American Legion Post 50 SAL 50 New York USA
Stories of Pelham’s WWII Heroes
Memorial Day 2004
The Pelham Weekly
Kenneth G. Kraetzer, Jr.
As over 60 years have passed since the end of the war, many of the 16 million
American WWII veterans have passed away and others are in fragile health. The
WWII period in Pelham was a microcosm of the experience of thousands of towns
around the country, an intense time of service and unity, triumph and great
tragedy. In less than four years, 64 residents of Pelham were counted among the
405,000 Americans lost as heroes defending our country and its values. These
names have been read on Memorial Day in Pelham with a great spirit of respect
and remembrance.
Listened to these names read each year created curiosity about who these men
were and what happened to them. As other American Legion groups have done,
several members of Pelham's Post 50 have begun a process to find articles from
newspapers of the day and other sources covering the 84 residents lost in military
service during four wars of the Twentieth Century. Providing a great effort to this
project have been Jim Morris and Manny John Cortez. Information has been
discovered on 27 residents lost during WWII including one resident, Robert A.
Gordon, who was not previously listed. Contributions of information to Post 50 is
appreciated.
Reading microfilm provides a fascinating glimpse of the stories between the
stories. The WWII years in Pelham were a time when committing to the common
good was a very high value. Many volunteered for military service early in the war
until the draft became implemented. Urgent drives were held to collect scrap metal
so that every possible ship and plane could be built. War bonds were sold to raise
money for the war effort. Many necessities of life such as gasoline were rationed
by coupon. For Thanksgiving of 1944 Pelham shoppers were told not to expect
turkeys in the stores, all available would be going to those in military service. That
winter coal used to heat many area homes was in short supply by Christmas. It
was a period when many marriages were held when men where briefly home on
leave. My parents were married in October 1942 at the chapel in the Grant
Mansion four days after my Dad and his brother were commissioned Army second
lieutenants at Fort Sill, OK. The war led to many long separations for newlyweds.
Announcements of the deaths of US servicemen and women was always presented
on the front page of the New Rochelle Standard Star. Each is heroic and tragic in
an individual way and finding their stories is part of paying respect to the time.
Pelham’s loss of residents and those injured was devastating. From the stories
found so far, it is immediately apparent that those lost were often very young. At
least five were just 20 years of age at the time they were lost and ten were under
23. Many became pilots perhaps because many had at least started college
educations, of these five were killed in action and five lost in accidents. Many left
PMHS early in order to serve, several left prestigious colleges, others left jobs.
Some were lost at sea and some are now buried on foreign lands. News of death,
injured, or missing status was delivered by telegram, it was considered good news
when a missing serviceman was listed as a POW as was the case for the family of
Lt. Col. Charles F. McKenna listed as a POW in Germany in February of 1945.
News of injury was frequent, Sgt. John Pellicci, of 506 Seventh Avenue, was noted
in Dec. ’44 as having been injured for the third time in a battle in Belgium.
Memorial Day 2004
The Pelham Weekly
Kenneth G. Kraetzer, Jr.
As over 60 years have passed since the end of the war, many of the 16 million
American WWII veterans have passed away and others are in fragile health. The
WWII period in Pelham was a microcosm of the experience of thousands of towns
around the country, an intense time of service and unity, triumph and great
tragedy. In less than four years, 64 residents of Pelham were counted among the
405,000 Americans lost as heroes defending our country and its values. These
names have been read on Memorial Day in Pelham with a great spirit of respect
and remembrance.
Listened to these names read each year created curiosity about who these men
were and what happened to them. As other American Legion groups have done,
several members of Pelham's Post 50 have begun a process to find articles from
newspapers of the day and other sources covering the 84 residents lost in military
service during four wars of the Twentieth Century. Providing a great effort to this
project have been Jim Morris and Manny John Cortez. Information has been
discovered on 27 residents lost during WWII including one resident, Robert A.
Gordon, who was not previously listed. Contributions of information to Post 50 is
appreciated.
Reading microfilm provides a fascinating glimpse of the stories between the
stories. The WWII years in Pelham were a time when committing to the common
good was a very high value. Many volunteered for military service early in the war
until the draft became implemented. Urgent drives were held to collect scrap metal
so that every possible ship and plane could be built. War bonds were sold to raise
money for the war effort. Many necessities of life such as gasoline were rationed
by coupon. For Thanksgiving of 1944 Pelham shoppers were told not to expect
turkeys in the stores, all available would be going to those in military service. That
winter coal used to heat many area homes was in short supply by Christmas. It
was a period when many marriages were held when men where briefly home on
leave. My parents were married in October 1942 at the chapel in the Grant
Mansion four days after my Dad and his brother were commissioned Army second
lieutenants at Fort Sill, OK. The war led to many long separations for newlyweds.
Announcements of the deaths of US servicemen and women was always presented
on the front page of the New Rochelle Standard Star. Each is heroic and tragic in
an individual way and finding their stories is part of paying respect to the time.
Pelham’s loss of residents and those injured was devastating. From the stories
found so far, it is immediately apparent that those lost were often very young. At
least five were just 20 years of age at the time they were lost and ten were under
23. Many became pilots perhaps because many had at least started college
educations, of these five were killed in action and five lost in accidents. Many left
PMHS early in order to serve, several left prestigious colleges, others left jobs.
Some were lost at sea and some are now buried on foreign lands. News of death,
injured, or missing status was delivered by telegram, it was considered good news
when a missing serviceman was listed as a POW as was the case for the family of
Lt. Col. Charles F. McKenna listed as a POW in Germany in February of 1945.
News of injury was frequent, Sgt. John Pellicci, of 506 Seventh Avenue, was noted
in Dec. ’44 as having been injured for the third time in a battle in Belgium.