World War II Honoree

Howard Lynn Munns

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Janesville, Wisconsin

Honored By

Melissa Bowersock

Relationship

Daughter

HE WAS A COMMERCIAL ARTIST BY TRADE, WAS INDUCTED INTO THE ARMY ON NOVEMBER 23, 1942 AT FORT SHERIDAN, ILLINOIS. HE WAS SENT TO THE TRAINING STATION AT JEFFERSON BARRACKS, ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI AFTER BASIC, HE WAS ASSIGNED TO A CARTOGRAPHY UNIT AND TRAINED AT FRANKLIN INSTITUTE IN BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS THEN ASSIGNED TO THE 960TH ENGINEERS, TRAINING IN MCDILL FIELD IN TAMPA, FLORIDA IN 1943, WHERE HE EARNED A T-4, TECHNICIAN 4TH GRADE. HE WAS STAGED AT CAMP STONEMAN, 50 MILES NORTH OF OAKLAND ON THE SACRAMENTO RIVER, THEN SHIPPED OUT TO SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA ON THE SS MOUNT VERNON. HIS GROUP WAS SENT TO AN ARMY STAGING AREA AT CAMP WOLLONGONG, SOUTHWEST OF SYDNEY FOR TWO MONTHS, THEN TRANSPORTED TO BRISBANE, WHERE THE STAGING AREA WAS A RACETRACK, TAKEN OVER FOR THE WAR EFFORT. STAGED AT PORT MORESBY, NEW GUINEA HE WAS THEN TRANSPORTED TO NADZAB, 200 MILES NORTHEAST OF PORT MORESBY ON APRIL 1, 1944. WHILE THERE, HE CONTRIBUTED ARTISTIC DRAWINGS REGULARLY TO THE 'WINGDING' THE CAMP NEWSLETTER. DURING THE SUMMER OF 1944 HE DEVELOPED A SKIN INFECTION IN HIS FEET AND LEGS (HE CALLED IT JUNGLE ROT) AND WAS SENT TO THE ARMY HOSPITAL AT BUNA. FROM THERE HE WAS EVACUATED BACK TO THE U.S. IN MID-AUGUST ABOARD THE SS VAN NOORDE. DISEMBARKING AT SAN FRANCISCO, HE WAS TAKEN TO LETTERMAN GENERAL HOSPITAL, THEN SENT TO MAYO HOSPITAL IN GALESBURG, ILLINOIS FOR TREATMENT. WITH TIME ON HIS HANDS, HE RETURNED TO HIS WOOD CARVING AND WAS SOON DOING SMALL HORSE HEADS AND MINIATURE SPINNING WHEELS FOR EMPLOYEES AT THE HOSPITAL. EVENTUALLY HE WAS OFFERED A JOB ON THE RECONDITIONING STAFF. HIS DUTIES INCLUDED LAYING OUT THE MASTER COPY OF THE DAILY BULLETIN AND TEACHING A CLASS IN CHIP-CARVING. HE SERVED OUT THE REST OF THE WAR IN THAT CAPACITY AND WAS DISCHARGED IN FEBRUARY 1946.