Author Topic: A little family history/ Attn. Guppy35, Widewing and anyone else interested (Read 1411 times)

kotrenin · « **on:** February 15, 2008, 08:30:35 PM »

I am posting this to see if any one can help me out with some family history. My wife's grandfather was a fighter pilot in the marines from '42 to '66. Col. Howard L. Walter retired #09400. He passed away in 2002 before I had a chance to meat him. I know he was in VMF-224 in Guadalcanal in '42, he was Squadron CO of VMJ-1 in Korea late '52 to early '53, and in the early '60's was CO of MAG-31. I have a mess of papers from citations he received that are in no particular order. I am generally looking for info on other units he served with, airplanes he would have flown or other achievements he accomplished etc. etc.
Thank you,
Kotrenin

I have posted this first pic before, but now I have finally scanned a few docs and taken a few more photos of certificates.

Members of VMF-224 pose by one of their fighters on Guadalcanal in mid-September 1942. Rear row, left to right: 2dLt George L. Hollowell, SSgt Clifford D. Garrabrant, 2dLt Robert A Jefferies, Jr., 2dLt Allan M. Johnson, 2dLt Matthew H. Kennedy, 2dLt harles H. Kunz, 2dLt Dean S. Hartley, Jr., MG William R. Fuller. Front row: 2dLt Robert M. D'Arcy, Capt Stanley S. Nicolay, Maj John F Dobbin, Maj Robert E. Galer, Maj Kirk Armistead, Capt Dale D. Irwin, 2dLt Howard L. Walter, 2dLt Gordon E. Thompson. All in this picture are pilots except MG Fuller, who was the Engineering Officer. Lt Thompson was reported missing in action on 31 August 1942. Photo courtesy of BGen Robert E. Galer

VMF-122 mascot "Mach Altus II"

King Neptune

kotrenin · « **Reply #1 on:** February 15, 2008, 08:37:23 PM »

Here are some other interesting ones I came across.

"OLD NUMBER 9"

Guppy35 · « **Reply #2 on:** February 15, 2008, 10:23:29 PM »

Fascinating stuff. Thanks for sharing it. I'll be the first to admit my area of focus has always been RAF and USAAF, but I'll do some hunting to see what I might be able to find.

texasmom · « **Reply #3 on:** February 15, 2008, 11:24:11 PM »

very nice! Those are some nice little treasures you've got there! I'll look as well

kotrenin · « **Reply #4 on:** February 15, 2008, 11:33:39 PM »

Thank you Dan and TxMom. I plan on tidying up the paper work and putting together the story of his career for my kids so they will know what he did and then they can pass it on to their kids some day. I have a shoe box full of medals (alot of EGA's.) I have bits and pieces but there are holes that I really don't know where to find the answers. I understand that he wasn't fighting for the entirety of the wars but I'm not to sure when he was going where and with whom. (I do know he did shoot down one Japanese plane during WW2 but don't know of any others.) In Korea with photo recon they did have occasional contact with the enemy, but to what extent? Imagine Banshee's trying to fight Mig-15's.

Fianna · « **Reply #5 on:** February 16, 2008, 01:51:30 AM »

I love it when people post stuff like this. These threads are by far the most interesting on the BBS.

Obie303 · « **Reply #6 on:** February 16, 2008, 04:48:31 AM »

Outstanding! Thanks for sharing.

~~Obie~~

Scotch · « **Reply #7 on:** February 16, 2008, 05:06:44 AM »

very interesting! will watch for more!

Widewing · « **Reply #8 on:** February 16, 2008, 08:03:22 AM »

Kotrenin, go to this webpage and see if you can find someone who knew Col. Walter. Leave a message yourself.

I'll do a bit of additional digging.

My regards,

Widewing

Meatwad · « **Reply #9 on:** February 16, 2008, 09:42:42 AM »

I think we have a new gv/aircraft/ship that needs to be added

Old Sport · « **Reply #10 on:** February 16, 2008, 10:14:34 AM »

I'd suggest getting all the information as ordered as possible according to what you have. Make a list of all the known dates, locations, ranks held and squadrons, and then contact the following VA dept. to see if they can supply any more information.

Department of Veteran's Affairs

All the best.

AquaShrimp · « **Reply #11 on:** February 16, 2008, 10:19:38 AM »

Awesome find!

yanksfan · « **Reply #12 on:** February 16, 2008, 04:57:13 PM »

Very nice stuff, don't forget to contact the "VA" they have a ton of info, you'll have to contact them and see what you need to do in order to have his DD214 released to you, it may take some doing but if you stick with it, it will pay off with a wealth of info you can't get anywhere else.

good luck, and thank you so much for sharing this with us.

Don

kotrenin · « **Reply #13 on:** February 17, 2008, 09:12:26 AM »

Thanks for all the help guys and gals. I will probably move on this project slowly because I have many other things going on in my life although I didn't want to wait any longer to begin. I really do appreciate the links to the web sites.

Here's another one I dug up, read it carefully.

Apparently there were jokers in the group and they liked to party.

And I will repost this one so it is easier to read.

WWhiskey · « **Reply #14 on:** February 17, 2008, 10:04:36 AM »

Quote

(Image removed from quote.) [/B]

kool stuff!

As you can see aces high has tried to accomadate everyone with this new aircraft, all GVers will like the new tank,
the new 155mm gun can be used for up close and personel, or long range artillary,
submariners are also represented,
also 700 mph will top out the speed charts(so much for the 262 perks)
and somewhere in there is a nooooook i bet!
however the "perk cost" of the new plane may be a little steep.

(left leg and first born)