The day of departure for Charles D. Knight and the rest of the 2nd Infantry Division has arrived in early October 1943. The 76th Division is arriving to replace the "Indianheads" as they head to Camp Shanks, New York.
The atmosphere is filled with tension, excitement and fear as they board the train for the east coast of the United States. They know they are on their way to Camp Shanks possibly but that was about it except they knew they were heading to war. All their months of training would be put to the test beyond their wildest expectations. "All gave some, Some gave all" but the 2nd Infantry Division was definitely "SECOND TO NONE". This day, however, is getting to Camp Shanks, New York.
Hawaiian Merchant
Hawaiian Shipper (the sister ship of the Hawaiian Merchant shown above in this post) was a 7,775 GRT Modified Type C3 cargo ship which was built in 1941 by Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Kearny, New Jersey for the United States War Shipping Administration. She was transferred to the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) and renamed Empire Fulmar. She was transferred to the United States Maritime Commission (USMC) in 1942 and renamed Hawaiian Shipper.
The ship was 492 feet in (149.96 m) overall, 465 feet in (141.73 m) between perpendiculars, with a beam of 69 feet 6 in (21.18 m). She had a depth of 33 feet 6 in (10.21 m) at the free-board deck, 42 feet 6 inches (12.95 m) at the shelter deck and a draught of 28 feet 7 7⁄16 inches (8.72 m). She was assessed at 7,730 GRT (represents the total internal volume of a vessel).
Hawaiian Shipper was a member of Convoy UT 3, which departed from New York on 7 October 1943, with 2,200 troops of the 15th Field Artillery Battalion and arrives near Liverpool on 17 October 1943.
However, before getting near to Liverpool, Northern Ireland, my uncle wrote a letter home on October 16, 1943.
4 5/8 by 3 3/4 inches
V-MAIL 4 1/4 by 5 inches
Yes, my dear Uncle Charlie while still on the high seas of the Atlantic Ocean writes and sends a letter home. It is called a V-MAIL which I will explain at the bottom of this post. You will notice on the above letter the date he wrote it and the date his mother and family received it. Wrote it on October 16, 1943, and the family received it December 24, 1943, after receiving nine other letters written in Northern Ireland.
HERE IS THE LETTER
Dear Mother and All,
From somewhere on the high seas. I'm sending you folks the few lines to let you know I'm swell and safe. I know you have been waiting for a long time for just a word. You will notice this won't be much about what's going on as that is out for the duration but someday we'll sit around the family table and talk it over. Please don't worry.
As I told you about being on the high seas guess it will be alright to let you know I haven't been seasick but gee I sure feel sorry for some of the fellows. I partly know now what gramps was talking about when he told of his fishing trips.
I received three of your letters sent to my new address. It has been sometime since then and a letter will sure seem good. I tried to send back that picture you wanted but it wouldn't go through. I have both of them with me. The one of you, Dad and I. Sure came out swell.
If you are a little late on Christmas presents it will be okay but please don't worry about Christmas. I'll try to make a few plans later if I can. As for now I can't plan a thing.
I heard Helen was working in the office. I believe they have have one if not two afternoons a week off. I think you would enjoy going to Portland with her if you could. If you did give her my address she didn't write but after all why should she. Well, Mom, God only knows when I'll be home but the day can't come too soon. Realizing I have a praying mother will be a great help. Give my love to all. With love from your Son, Charles.
The voyage across was made without undue incident, and on October 17, 1943, the Division began arriving in the Irish Sea off Belfast. Disembarking at the Irish port of Belfast on 18 October 1943.
TROOPS OF THE 2ND INFANTRY DIVISION DEBARK OCT 18, 1943 AT BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND
MAJOR GENERAL ROBERTSON COMANDER DEBARKING OCT 18, 1943 IN BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND
BELOW ARE OTHER SOLDIERS ARRIVING IN BELFAST
The
units of the Division moved by rail to points in County Armagh and
County Down, North Ireland. They then marched to the billets they
would occupy, in hutments, castles, manor-houses, and factories,
throughout the scattered Irish towns and hamlets. Division
Headquarters was set up in Armagh, the county seat of County Armagh,
reputed burial place of Good St. Patrick.
Map of Northern Ireland where the 2nd Infantry Division is stationed from October 1943 to April 1944
Headquarters of the 2nd Infantry Division.
American Troops Arriving In Northern Ireland
While the "Indianheads" were in Northern Ireland there was more training for D-Day. Of course, the troops did not know about D-Day, however, they put their heart and soul into the training. This area was chosen since the upper brass thought it "appeared" to be similar to where the troops would fight in Normandy, France. Uncle Charlie shared in his letters the training included American soldiers staying a week with British soldiers and the British also came to the American camps. It was important they became a cohesive force since they would be fighting side by side.
In April 1944 they will begin to move south through England and finally to Wales from where they will storm onto Omaha Beach on D-Day+1, June 7, 1944. (For more information of the battles the 2nd Infantry Division were in while in the European Theater of Operations, please email me and I will send you the URLs of my first blog, "World War II in the Words of My Uncle." The battles of Normandy, Brest, Battle of the Bulge, liberation of Czechoslovakia and others.)
Uncle Charlie in Northern Ireland during WW II
Over the past 4 years I have written 217 posts between my two blogs dealing with the 183 letters my Uncle Charlie wrote home while at Camp McCoy and in Europe in World War II as he and millions of other soldiers fought for the freedom not just for the United States of America but for the world. I could never have done it without contributors that helped me with my many questions and sharing their stories. I hate to mention names but I have to do my best.
Glynn Raby Jr. of Tennessee who was in the 9th Infantry Regiment who fought with my Uncle Charlie who was in the 15th Field Artillery Battalion, Glenn Booker, head of the Barry War Museum in Wales who introduced me to Glynn Raby Jr., Tomas Hataj of the Czech Republic, a member of a group of reenactors of the 2nd Infantry Division and a member of "Men of the 2nd Infantry Division 1940-1945" organization. There were also Kraig Rice, Cleve Barkley, Arjan Messmaker, James D Edwards, William Jannace, Tom and Jeff Sauer with other family members.
I would be remiss if I didn't thank all my family members who shared stories and information of our Uncle Charlie. THANK YOU ALL INCLUDING MY READERS OF THESE TWO BLOGS.
V-MAIL
The Post Office, War and Navy departments realized fully that frequent and rapid communication with parents, associates and other loved ones strengthens fortitude, enlivens patriotism, makes loneliness endurable and inspires to even greater devotion the men and women who are carrying on our fight far from home and from friends.”
The military mail system and the amount of post flowing back and forth internationally during the war was massive. An unprecedented amount of mail was moved about during the war with Army post offices, fleet post offices and US post offices flooded with mail. Each year of the war, the number of pieces of mail increased. In 1945, 2.5 billion pieces went through the Army Postal Service and 8 million pieces through Navy post offices. To bring mail service to those serving worldwide, the military postal system required a global network and innovative practice.
V-mail, short for “Victory mail,” was a particular postal system put into place during the war to drastically reduce the space needed to transport mail thus freeing up room for other valuable supplies. Although the V-mail system was only used between June 1942 and November 1945, over 1 billion items were processed through these means. Officially entitled the “Army Micro Photographic Mail Service,” War Department Pamphlet No. 21-1 describes V-mail as “an expeditious mail program which provides for quick mail service to and from soldiers overseas. A special form is used which permits the letter to be photographed in microfilm. The small film is transported and then reproduced and delivered.
https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/mail-call-v-mail
