Parent Issue
Day
18
Month
November
Year
1942
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Copyright Protected
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Donated by the Ann Arbor News. © The Ann Arbor News.
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With The Men In Service

Local Pilot Home From Pacific Base

For the first time since February, Lt. David A. DeLong, 24, of the Army Air Force, is back in the United States and for the first time since May, 1941, he’s back in Ann Arbor. But not for long, for “any minute now" he expects to head back to his station in the Pacific.

There wasn't much Lt. DeLong could tell about his experiences, but from vague inferences, they must be plentiful. A censor himself of enlisted men's mail, he turned aside query after query.

However, he told why he's here. It seems that somewhere out in the Pacific, on an island base guarding the Panama canal where there are natives, natives and more natives--a Flying Fortress was a bit incapacitated.

So Lt. DeLong piloted the heavy bomber hack to San Antonio, Tex. for repairs, and while it was in the repair shop he took a quick trip home. He will return to San Antonio soon to pilot the bomber back again.

Lt. DeLong has been in the Army Air Force since May 29, 1941, and has been stationed in Panama jungles, one month in Guatemala and other places including Peru, Costa Rica, Salvador, Nicaragua and Colombia.

His experiences, which probably would make interesting reading if only they could be told, include continuously driving poisonous snakes from Army tents in a tropical jungle. As Lt. DeLong says, "I hadn't seen a while girl in six months," which more than indicates that they must be really isolated.

Lt. DeLong gave no indication as to whether he and his crew of nine men had had any actual tuffs with the enemy while flying eight hours a day in the Pacific on sea patrol.

After completing primary at Stamford, Tex., Lt. DeLong took his basic at Randolph Field, Tex. and was graduated as a second lieutenant from Kelly Field, Tex. last Jan. 9. He became a first lieutenant in August.

Lt. DeLong attended Ann Arbor High school and Kentucky Military Institute and was one month short of graduation from Denison University when he was called into service with the Air Corps. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. D. A. DeLong, 1102 Prospect St.

Lt. DeLong

Raised To Captain

Recently promoted from first lieutenant to captain, Edward L. Adams, jr., has returned to Fort Benning, Ga., after a furlough at home in Ann Arbor, to resume his duties as instructor and company commander.

Capt. Adams, son of Mr. and Mrs. Edward L. Adams, 1850 Washtenaw Ave., was on the teaching staff of Culver Military Academy when called to active service Sept. 25, 1941. After completing the rifle and heavy weapons course at Fort Benning, he was named to the infantry school's tactical staff.

His work has been mainly in the officer candidate school, where he was a platoon leader in one of the first classes, which graduated last May. He was later given command of new officer candidate classes, and raised to the rank of Captain.

Capt. Adams attended University High school until his junior year, when he transferred to the Ashville school in North Carolina, from which he graduated in 1933. He then attended the University of Michigan, graduating in 1937. He was in the ROTC and was a member of Scabbard and Blade, honorary military society.

After working in the editorial department of The Ann Arbor News for a year, he re-entered the University and received his master's degree in 1939. He then joined the staff at Culver. His wile, the former Jacqueline Kolle, of Detroit, whom he married in 1940, lives near the Fort Benning post.

Capt. Adams

Instructor

Richard J. Gimmey, 36, 214 W. Washington St., has been with a coast artillery anti-aircraft outfit since April 30, and already he ranks as a corporal technician and is an instructor in motor mechanics at Camp Davis, N.C.

Corp. Gimmey entered the Army at Fort Jay, N. Y., where he stayed just long enough to be properly inducted. The same day he was sent off to Camp Dix, N.J., reception center, where he had another short stay, this time two days.

On May 3 he landed at Fort Eustis, Va. for basic training, and two months later went to Fort Fisher, N.C. for special school training. He took up his tor of motor mechanics at Camp Davis Sept. 22.

Corp. Gimmey has two brothers who went through the First World war. Brother John of Mt. Pleasant, who was a first sergeant in the coast artillery, spent 15 months in France, and another brother, Charles of Petaluma, Calif., served 11 months with the Rainbow division in France as a private, first class.

Mrs. Gimmey, the former Helen Oja of Republic, is staying at 214 W. Washington St. Corp. Gimmey is the son of Mrs. C. I. Miller of Williamston and prior to induction was a cement finisher at the bomber plant.

In Hawaiian Islands

Robert Lewis Forsythe, 23, former Ann Arbor High School and University golfer, has been stationed at the Hawaiian islands since last June but exactly what he's doing is a puzzle to his parents, Mr. and Ms. L. L. Forsythe, 2870 Overridge Rd.

A couple things are known for sure, though. He is a second lieutenant, the commission coming to him upon graduation from officers training school at Fort Benning, Ga., last May 5 and right now he's attached to headquarters company in special training.

Lt. Forsythe volunteered for early induction July 11, 1941 and reported at Camp Grant, Ill. From there he was sent for 13 weeks basic training at Camp Wolters, Tex., and then on to maneuvers at Fort Jackson, S.C., last November. He was sent to officers training school on Feb. 1 and left San Francisco for overseas duty sometime in June.

A graduate of Ann Arbor High school in 1937, Lt. Forsythe holds a degree from the University literary school. He was enrolled in the University Law school at the time of induction. A member of the High school championship golf team, he was also on the freshman team at the University.

His wife, the former Elinor West of Ann Arbor, whom he married May 14, 1942, is staying at 609 W. Hoover St.

Lt. Forsythe

In Quartermaster Corps

Harold Paul (Slim) Smoke, former sheriff's department officer at Dexter, is helping to keep his Army mates supplied with essentials from his station in the quartermaster corps at Fort Swift, Tex.

Pvt. Smoke, who was born in Detroit April 14, 1914, has been a Dexter resident for the past 10 years. He came to Dexter with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Smoke, and has made his home with them at 11591 Colby Rd.

He was inducted into the Army at Detroit on May 13 and spent time at Fort Custer and Fort Warren, Wyo., before being stationed at Fort Swift.

Pvt. Smoke

Coast Guardsman

Chelsea's growing list of men in the service of their nation's armed forces now includes Fred Seeley, III, who has made his home in the Washtenaw village for the past three years.

Seeley, who volunteered for service Oct. 1, is stationed with Coast Guard recruits at the training school in New Orleans, La.

The Chelsea Coast Guardsman is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Seeley, jr., of Chelsea. He was born in Detroit Sept. 6, 1922, and was employed as a welder by the Chelsea Spring Co. before signing up for the Coast Guard.

Fred has a brother, Sgt. Watson Seeley, who is stationed with Army forces somewhere in England.

Fred Seeley

On Duty On Warship

Donald Junior (Bud) Ticknor has been put aboard a U.S. warship now on duty off the west coast, according to letters received by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Donald J. Ticknor, 2862 Stone School Rd. He has been in the Navy since Sept. 8.

An apprentice seaman after  completing six weeks of boot training at Camp Green Bay, Great Lakes naval training station, Bud was given a nine-day leave and then sent to Norfolk, Va. to await orders to active sea duty or for acceptance into an aircraft mechanics school.

Bud was graduated from Ann Arbor High school in 1939 and took one semester at the University. He was an inspector at the bomber plant when he enlisted Sept. 8.

In 'Boot' Training

Getting his "boot" training at the Great Lakes naval training station is Harold S. Hanselman, Chelsea resident who enlisted in the Navy at the Jackson recruiting office Oct. 17.

The son of Mrs. Emanuel M. Eiseman, Seaman Hanselman was born in Ann Arbor May 10, 1924. He was graduated from Chelsea High school with last June's senior class and had worked as a shipping clerk for the Chelsea branch of the Federal Screw Works before enlisting.

Seaman Hanselman expects to he stationed at Great Lakes for several weeks before receiving a permanent duty assignment.

S. Hanselman

Also In Navy

Robert B. Wilber, son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Wilber, Milan area residents, is also receiving his "boot" training at the Great Lakes naval training station.

A graduate of Lincoln Consolidated school, Seaman Wilber was born in Ann Arbor Sept. 19, 1921. He enlisted for Navy service Oct. 6 and reported for duty at Detroit two days later.

Before entering the Navy, Seaman Wilber was employed at the bomber plant at Willow Run.

Another From Milan

Another Milan youth who Is making progress in the Navy is Charles Frederick (Lefty) Woolcott, who has been made a hospital apprentice with a first class seaman’s ranking in his first five weeks at the Great Lakes naval training station.

Seaman Woolcott, who enlisted at Ann Arbor Sept. 29, reported at Detroit and was sent to Great Lakes immediately, is the 22-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Woolcott. He was born in Milan Aug. 4, 1920.

Advancement to seaman, first class, in five weeks is considered rapid progress by most Navy men.

The Milan sailor was graduated from Milan High school with the class of 1940, studied a year at Michigan State Normal College in Ypsilanti and was working in the plating department at the Ford bomber plant before enlisting.