1941: Among the first to be inducted into WWII, January 1941

Here are just a few of the members of the "GREATEST GENERATION" who were inducted into military service mere weeks after the December 7, 1941 bombing of Pearl Harbor.

1944: RALPH LUCARELLA, U.S.N. (RET.)

Ralph has been among my many valued visitors to this web site.With his excellent memory and experience in recalling the Trenton we all knew and loved. I am publishing two photos I received from Ralph a number of years ago, illustrating his station during WWII in the Herbrides. Below and to the right is a copy of a guest book entry from Jeff Ashton, Phoenix, Arizona which I have copied and pasted. It was directed to Ralph and me. As to you Ralph Lucarella, you are one of our heroes who served valiantly in the horror that was World War II. How do you Italians say it...."C'ent anni?"

Omad said...

Always find your comments interesting and I look forward each day to what you add to Tom's postings. I'm 76 and don't think my memory is as sharp as yours. Keep up the good work.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

2011: REMEMBERING OUR WWII PATRIOTS

I am now, and always will be grateful to our military veterans. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. It also marks a period of time where memories of World War II are quickly fading from the public view. An historian's obligation is to keep those memories alive so that younger citizens are informed of the many sacrifices our veterans from all wars have made for our country.

THE ABOVE GRAPHIC IS SCANNED FROM A BROADSIDE I AM POSTING AT KUSER MANSION AND THE HAMILTON TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY ANNOUNCING A VERY SPECIAL VETERANS' DAY PRESENTATION. I HOPE TO SEE MANY OF MY LOCAL VISITORS TO THIS WEBSITE AT THE PROGRAM.

Sally Logan Gilman said...

Hi Tom: I hope you have a great turn out for such a worthy program. I'll be there in spirit. Regards

1943: RALPH LUCARELLA,, USN

From the "NOTABLE PERSONS" and "WWII" folders, this enhanced photo of a gentleman who has added many historically valuable first person comments to the many posts on this blog. I only wish there were more seniors like Ralph who were computer literate. It sure would add a ton of valuable comments to the many posts on this blog.

1946: GROVEVILLE: HOMECOMING FOR WWII VETERANS

I've said it before and it bears repeating: Groveville is Hamilton Township's answer to Mayberry RFD. It must be a wonderful feeling to be a native of that bucolic little village to the south of Hamilton Township. When I think of community "togetherness," Groveville immediately comes to mind. Their annual parades, the pride the firemen and women have in their town, and other Mayberry-type traits make this little village a stereotype for the typical midwestern small town that most of us love and admire.

1944: Ralph Lucarello, Sr. U.S.N. Ret.

I met Ralph Lucarello Sr. on Mike McNicoll's very interesting website. I have Ralph's permission to post just a few of the photos he took during his tour of the Pacific as a member of the U.S. Navy. Following is a copy of Ralph's service experiences. It seems like a page right out of that fabulous Broadway musical, "South Pacific," even as you see he and his buddies doing leg kicks as they sing and dance to, "There is nothing like a dame!" Many thanks, Ralph and to you also Mack for the great job you are doing on your web blog.

RALPH WROTE

Hi Tom, this is Ralph Sr. I was in the US Navy Fleet Post Office San Francisco Navy 140 which was located on Espíritu Santo in the NEW HEBRIDES ISLANDS. I was in the Post Office in Trenton at the beginning of WW2 and could have enlisted in the Navy as a Chief Petty Officer but they wouldn't guarantee my job upon returning and would only do so when I was drafted. When I was finally drafted in April of 1944, I went to boot camp in Bainbridge, Md and was granted third class petty officer mail specialist. I was stationed in NY for 3 months and then sent to San Francisco. After 3 months in san francisco we shipped out to the South Pacific. When I was discharged in 1946, I was a Second Class Petty Officer. While I was on Espiritus Santo, the Fleet assembled there in preparation for the Invasion of Okinawa. Our Unit was tasked to distribute mail throughout the South Pacific Area. Here are the Photos I have of my time on Espíritu Santo .

2009: MEMORIAL DAY, 2009. WE REMEMBER

I put this little vignette together with graphics from my World Wars I and II folders. Richard Divine was the brother of popular Hamilton High Physical Education teacher, Don Divine. Lt. Gaudette is my cousin, Sgt. Len Glover is my brother, Bob Dietrich is an old neighborhood friend, and the rest are memories of "The War to End all Wars."

1945: MY BUDDY LOU DIMATTIA WAY BACK WHEN

For a few years back in the 1980's Lou was the unofficial gardener at Monsignor McCorriston's somewhat disorderly yard. Lou and I go back a goodly number of years as parishioners at St. Anthony parish in Hamilton. When I left St. Anthony in the 80's, I thought I had said farewell to an old friend. However, Lou is an accomplished dancer, and didn't he come to a number of my Kuser Farm Gazebo Sunday summer programs. It was a pleasure to renew old acquaintances. And Lou, if a relative is reading this, I ask them to let you know that my son Tom and I will once again be bringing the music of the golden years to Kuser Farm Park this summer. This time we will be alternating between 3 and 5, and 6 and 8 PM Sunday programs.

1941: MERCER COUNTY MILITARY INDUCTEES

War clouds were forming over Mercer County in January, 1941, a mere 11 months until the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The shaded area above lists the names of local men who entered the fray before combat began.

1944: Lt. Koczak Receives the Air Medal

Lt. Koczak was a Thunderbolt pilot, who may have been one of the "fighter escorts" that kept the enemy away from my brother Len's B-24 Eighth Air Force Liberator crew as they made nightly bombing raids over Nazi Germany during WWII. I have often heard my brother recall how thankful the bomber crews were to have those P47 Thunderbolts, and P51 Mustangs watching over them.

2002: R.W. JOHNSON OF HAMILTON WWII CANTEEN

How they enjoyed that afternoon! R.W. Johnson of Hamilton's front lawn had a huge circus size tent pitched with tables set for husbands and wives from "The Greatest Generation." There were tears in many eyes as we sang that heart ballad from WWII, "I'll Be Seeing You."Sadly, in the 7 intervening years from 2002 to the present, many of those who were present to receive our honor and respect at that WWII canteen are either home-bound or no longer with us. I had heard that these heroes are passing on an alarming rate of over 1,000 per day.

1945: They called it the "Ruptured Duck"

I never understood why, but many returning veterans from World War II held the military discharge lapel pin up to ridicule. To me as a young boy, it was a badge of courage, and deserved to be proudly displayed on the lapel of our returning members of the military.

1945: Those Extinct Hamilton Veterans' Boards

remember those wooden memorials which listed the names of those who were serving in the military during WWII? They were erected in front of firehouses, public buildings, and other places in Hamilton during, and right after WWII. Then, after the memories of WWII passed, we unceremoniously sent them to the scrap heap. What a sad situation. Over the years, a number of people have approached me asking whatever happened to the memorial at this or that fire house, or this or that place. No one knows. I do:

They were trashed! How soon we forgot.

1946: VETERANS' HOUSING IN HAMILTON

Those visitors who were around in the post WWII years, will remember how serious the housing shortage was for the returning G.I.'s In 1946, Hamilton took the bull by the horns and began to act on providing homes for as many veterans as the budget would allow. The Connecticut Avenue homes are within view of my Atlantic Avenue home, and have weathered the years very well.

1944: Local Heroes from "The Greatest Generation"

1945: Mike Kuzma: Is this a relative?

Mike Kuzma, is this a relative? From the "WWII" folder, wherein I include names of selected military personnel who appeared weekly in full page WWII veteran's photos and assignments. There are hundreds of the aforementioned photos and as a result, I seek out names with which I am personally familiar.

1945: Joe DeLorenzo

That's my friend Joe DeLorenzo in the photo above. Joe is a regular visitor to my Local History work shop at the Hamilton Township Public Library. The DeLorenzo family will ever be remembered in the Mercer County area for their tomato pies that made Trenton famous. That's TOMATO PIES, NOT, PIZZA!

1946: The Post World War II Housing Shortage

As I read and digitized the above article, I recall sitting in the Kuser Farm theater back in 1946 or so and watching the 20th Century Fox motion picture, "Apartment for Peggy," starring Jeanne Crain. It was the story of a returning WWII veteran finding housing for his bride. The housing situation was critical back in the immediate years following the end of World War II. Here we have a photo of the housing constructed for the incoming veteran students to Trenton State Teachers' College, known today as "TCNJ," The College of New Jersey.

1941: Groveville Homecoming for WWII Veterans

Those of you who have taken the time to visit Gary Lippincott's www.grovevillememories.blogspot.com will vouch for the fact that the little bucolic town has always held a special place in the community to honor the many veterans who fought in our wars. This article describes just such an event as GI's began to return from the horrors of WWII.

1944: LT. JERRY MIGLIACCI HONORED

THIS GRAPHIC WAS POSTED EARLIER, BEFORE I BEGAN TO ACQUIRE A DIGITALCOLLECTION OF NOTABLE TRENTON ARE WWII HEROES. TRENTON MAYOR ANDY DUCH PRESENTED WWII HERO JERRY MIGLIACCI WITH A WAR BOND, FROM HIS MANY FRIENDS.