Sewickley Herald

              The Sewickley Valley’s Home News Weekly
Voi. 42 No. 31
SEWICKLEY, PA., THURSDAY, AUGUST 2, 1945
Price Five Cents
Sgt. Frank Vitale, right, standing with buddies in front of roadway magnet they built to clear air strips and roads of metal objects-
t
William L. McDonald
-Word has 'been received that William (Bill) L. McDonald E. T. 2/e -has: left Shoemaker, -California, for the Pacific.
. A .graduate -of the ¡Sewickley High School, Glass- of ’39, .Bill attended Keystone ¡Radio iSeliool in .the North Side, Pittsburgh. After completing his- course there, lie took a job ivith Badio Station WOV in New York City, November; 1940. The early (part of 1942 the. -went ■with Pan -American All-Mays and traveled to Africa and later to South -America. The summer of 1943 Bill returned to New York and Badio Station- WUiV where he- worked until he left for the Navy in May, 1944.
Bill had his boot training at Great Lakes and then went to Badio School at -Giil'iipor.t, Miss., .and back to, Chicago to the Navy Pier. He finished ¡his schooling May 25th' and received Ms BT 2/c rating. After leaving the Navy Pier, Bill -spent a few -days visiting his father, William N. McDonald ,of Se-wickley and later spent a few days with Iris sister, Jean, at 30 Ehsf 92nd Street, New York City.
Purple Heart
The Purtple Heart Medal was awarded to Bobert D. Eaton, ABIM 2/c, son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles E. Eaton, 720 Maple Lane, at. a' recent review at Naval Air Technical Training Center, Memphis, Tenu, Eaton was wounded on ¡March 27, 1945, -during enemy action in the Central Pacific white attached to a battleship squadron. He- is now receiving, advanced radio instruction at NAT e chTraC on,
Graduated
Keesler Field, Biloxi, Miss., July 26: Private Joseph 0. Palmier, son of Mr, and Mrs. Joseph Palmer, 4-29 Broad Street, Sewickley, P-a., was graduated this week from the A!AF Training Command's basic airplane- and engine mechanics course at ICeesle-r Field.
The- course extended over a 70-day period, during .which time ho received instruction wild actual experience in aircraft 'maintenance. This training prepared him for entrance into a specialized' course where ground crew students receive instruction in mainten-anCo and trouble shooting on particular typés of planes.
The training program its followed included', in addition to aircraft -maintenance, fundamentals, instruction in airplane électrifiai systems, structures, fuel anti oil systems, propellers; instruments,. hydraulic systems, engine _ operations and basic airplane inspection.
Leetsdale Soldier Helped Convert Hitler Youth Camp to Air Strip
■After .the Yanks took ever • Hitler’s famous youtlh camp, Vogelsang, things were never the same again, as Staff Sergeant Frank Vitale of 324 Beaver Street, c!an tell. NeWs of how the G. I. froirn Leetsdale helped turn the camp into a landing field comes from Fred B. Barton, war .correspondent. ' -'The school, the -underground swimming pool, the gymnasium and the banquet -hall where Nazi leaders- for the future were .trained had ¡been taken
-Chris Wintermantel, son of Mrs. Philomena Wintermantel of Seiwiekloy Heights-, a corpora! in -a Field Artillery unit new in Germany, was recently awarded the Bronze Star medal, .with the following citation:
“For meritorious service in support of active combat operations from 13 June, .1944 to 1 May, 1945 in France, Belgium -and Germany, Corporal Wln-tennantel, a singular example to ,tko men of his battery, performed his duties as ammunition corporal in an outstanding maimer. During the Ardennes, campaign, he often pcrSorimed. the additional duty of cannoneer When men of the Section were taken ill. -At ono time when tiie Battery fired nearly nine- hundred rounds of ammunition in a twenty-foul' hour period', lOorp. Wintermantel serviced,a good share, of the ammunition and assisted in the firing. A loyal' and .energetic soldier, • Co'rp. Winter-man,tel won the respect of all members of his battery.”	"
Corporal, Wintermantel has two brothers -in the isorvices: Joseph, in the .Navy, now in Philippine Waters, and Wilbert, (with the Marinos, now ill a rest camp following Service on Okinawa.
Richard M, Wharton, IS, Seaman 2/c, DSN®, -Of Lane’s End, Sewickley Heights, is at the Atlantic Fleet's Naval Training Station, Newport, 11. I., assigned to the UBS Allagnsh, a new fleet oiler.
Wharton, who is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Eichard) Wharton, entered the Navy in December, 19-14. He was graduated from Sewickley High School in 1044/
over ns- a forthcoming U. S. air -strip at tlhe time of my visit,” Barton reported to The Lincoln Electric Company, Cleveland, Ohio, world’s -largest manufacturer of electric are welding equipment, which company in turn forwarded this account o'f .the- Hitler youth ca,nip’s transition:
Before going into 'the Army, Sgt. Vitale worked in -a steel mill and told Barton- that- he wants to return to his old job. His army job, Barton sh-id, is .to keep air field construction equipment in repair and to build from whatever material is avaibfible—often from the ■scrap heap—devices -such as roadway
In Kedistribution Center
Atlantic City, N, J.—¡T/5 Eve B. Sickeler, 39, of 308 Highland Lane, 6e-wickley, Fa., daughter of Mrs. H. Siclt-eler, has recently returned from service .outside the continental limits of the United States and is, nolw temporarily stationed at the Army Ground' and' Service Redistribution Station. .While at 'this installation she will ¡be given a series of tests to determine ¡her fitness for future1 assignments.
T/5 Sickelcr served 30 months as AFHQ Hqs. clerk in the- European theatre of operations-. ¡She is a; recipient of the European-Afriean-Middle-’Ehstcrn ¡Campaign Rilbibon and. Good Conduct Medal,
During the period of her stay she ,w!ll toe given a thorough, medical and dental examination, occupational and .classification tests together With various informal talks designed to fully acquaint the veteran, soidier of present and post-war conditions' and problems. This program is carried on in a leisurely fashion amidst pleasant surroundings conducive to mental and physical relaxation.
A variety of e.ntertainnveut and recreational activities has boon -ari'hngod to entertain the returnee in her leisure hours. This Will include numerous dance's, stage and radio shows, sightseeing tours, horseback riding, ice skating, table tennis, golf, basketball and bathing, fishing and sailing in season,	.
Before entering the service, T/5 Sickeler was employed toy II. H, Robertson Company, Amibritlgo, as a stenographer.
¡Colonel Jamos G. Cooper, ;Jr,, Com-
magnets to pick up nails- and metal objects to prevent airplane •eraefcups or punctured jeep tires.
¡Sgt. Vitale’s outfit, the S>16 Engineers Aviation Battalion, had the job of moving ahead of the bombers- to create air strips, often across Itoomb craters nr through the center of ruined towns. By this time, ¡Barton said, the outfit proibably is -on its way to the Pacific to .undertake a similar job of building air strips of any and every available material to form a hard, smooth, and dependable -surface on which bombers •and fighter planes can land and take off.
manding Officer of the redistribution station, stated: “The primary mission ■will be to -help reassign personnel where -they will be. of most service and toe performing duties in which .they will1 be contented.”
Bronze Star for Army Nurse
First Lieutenant Phoebe J. Campbell of the Reserve Army Nursing Corps, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. David Helibst Campbell of Walnut ¡Street, was awarded the Bronze Star medal early in July “for meritorious service in Franco and Belgium” in caring for wounded soldiers in. the 2nd Evacuation Hospital back of the combat area. That hospital also received a Unit Citation for its efficient work during the Battle. of the Bulge and before.-
Now in Germany, Lieutenant Campbell with 18 other nurses 'lias been, transferred to the 5.1st Evacuation Hospital, and awaits further orders Or reassignment. She has been overseas since September, 1942, Was ¡with the First Army in Normandy and Belgium, and was promoted from second 'lieutenant to first in November, 1944.
Trainer Instructor	_
• Virginia Anno Mather Sp. T. 2/e is now located at a Naval Air Biiso near Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands, She entered the service in July, 1043. After basic training at Hunter College and at Atlanta, Georgia, she served for eighteen months at Corpus Christi, Texas, as Link Trainer Instructor, prior to going overseas where she is now continuing her work in the same capacity.
Wins Flying Cross
An Advanced China Air Base—-The award of the. Distinguished Flying ¡Cress to First ¡Lieutenant Frederick J. Menz, ¡whose- wife, Patricia L. Monz, -lives at 1205 West 2'3-rd Street, Pine-Bluff, was recently announced toy ¡headquarters, 14th Air Force in China.
The citation accompanying the Distinguished Flying Cross to- Lt. Menz, signed toy Major Gen. C. L. Chennault, reads in part:	“for extraordinary
achievement in aerial flight-. Flying from to'ases in ¡China in .transport type aircraft, he delivered- vital supplies and personnel -to forward units which were almost inaccessible, by land routes, -often flying near enemy territory where fire -from ground and from hostile- aircraft Was .probable 'and expected. His plane was- iinur-med and heavy with cargo, tout he persisted in Ms missions through adverse, weather and over rugged .terrain! Has- achde-voments reflect high credit upon himself, and upon the Army Air- Forces.”
In- addition to the Distinguished Flying Cross, Lt. Menz has- also been awarded the Air Medal for hi's part in the supply of the Chinese ground tro.ops throughout ¡China.
Lt. Menz, a student prior to- entering the Air Corps in February, 1043, attended ¡St. Vincent’s .College at Latrotoe, Pa., and Po-nn College- in Cleveland, Ohio, He came overseas in November, 1044, and was proimotod to his present rank in July, 1045.
Promoted
Fort Bragg, N. C.:—¡Promotion of Corporal Dcnzil T. Dicken of Prisoner of War Camp, to the- rank of Sergeant, was announced .today toy Brigadier General John T. Kennedy, Commanding General of Fort Bragg.
Sergeant Dicken is the son of Mrs. Grace L. McCray, Eouto 2, Sewickley.
Fort Bragg officials stated -that promotion was toase-d on leadership, ability and attention to- duty,
Charles McKnight, sou of Lt, Col. and Mts. Bobert W. McKnight of Glen Osiborne, is at the Navy’s -radar training station at Great Lakes, Illinois, Ho enlisted in the Navy on May 23rd, 1045.
Airline Networks Increase
The authorization of 1,244 miles of •now routes to the airline networks during the first live, months of -this year .brings the total number of miles of •routes over which .the domestic airlines are scheduling planes to 64,181, an all-time high.
Earned Well His Star