Soldiers News - continued 1944

Pvt. Floyd Tuckey Jumps into Flaming Oil

Bainbridge News & Republicans, July 27, 1944

 

The July Sentinel, a weekly newspaper published by servicemen at Kauai, Hawaiian Islands contained the following article:  "Pvt. Floyd Tuckey deserves a medal for bravery for the work that he did here.  Private Tuckey 'volunteered' to jump from a high tower into flaming oil below.  Private Tuckey is a non-swimmer and all that he had on him was a life jacket.  He leaped into the water and flaming oil, and proved how safe it is to abandon ship even if the water below is filled with flaming oil.  Our hats are off to you, Tuck."

 

Private Tuckey, son of Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Tuckey, has lived with his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. W.A. Tuckey on Pleasant street, Sidney [Delaware Co., NY].  He entered the signal corps in November, 1942.  He trained at Camp Breckinridge, Ky., and Camp Ruck, Ala.  From there he went to California and was shipped to the Hawaiian Islands in may 1943.  He attended Sidney Central High School and worked in the Scintilla, and was active in both the Sidney and the Scintilla bands.  Pvt. Tuckey who is a nephew of Amos W. Tuckey, of Bainbridge, played for several years in the Bainbridge-Sidney band.

 

Daniel Mahoney Wounded at Anzio

Bainbridge News & Republican, Aug. 3, 1944

 

Convalescing to Italy from wounds received at Anzio, First Class Private Daniel L. Mahoney, of South New Berlin [Chenango Co., NY] and formerly of Bainbridge [Chenango Co., NY], has written a letter to friends describing the harrowing conditions under which he battled the enemy.  His letter follows in part:

 

"You keep asking me how I feel.  I feel pretty good and a lot better than I did.  You see, when I was at Anzio it was so wet that for weeks at a time I was never dry.  And talk about cold.  I used to wonder if I would ever stop shaking.  After a while you get so you don't give a d----.  I remember once my overcoat got so wet and had so much mud on it I couldn't carry it any longer.  It became so heavy I threw it away.

 

"We didn't dare take our shoes off for fear we couldn't get them on again.  Our feet would swell up the minute we took them off.  A good many boys had trench foot.  I almost got it.  Believe it or not I wore the same underwear for 60 days.

 

"Sometimes your mind would seem ready to burst and all you could think of was war, mud and shells."

 

Private Mahoney went overseas in February and was at Anzio until he was wounded by a bursting shell.  He has two brothers in the service, Sgt. Robert J. Mahoney, who enlisted with him in February, 1942, and is serving in England, and Private John E. Mahoney, who is en route to the European war theatre. 

 

Bucky Caracciolo Receives Purple Heart

Bainbridge News & Republican, August 3, 1944

 

Pfc. Bastine (Bucky) Caracciolo, son of Mr. and Mrs. Carman Caracciolo, of Sidney [Delaware Co., NY], has been awarded the Purple Heart Medal for being wounded on the beaches of Normandy.  He took part in the invasion but was wounded on the fourth day of the fighting and evacuated to a hospital in England where the award was made.

 

Pfc. William Wagner Killed in France

Bainbridge News & Republican, August 3, 1944

 

Pfc. William Wagner, 24, of Masonville [Delaware Co., NY], husband of Mrs. Alta DeForest Wagner, of Bainbridge, was killed in action June 30 in France according to a telegram received by Mrs. Wagner from the War Department on July 27. 

 

Pfc. Wagner, who was a member of the Engineers, entered the service Feb. 11, 1942 and would have been overseas a year the latter part of this month.  A prayer service was held at the family home in Masonville Sunday afternoon, and on Wednesday afternoon a joint memorial service was held at the Masonville Church for Pfc. Wagner and Cpl. Marvin Gray, who was killed in France on June 19.  Cpl. Gray had made his home with the Wagner family for some time. 

 

Pfc. Wagner is survived by his wife, a two-year-old son, Dennis William Wagner; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Wagner, of Masonville; two brothers, Richard and Thomas Wagner, of Masonville; four sisters, Mrs. Maynard Dodge, of Deposit; Mrs. Grace Gifford, of Masonville; Miss Helen Wagner, R.N., of New York, who leaves with the Army Nurses Corps the end of the month; and Mrs. J. Quitti, of Pittsfield, Mass. 

 

Alvin Sherman Wounded in Action

Bainbridge News & Republican, August 3, 1944

 

T/5 Alvin L. Sherman, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Sherman, of R.D.2, Bainbridge [Chenango Co., NY], was wounded in action July 7 in France.  Cpl. Sherman, who received a bullet wound above the knee, has taken part in two major battles.  He recently was promoted to Corporal.  Cpl. Sherman has a brother, Pvt. Clifford W. Sherman, also serving overseas.

 

Winfred G. Michel Lands Troops at Saipan

Bainbridge News & Republican, August 3, 1944

 

Aboard a Coast Guard-Manned Assault Transport:  Death and heroism were commonplace on the Charon-Kanoa beachhead in Saipan, where the Marines first stormed ashore to gain stronghold, according to the young Coast Guardsmen who landed troops there amid heavy mortar and artillery fire.  Among them was Winfred G. Michel, 18, son of William F. Michel, 11 Pearl street, Bainbridge [Chenango Co., NY], a seaman, second class on a small boat attached to this ship.

 

"The Japs knew we were coming all right, and they threw shells at us like pellets," the group said.  "We had to run through a 150-foot channel to get into the mile-long beachhead since there were reefs everywhere else.  The Nips concentrated their fire on the channel, and all of us had close calls.  We nicknamed it 'Hari-Kari Pass.'  Our boat was hit by shrapnel seven times and we saw other boats and tractors blown up by direct hits.

 

"Later we found out why the barrage was so accurate.  Three Japs were hiding in a smoke stack at the island's sugar refinery along the beach  With radio and telephone, they spotted fire for artillery set up in caves on the hills and mortar squads down in the ravines  I don't believe any landing party ever got such a warm reception, and many men died before they even reached the beach.  We were just lucky.

 

"There was an element of superstition in some of the casualties," continued the Coast Guardsmen.  "A lighter, Number 13, suffered a direct hit killing some men.  It was carrying a medium-sized tank nicknamed 'Eight-Ball.'  A smaller landing boat, also Number 13, was blown up a few minutes later.  A Marine sitting at the wheel of a jeep was killed.  Attached to the jeep's windshield was a pair of baby shoes.

 

"Sometimes, the Japs would loose their barrage in close to the beach, and at other times almost a mile off shore.  No matter where we were, it seemed, we were in danger.  After the first 72 hours, we gained a secure foothold and from then on it wasn't so bad."

 

"Mike" has been in the Coast Guard 15 months and has participated in several Pacific invasions, including the Marshall Islands campaign.

 

Pvt. Edson Smith Missing in Action

Bainbridge News & Republican, August 3, 1944

 

Mr. and Mrs. Fayette Smith received a telegram from the War Department Saturday morning stating that their son, Pvt. Edson H. Smith, had been missing in action since June 24.  The last letter his parents received form him was dated June 18.  Pvt. Smith, who was a member of the infantry, had been in France since the invasion.  He entered the service Apr. 1, 1942 and had been in England since January, 1944.  Pvt. Smith has three brothers in the service, Pfc. Harold Smith, who is in England; Lt. Robert f. Smith, a pilot in Italy; and Fayette L. Smith, Jr., S 2/C AOM, of Memphis, Tenn.  Mr. and Mrs. Smith have already notified the Red Cross and work has already begun to check his whereabouts.