World War II Honoree

Richard Whipple

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Canton, Ohio

Honored By

Charles H. Jacobs

INDUCTED INTO THE ARMY ON MARCH 31, 1944 AT JEFFERSON BARRACKS, MISSOURI AND SENT TO FORT LEONARD WOOD, MISSOURI FOR BASIC TRAINING IN THE ENGINEER CORPS. ON SEPTEMBER 25, 1944, TRANSFERRED TO CAMP BEALE, CALIFORNIA FOR ADVANCED TRAINING. AFTER A FEW WEEKS TRAINING, ACCEPTED AN OPPORTUNITY FOR VOLUNTARY TRANSFER TO THE OFFICE OF STRATEGIC SERVICE. THIS WAS A BRANCH OF THE WAR DEPARTMENT NOT CONNECTED TO THE ARMY, NAVY OR MARINE CORPS. IN JANUARY 1945, REPORTED TO CAMP ANZA, CALIFORNIA AND SAILED ABOARD A TROOPSHIP FOR CALCUTTA, INDIA, ARRIVING ON FEBRUARY 15, 1945. ASSIGNED TO LORD MOUNTBATTEN’S THEATRE OF OPERATIONS, TO TRAIN THE NATIVES IN THE USAGE OF WEAPONS AND DEMOLITIONS FOR GUERRILLA WARFARE. THEN SENT TO THE ISLAND OF CEYLON, FOR THE SAME PURPOSE. ON AUGUST 31, 1945, RETURNED TO CALCUTTA BY PLANE. SAILED EAST ABOARD A TRANSPORT SHIP, THROUGH THE RED SEA, MEDITERRANEAN SEA AND THE ATLANTIC OCEAN, ARRIVING IN NEW YORK, NEW YORK ON OCTOBER 28, 1945. FOLLOWING A 45 DAY RECUPERATION LEAVE, REPORTED TO WASHINGTON, D.C. AND WAS TRANSFERRED BACK INTO THE ARMY. THEN SENT TO FORT BELVOIR, VIRGINIA AND LATER TO FORT GEORGE MEADE, MARYLAND AND HONORABLY DISCHARGED ON MAY 25, 1946.