Sutton Memorial Day 1947 inc. Veterans Listed

This is how Sutton observed Memorial day 75 years ago in 1947. The article included the list of the town's veterans, women's relief corps, and auxiliaries. 

March 1947 - End of WWII Draft Program

The Selective Service Program - the DRAFT - for World War II ended on March 31, 1947. This is the recap of the draft in Clay County during WWII.

This article appeared in The Clay County News on June 5, 1947.

Clay County Draft Board Shut Down April 1947

This item in The Clay County News on April 3, 1947 announced that the Clay County Draft Board was shut down.

Ninety-three county inductees were still in the army on April 1, 1947.

The draft board processed only one conscientious objector's application during WWII.

Legion Post #61 Honored Vets in 1997

The Sutton Legion Post honored these vets at their 78th anniversary banquet in 1997.

The article appeared in the Clay County News on March 20, 1997.

Helen Detwiler Nominated for WWII Women's Military Memorial

Sutton's American Legion post nominated this sutton woman to be recognized on the memorial wall in Arlington, Virginia for women in WWII.

The article appeared in the Clay County News on March 20, 1997.

Stella's Brother, Admiral J.J. "Jocko" Clark

There is a Sutton connection, close enough for our purposes, with one of the more fascinating heroes of Naval aviation.

Admiral J.J. "Jocko" Clark was an older brother of Stella (Clark) Olinger, wife of LeRoy (Roy) Olinger, Sutton residents who owned farms northwest of town. The Sutton story appears at the end of this article.

Joseph James Clark and Stella Clark were born on a farm near Chelsea in Oklahoma Indian Territory, J.J. in 1893, Stella in early 1900. Their parents were William and Lillie Clark. An older brother died in infancy, eight Clark children survived.

This photo of William Clark's family appears in Chapter 1 of "One the Warpath in the Pacific" by Clark G. Reynolds. The farmhouse was near Alluwe, Indian Territory in 1906. Left to right Joe, 12 with his dogs; "Papa" Will Clark, 45; Mary, 8; Stella, 6; "Mama" Lillie Belle, 33; twins Bill, Jr. and Dollie; and Lucy, 11.  

Joseph Clark received an appointment to the U.S. Navy Academy in Annapolis and in 1917 became the first native American to graduate from the academy. Tradition calls for plebes to receive a nickname, Midshipman Clark became "Jocko" a name that stuck with him throughout his career in WWI, WWII, to the end of the Korean War. 

He was assigned to one of the earliest aircraft carriers and immediately was attracted to flying becoming a Naval Aviator in 1925. 

Early in his career, he was the only aviator assigned to an inspection team evaluating new carrier aircraft and procedures for carriers and their aircraft. He was involved in developing carrier tactics until the end of his career, tactics that are key to naval carrier operations today.

Jocko developed a well-earned reputation for his aggressive nature and leadership. He became known as "Patton of the Pacific." Several videos about the admiral live on youtube.

Patton of the Pacific from Cherokee Nation Archivists. 

Admiral Jocko Clark and the Battleship New Jersey - The New Jersey was Admiral Clark's flagship in the Korean War.

After the Yorktown (CV-5) was sunk at Midway, a carrier that was under construction on the east coast was renamed the Yorktown CV-10). Then-Captain Clark was assigned as the new commander and he picked up the carrier before all interior work was done. Crews completed the ship as Jocko drove it through the Panama Canal and to the war in the South Pacific. He was launching aircraft into combat six months later.

A movie production crew accompanied the Yorktown filming what became an hour-long navy promotional movie called "The Fighting Lady." The narrator (Robert Taylor of Clay Center fame) purposely did not name the Yorktown to honor all carrier crews and airmen in the flick.

The Fighting Lady - an hour-long movie by 20th Century Fox.

The film is illustrated by navy combat film. A commentator pointed out that the Yorktown was the only ship with color film so all color photography in the film came from Jocko's ship. Jocko gets good coverage especially of him chewing out the crew and directing traffic on deck. The original film had no sound so we enjoy Jocko's words in a voice-over.

Back to the Sutton connection. Jocko's sister Stella Clarinda married LeRoy (Roy) Olinger in Oklahoma in 1918. Roy and his sister Bertha (wife of Dr. Fred Figi) were Sutton High grads in 1914 and 1913. (Dr. Figi in '12). 

Roy and Stella's daughter Jody married Paul McBeth and farmed an Olinger farm northwest of town. (I scooped corn with Paul many a time on our neighborhood corn-shelling crew.) Their daughter Paula was my classmate, class of '61. Second daughter Jody ('65) lives in Omaha - we had a great conversation about her great uncle Jocko and the books. Elizabeth was in the class of '72 and Dr. William McBeth in '74. 

Clark G. Reynolds assisted Jocko with his autobiography. Reynolds was the nephew of Admiral Clark's personal aide and snagged the gig when he was 19. Writing the book had to wait until Reynolds had his PhD from Duke years later. 

Reynolds was upset that the editor cut the story of Jocko's early years (including all mention of Stella) so that the autobiography concentrated on the admiral's career on carriers. So, we now have a full-fledged biography that does include the admiral's formative years in Indian Territory, hi-jinx at Annapolis (oh yeah), and pretty robust genealogy coverage of the admiral's various lines, including the Cherokee ancestry.

Jody and I captured the last copies of "Warpath" at amazon, so if you're interested (I recommend it) you'll have to wait or find another source.

Sutton High Grads in the Military thru 1946

Mayme (Wieden) Clark, Alumni Association Secretary compiled this list of Sutton High grads who had served in the military. This list was presented at the 1946 Alumni gathering and published in The Sutton News on May 23, 1946.

The list is compiled by class year. Has anyone done this recently? Seems like a project. Call me.

(*) indicates killed in action. Just noticed that Mayme indicated Donald Bulin, class of '40, was KIA. I do not have him listed as such. Have not researched this - any help?

Sutton War Brides

Millions of American men found themselves in Europe during WWII where they met the local population and nature intervened. 

This is from the May 2, 1946 issue of The Sutton News.

Greg Bender Nominated for West Point - 1971

Wally Bender's son Greg was nominated to attend the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1971.

Members of congress make appointments, Greg's was by Senator Roman Hruska. The screening process for the academies is rigid with only the best students, with a wide range of extra-curricular and community activities receiving attention.

Academy students between their junior and senior academic years were often assigned to operational units for the summer for a taste of "real" life. Our tasks were to find meaningful assignments for these "third" lieutenants that gave them a good look at our mission while hopefully providing some useful product for the operational unit which would instill a sense of accomplishment. It was a challenge, but one we took seriously. These students were always top-notch people who were solid prospects and good officer material. 

Seaman Samuel Joseph Marsh - WWII Casualty

Seaman Second Class Samuel Joseph Marsh of Grafton, a crewman on the U.S.S. Houston was wounded on February 4, 1942. He was placed in a hospital on the island of Java which was soon attacked. He and 400 other patients were taken on the oil tanker, the U.S.S. Pecos to go to Australia but the ship was bombed and sank on March 2nd.

Seaman Marsh was listed as missing until December 15, 1945 when he was declared to be dead.

Henry Lohmeier - WWII Casualty Services

Seaman 3rd Class Henry Lohmeier's services were held at St. mary's Catholic Church. This article from the February 7, 1946 Sutton News.

The story of Seaman Lohmeier was included in our Les Bauer article here.

1970 Draft Procedures

This November 1970 article describes recent changes in Selective Service procedures to determine the priority of draft-eligible young men.

The lottery system began in 1970. Prior to that, we were all No. 1 unless we could find a deferment to hide behind. 

Personally, I nursed my 2-S student deferment through a five-year college career until I screwed up and graduated in 1966. I was promised my draft notice would arrive one month and one day after graduation. I was in Air Force basic training 24 days after graduation.  

Terms of enlistment varied. Enlistment in the Air Force or Navy incurred a four-year active duty commitment. Enlisting the Army carried a three-year commitment. Draftees faced two years of compulsory service. 

The differences recognized that Army and Marines were likely to serve in the infantry or artillery or other combat positions. Air Force and Navy inductees were more likely headed for technical fields in support organizations. 

At the Omaha induction center I learned how Marines were selected. Men for all services went through the day of processing together. Late in the afternoon, the nine of us heading to San Antonio and the Air Force were sent to one side of the room. A larger contingent of Navy-bound men were in another cluster. Army and Marine enlistees were large groups also segregated. 

The men who had been drafted stood in lines in the middle of the room. They were directed to count off by fours. That is, in sequence they said, "1" "2" "3" "4" "1" "2" etc. When the last man had said a number, those who had said the number 1 were ordered to the front and were congratulated for being Marines. 

Each individual was given a packet containing their induction information and each group dispersed to transportation to their training facilities.

As the oldest of our group of nine, I was given custody of all of our packets, we went outside to a bus to Eppley and to a flight to the San Antonio airport where we met a bus about midnight for the ride to Lackland Air Force Base. Our Training Instrutors (TI) welcomed us, confiscated our Draft Cards if we still had them, assigned our bunks and allowed us one last sleep-in until 8:00 am when we were introduced to the chow hall - Day One of my 21-year Air Force career. 

New American Legion Building Dedicated 1970

The new building for Sutton's American Legion Argonne Post #61 was dedicated in November 1970 

Schroder Family Service WWII W.A.V.E.S. & Vietnam Casualty

 Clay Center native Helen Moger Schroder recounts her story in the Navy in World War II, holding a photo of her son Jack Schroder who was one of three Clay County men to die in the Vietnam War.

1995 Carol Van Kirk Appointment as Legion Auxiliary Legislative Chairman

From The Clay County News on September 14, 1995

 

Wayne Ross of Harvard Rec'd the Purple Heart 52 Years Late

 Senator James Exxon presented Harvard's Wayne Ross with his Purple Heart in Omaha.

The Application for a Brick on the American Legion Wall - 1970

When the Sutton American Legion Post built its new building in 1970, it included a wall of bricks recognizing local vets. This was the application to be included.

I was mildly surprised the first time I was in the Legion building on a visit back to Sutton and found that my parents had put a brick up for me - on the right edge in the corner, about eye level, if you're the right height.

Harvard POW's Letter to his Parents After Release

Pfc. Clinton Hohnstein wrote this letter to his Harvard parents immediately after being liberated from a German prisoner of war camp. The letter appeared in The Harvard Courier on May 31, 1945.

The 1970 Sutton Memorial Day Program

The 1970 Memorial Day Program included a list of veterans from various wars and members of other patriotic organizations.

The lists are incomplete, especially the World War II list.

V-E Day announcement May 10, 1945

From The Harvard Courier, May 10, 1945 - V-E Day