he worked in a military Post Office until he was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army on 7 June 1946.    

A couple years ago I transcribed and posted here the WWII letters my dad sent home to his family and were saved by them. Since then I found a few short pages he wrote in December 1944, beginning when his ship from the U.S. docked at England. It appears he started writing a journal, but apparently did not continue it. I have a few pages, written on a small notepad, titled My Times in E.T.O. [European Theatre of Operations]:

My Times in E.T.O.

It was a chilly, foggy evening when the USS Wakefield pulled into Liverpool. We watched the sailors stand inspection for shore leave in England.

I was a replacement in a Rifle Co. I don’t even remember the company name. It don’t make much difference.

It was almost the 20th of Dec. As it was getting dark we marched down the gang plank and through the streets of Liverpool to the train station. As I walked past the buildings I noticed some were fenced in and well destroyed. I wondered if France would be the same.

After boarding the train we rode most of the night until we came to South Hampton. We waited in a large ? while the ship was unloaded. The ship looked pretty well beat up. I remembered the trip across the Atlantic and how rough it was. This ship was an old wooden Spanish ship and I do mean old.

The next day we pulled out into the Channel and the next land I would see would be France.

Interesting and a good beginning to a journal but I doubt he had the time to keep it up. He was assigned right away to the Battle of the Bulge and to other parts of Europe after that.   

USS Wakefield [2]

My dad wrote that he sailed to England on the USS Wakefield. According to Wikipedia.com, the USS Wakefield (AP-21) was a troop transport that served with the U.S. Navy during World War II. Before her war service, she was the luxury ocean liner SS Manhattan, built in Camden, New Jersey, launched December 1931. The ship has quite a history that I won’t go into here, but you can read about it on Wikipedia.com, using the link below.

Part of her WWII history that pertains to my dad: …[Wakefield] departed Boston on 13 April 1944, beginning the first of 23 round trips in the Atlantic theater and three in the Pacific. Between 13 April 1944 and 1 February 1946, Wakefield transported 110,563 troops to Europe and brought 106,674 men back to America, a total of 217,237 passengers…Her primary port of call in the European theater was Liverpool, visited so often that the transport’s crew nicknamed her “The Boston and Liverpool Ferry.” The average round-trip voyage took 18 days…

…After D-Day, 6 June 1944, Wakefield began the first of her trips as a casualty-evacuation ship, bringing home wounded GIs. On occasion, she also brought back German prisoners of war for internment in the United States. Sometimes she even carried both evacuees and prisoners on the same voyage. After 13 trips to Liverpool, Wakefield was sent to the Mediterranean theater to carry men and equipment to Italy…Returning from her 22nd voyage to Europe, the transport departed Boston on 4 December 1945 for Taku, China,…returned to San Diego, on 1 February 1946…then two round trips to Guam, February through April 1946, ending ship’s active service as a Navy transport…

…Wakefield was decommissioned on 16 June 1946, five years to the day that she first entered service…She was struck from the Navy Register in 1959 and sold for scrap in 1965. [1]

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Wakefield_(AP-21)

[2] By Unknown author – Navsource Online – US Navy photo # No. V4-W215-1, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3655628