World War II Honoree

Calvin Donald Erb

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Gilbertsville, Pennsylvania

Honored By

Randall L. Erb

Relationship

Son

DRAFTED JULY 21, 1942 IN ALLENTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA. SERIAL NUMBER 33-186-546. SERVED BASIC TRAINING IN CAMP MEADE, MARYLAND AND MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA JULY TO AUGUST 1942. TRAINED AS AN AIRPLANE AND ENGINE MECHANIC IN FLINT, MICHIGAN AND OGDEN, UTAH SEPTEMBER 1943 TO MARCH 1944. DEPARTED OVERSEAS ON THE AMERICA FROM CAMP SHANKS, NEW YORK TO CASABLANCA. APRIL 1944 TO NOVEMBER 1945 HE WAS MOVED FROM CASABLANCA, MOROCCO TO ORAN, NORTH AFRICA TO ALGIERS. IN ALGIERS WORKED ON PLANES FROM ROMMEL'S DESERT WAR FROM ALGIERS TO TUNISIA. WHILE IN TUNISIA FOUND OUT THAT THERE HAD BEEN A SECRET MEETING BETWEEN PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT, CHURCHILL AND STALIN. THE FINAL DESTINATION WAS BARI, ITALY. TRANSPORTATION FROM CASABLANCA TO BARI WAS PROVIDED BY MEANS OF LCI, 6 PBY AIRCRAFT AND JEEPS. CAUGHT DIPHTHERIA IN BARI, ITALY AND SPENT 5 WEEKS IN A HOSPITAL DURING WHICH TIME THE JAPANESE SIGNED THE TREATY. DEPARTED FOR HOME FROM NAPLES, ITALY TO NEW YORK NOVEMBER 1945. DISCHARGED DECEMBER 4, 1945 IN INDIAN TOWN GAP, PENNSYLVANIA. HONORS INCLUDED: GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 2 BRONZE STARS.