My dad's WW2 journal about Aruba

Navy Chief

Navy Chief

Senior Member
I finally have the details about my dad's time on Aruba during WW2.

This site: http://www.lago-colony.com/AMERICANS_IN_ARUBA/COAST%20ARTILLERY%20COMMAND.htm has a history of the US Army units sent to Aruba and Curacao.

The journal I got from my sister's house yesterday (from my trip to Indianapolis) has provided the missing details I have tried to find out, but never could. Years ago, I wrote the US Military Records Center for copies of my dad's records. They sent what they had, but apparently there was a bad fire there in 1973 http://www.archives.gov/st-louis/military-personnel/fire-1973.html , and in fact some of the pages of what they sent me had burn marks on the edges. And I was not able to glean much information about his unit at Aruba at all, other than some dates.

Now I have written accounts! And the dates in my dad's journal match EXACTLY the information on the Aruba site!

This is so interesting. My dad passed away in August 1993. I know so much more now about his time in the Army.

The attached picture is of the pilots in 32 fighter squadron that was stationed in Aruba for a short time after a submarine attack.

NC
 
Hey Navy Chief-It's Papab!!!

The picture you posted-which one is your Dad? Was he a pilot during the war?

It is great that you now know more about your Dad's service to his country-

Rick
 
I can relate, my Grandfather was in the 93rd, but because of some tragic events that occurred to him and his crew, he decided not to tell anyone that he was in WWII. It was only 5 years before his death before he told some of what happened to him in the war. It was only one month ago that I found out that he was in the Raid on Poesti.
 
Hey Rick,

My dad was not a pilot. He was, at the time, a Personnel Sergeant with the HQ Company. I may not have described his rank/duty properly. But I will be going through his records to get all that. The 32 Fighter Squadron as temporarily based on Aruba, following the German U-Boat attacks on the refineries there.

Pete
 
Thanks so mucht for this interesting essay, need to take some time to read the whole page, but an interesting thing:

Sint-Nicolaas is obviously named after Saint-Nicholas, who was the bishop of Mira (now in Turkey) in the 3rd or 4th century. This saint is somehow regarded as protector of sailors, his bones kept in a church/cathedral in Bari, Italy. The Dutch have the tradition of celebrating Sint-Nicolaas in december: Sint-Nicolaas, also named Sinterklaas, arrives from Spain with a boat full of presents to give away to children and guess what: this is actually the same person known as Santa Claus in the US and UK.....
 
I finally got around to transcribing my father's journal, chronicling his experiences onboard a troop ship from New Orleans to Aruba, and the first few days on the island during WW2.

If you go to the following site:

http://www.lago-colony.com/


On the left side of the page is a link for "New Stuff". Click on that, and scroll down to my name, Peter Ward.

My dad's journal, and some pictures are posted there. They mistyped Chief Petty Office...instead of Officer, but no matter. My dad's story is an interesting one. I will be scanning and sending them more pictures that he took.

NC
 
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