Introduction to Enlisted Men of the 32nd Station Hospital

Research Methods

The upcoming series of articles represents over a year of research into the enlisted personnel of the 32nd Station Hospital.  I based the officers’ biographies—originally published between January 9, 2019 and April 17, 2019 and subsequently updated as I obtained new information—on a series of rosters attached to the unit’s annual reports in the National Archives in College Park, Maryland.  However, there were no enlisted rosters among 32nd Station Hospital documents there. 

With the completion of the officers’ biographies, I began work on the enlisted men using a list compiled for the 1982 reunion (contributed by the family of Hank Knitter).  This listed approximately 160 enlisted personnel, which represented only a small fraction of the men who served in the unit.  In early 2020, I was able to obtain digital copies of a number of rosters from 1942, 1943, and 1945, as well as the unit’s morning reports from virtually the entire war.

No rosters are known to survive between January 1, 1944 and October 9, 1945 (when a final list was compiled at the time the unit went inactive).  The morning reports recorded personnel details like arrivals, departures, detached service, temporary duty, promotions, demotions, and discipline.  These records are reasonably complete, notwithstanding that there were entries (sometimes entire months) that were badly microfilmed or missing.

Although it was time-consuming, I used the morning reports along with the extant rosters to construct a master list of approximately 500 enlisted personnel who served in the unit between the time that the unit was activated on June 25, 1942 and the end of the war in Europe on May 8, 1945.  This list, as far as I know, only included full members of the unit and not those attached from other units on temporary duty.  With the morning reports, I was able to establish the arrival and departure of most (but not all) members of the unit.

Researching the enlisted biographies was in some ways easier than researching those of the officers.  One great advantage was that unlike an officer’s service number, an enlisted man’s service number could be cross-referenced to an enlistment record.  In addition to providing first name, middle initial, last name, year of birth, date of enlistment, and place of enlistment, the cards often provided state or country of birth, occupation, level of education, and county of residence at the time of enlistment. 

This data could often be cross-referenced to draft cards or dates of service in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs B.I.R.L.S. Death File.  This let me make probable or positive identifications on many men with common names (i.e. Kenneth M. Robinson and John M. Johnson) which would have been virtually impossible in the case of officers.  The enlistment records were not foolproof; I’ve found some errors that occurred either during the original data entry or when the records were digitized from microfilmed copies of punch cards.  In terms of the entire set of data cards, National Archives and Records Administration staff who evaluated the scanning process found that approximately 13% of the cards were totally unreadable, and another “1.3 percent had character errors in the serial number column” after they were digitized.  If those figures are accurate, my luck is slightly worse than average, because in at least 77 cases (15.4%) among the 32nd Station Hospital men listed below, the service number was not found or, less commonly, came back assigned to another individual. 


Enlisted Cadre

According to “Highlights and Shadows of the Thirty-Second” (a postwar account of the 32nd Station Hospital’s early days written by an unknown individual, probably one of the unit’s officers):

When the first group of officers arrived on August 6th, 1942, at Camp Rucker, near Ozark, in the South eastern part of Alabama, they found a very new, partially filled army camp, set down on a long, curving ridge.  […]  Down in the hospital training area, on the western edge of the half moon that was Camp Rucker, these new officers found twenty-five enlisted men who had arrived on June 26, 1942 from Barksdale Field, [under Master Sergeant Charles E.] Hartley.  For six-weeks and three days these men had labored making the Headquarters and barracks ready for the group which was to compose the 32d Station Hospital, as decreed by the order of activation of June 26, 1942.  [June 25 in other sources.] To mention the fact that all these men did their work well and got into no trouble, no officer being present, speaks for the caliber of the original cadre.

This helps fill in some details since there are no known unit records prior to August 7, 1942, when the unit’s first morning report was recorded.  Although I may be able to confirm it one day if the right documents from Camp Rucker or Barksdale Field exist in the National Archives, I believe I have identified all 25 men. 

Ballard-collection-poss-32nd-cadre-prob-1942-cropped-enhanced
Though not labeled, I believe it likely that this photo depicts 24 of the 25 men from the original 32nd Station Hospital cadre.  If so, it must have been taken at Camp Rucker, Alabama between June 25 and roughly August 13, 1942 when most of them were promoted.  Some appear to be wearing U.S. Army Air Forces patches, probably because they had been stationed at Barksdale Field. (Courtesy of the Ballard family)

“Highlights and Shadows” was correct that as of August 7, 1942, when the first morning report was filled out, there were 25 enlisted men in the unit: One master sergeant, one technical sergeant, three staff sergeants, one corporal, two private 1st classes, and 17 privates.  (Corporal Lovestead left the unit on August 13, 1942, bound for Officer Candidate School at Camp Lee, Virginia.)  Most of these men advanced rapidly in rank.  20 of the remaining 24 men were promoted immediately upon Lieutenant Colonel Burstein’s arrival on August 13, 1942.  14 privates became noncommissioned officers (N.C.O.s) and the other three advanced to private 1st class. That included a four-grade jump by William L. Williamson from private to staff sergeant that would be unheard of in peacetime.

I believe the following men are the original 25 members of the 32nd Station Hospital, who joined the unit at Camp Rucker, Alabama between activation on June 25, 1942 and the arrival of the first officers on August 7, 1942. They are arranged alphabetically, including service numbers; names in bold were still with the unit on V-E Day.

  1. Leonard F. Albano, 36310625
  2. Charles E. Ballard, 35255578
  3. Ralph G. Bomgarden, 36312372
  4. Bernard J. Bucher, 36312694
  5. Walter W. Butler, 36312808
  6. Emmett P. Devereaux, 36232545
  7. Donald W. Godfrey, 36233074
  8. Charles E. Hartley, 6519220
  9. Arthur C. Jones, 32215826
  10. Henry V. Knitter, 36232711
  11. Howard S. Lovestead, 36232678
  12. Harry F. Manley, 35255862
  13. Jesse E. Martin, 35254407
  14. Raymond R. McBride, 36312833
  15. Earle S. Metcalf, 36232523
  16. Charles A. Peckham, 36232486
  17. Raymond F. Plzak, 36232637
  18. Irvin N. Rogers, 14068492
  19. Glenn R. Snodgrass, 35272629
  20. John Tenuta, 36232647
  21. Rudolph J. Tupala, 36232332
  22. Fred Weber, 36232478
  23. William L. Williamson, 36232608
  24. Harold F. Yonker, 16033832
  25. Milton H. Young, 36232648

Note: I am virtually certain that Corporal Lovestead was Howard S. Lovestead, with the service number listed above, but that’s not confirmed at this time.

21 of the 25 men were drafted just after the beginning of World War II and entered the U.S. Army at installations in the Midwest: 17 at Fort Sheridan or Camp Grant (both in Illinois) during January 10–24, 1942; three at Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana on January 31 or February 4, 1942; one at Fort Hayes, Ohio on January 20, 1942. The four exceptions were Charles E. Hartley (apparently a career soldier), Irvin N. Rogers (volunteer, joining the U.S. Army at Fort Bragg, North Carolina on January 31, 1942), Arthur C. Jones (draftee, joined the U.S. Army at Camp Upton, New York on February 13, 1942), and Harold Yonker (volunteer, joined at Fort Custer, Michigan on April 29, 1942).

As the unit expanded during stateside training at Camp Rucker, Alabama and Fort Benning, Georgia, additional enlisted personnel were assigned to the unit.  Most of the men came from the following installations, about half of which hosted Medical Replacement Training Centers:

  1. Camp Pickett, Virginia
  2. Camp Robinson, Arkansas
  3. Fort Meade, Maryland (76th Infantry Division)
  4. Camp Barkeley, Texas
  5. Camp Grant, Illinois
  6. Camp Wheeler, Georgia
  7. Fort Benning, Georgia
  8. Camp Blanding, Florida

Like the original 25 cadremen, some of these additional enlisted personnel were from the Midwest, but many were from the Northeast and some from the South. The enlisted men were largely working class men drafted into the Army of the United States (some before Pearl Harbor, but most after).  Of the enlisted members of the unit at the time it went overseas on January 14, 1943, only about 4% were Regular Army or volunteers. 


Overseas Service

A total of 269 enlisted men went overseas with the 32nd Station Hospital aboard the U.S.S. Ancon.  During operations in Tlemcen, Algeria and Caserta, Italy during the next two and a half years, most transfers into and out of the unit were via local replacement depots, although some men transferred directly between units.  Occasionally, the hospital’s own patients became members of the unit rather than returning to their old outfits after discharge.  Although the men who joined the 32nd Station Hospital stateside had been particularly concentrated from the Northeast, Midwest, and South, replacements came from all over the United States.  

Although the vast majority of 32nd Station Hospital enlisted personnel were born in America, its ranks included a handful of men born overseas, including the United Kingdom, Ireland, Austria, the Philippines, and Bulgaria.  Due to the segregation of the armed forces in the United States, no 32nd Station Hospital personnel were African-American.  There were a handful of Hispanic, Native American, and Japanese-American members of the unit.

Weiner-Album-024-Tlemcen-Banner
Enlisted personnel in front of the World War I memorial in Tlemcen, Algeria (Courtesy of the Weiner family)

Considering military necessity and the strain of overseas service, the unit saw relatively low turnover between 1943 and the summer of 1945.  Of the 269 enlisted men who went overseas with the unit on January 14, 1943, at least 140 (and possibly as many as 149) were still present on V-E Day; approximately 69 of these men were with the unit when it arrived at the Boston Port of Embarkation on October 8, 1945.

Of the 500 enlisted men who served in the 32nd Station Hospital prior to V-E Day, approximately 453 served with the unit overseas.  The men who served overseas are the focus of the upcoming series of articles.  For that reason, I’ve omitted personnel who transferred out of the unit prior to January 14, 1943, except for a couple of noncommissioned officers who were members of the original cadre in leadership positions.  I’ve also omitted all members of the unit who arrived after May 8, 1945.

Turnover was heavier after V-E Day. Long-serving members of the unit with sufficient points under the Adjusted Service Rating Score system were rotated home while replacements came in in anticipation that the unit would be deployed to the Pacific Theater.  Then, after the surrender of Japan, a significant number of additional personnel were transferred into the unit, well in excess of the number of men authorized by its table of organization.  As of June 20, 1945, the unit was organized with an authorized strength of 253 enlisted men, but 403 enlisted men (410 if the advance detail is counted) were with the unit when it arrived back in the United States on October 8, 1945.  Apparently, the intention was to get veterans (whose original units were remaining in Europe) home more quickly.

Although I would have liked to have sorted the enlisted personnel by assignment like I did the officers, that information was only available in a limited number of cases.


Discipline and Demotions

One of the toughest curatorial choices I faced was whether to include information regarding disciplinary matters. Morning reports included when an enlisted soldier was marked as absent without leave (A.W.O.L.), arrested by military authorities, placed under arrest at the unit, or placed in confinement. In addition, the morning reports documented when enlisted personnel were tried by court-martial.  The man was invariably convicted, though some convictions or punishments were overturned by higher headquarters.  The charges were never revealed, just the sentences.  

Most men who served with the unit for a long period of time (as long as three years) had no documented discipline at all, though a handful went A.W.O.L. or were court-martialed repeatedly.  I considered whether it was fair or right to include such information as part of a “warts and all” approach to history (to use the term of a historian who previously advised me about other ethical dilemmas).  It’s been my observation that as the years go on, the members of the “Greatest Generation” have taken on a mythos almost akin to sainthood; withholding disciplinary records could potentially contribute to that a process that I view with some misgivings. 

On the other hand, including such records could amount to a smear against the good name of dozens of men; since the infractions were not disclosed, some could have been laughably minor.  Based on the punishments, I feel certain that none of the offenses would have been felonies in civilian law (and of course, some infractions—like mouthing off to an officer—would not have been crimes at all).  My understanding is that being absent without leave and alcohol-related offenses were probably the most common.  There was also a fairness issue in that officer disciplinary infractions were never documented in the unit’s morning reports, even though multiple sources make clear that officers were sometimes confined to quarters for minor infractions, such as fraternizing with enlisted men.

After much deliberation, I decided against including disciplinary information in the biographies for the time being, although I am willing to disclose such information on a case-by-case basis (like to family members of a particular soldier or to someone doing historical research).  

The decision to withhold disciplinary information did contribute to one other difficult curatorial decision.  A soldier’s grade is an important part of his story.  Though including promotions presented no great ethical difficulties, it was unrealistic to withhold information when a soldier was demoted.  By withholding disciplinary information about one man, I could inadvertently create the impression that another man had been demoted as a punishment.  At the risk of trying to have my cake and eat it too, I urge readers not to jump to such conclusions.  Again, I am willing to disclose what limited information is available on a case-by-case basis.

Certainly, in some cases, an enlisted member of the unit was reduced to the grade of private immediately after being court-martialed, suggesting that it was done as punishment.  In other cases, the demotions were clearly for administrative reasons (such as a man being demoted immediately after joining the unit, apparently because there was not a vacant slot for his grade and job under the tables of organization).  However, in many cases the reason for a demotion was not clear.  Occasionally, someone was demoted and soon after promoted without explanation.  Only rarely was a demotion specifically identified as being “without prejudice,” though I have included that detail when present.

It is difficult for me to estimate exactly what proportion of demotions were due to disciplinary action.  My impression is that roughly 1/3 of demotions were disciplinary and 1/3 administrative, but the reasons for the remaining 1/3 were unclear.  


Full List of Enlisted Personnel Prior to V-E Day

The following section presents a list of all known 32nd Station Hospital enlisted men who served with the unit prior to Victory in Europe Day (that is, from June 25, 1942 through May 8, 1945).  Those who served in the unit overseas (between January 14, 1943 and May 8, 1945) should eventually have a biographical entry on this site.  Typically, when only a last name is known, the man served with the unit only briefly and/or transferred out before the unit went overseas.  

Dabrowski-Collection-32nd-EM-Banner
32nd Station Hospital enlisted personnel, probably in Tlemcen, Algeria in 1943 (Courtesy of the Geragosian family)

When known, each soldier’s service number is listed.  This is important both for learning about the man and to distinguish him from someone else with the same name.  Short service numbers (seven digits) indicate the man originally entered the U.S. Army prior to World War II, although it does not rule out a period of separation from the military followed by volunteering or being drafted back in.  One man in the unit had the rare R- prefix.  As I understand it, that means he was in the National Army during World War I (or immediately afterwards) and then joined the Regular Army.

Most men in the unit had service numbers that were eight digits long, indicating that they first entered the U.S. Army from 1940 onward.  Of these, service numbers beginning with 1 indicate that the soldier volunteered (which was possible only through late 1942); 2 indicate the soldier was a federalized member of the National Guard; 3 or 4 indicate the soldier was drafted (including those drafted before the U.S. entered World War II and those drafted after it was no longer possible to volunteer).  The second digit is a geographic code.  For further information on decoding these service numbers, see the Wikipedia article on the topic.

  1. Hershell T. Adams, 18130511
  2. Louis M. Agat, 32260351
  3. Fred R. Ainey, 33610528
  4. John S. Alba, 32876177
  5. Leonard F. Albano, 36310625
  6. Carl Allen, 34188996
  7. Carl A. Allen, 38104126
  8. Rhufus E. Allen, 39270174
  9. Gustave R. Anderson, 32356237
  10. Chester J. Andruszkiewicz, 36183678
  11. Jorge Aponte, 31405144
  12. Jerome A. Aprile, 32641511
  13. George Arahovites, 32355562
  14. William F. Arballo, 19176417
  15. Frederick J. Archdeacon, 33310805
  16. Constantine M. Arkontaky, 32509238
  17. Ascher 
  18. Ashal or Asahl
  19. Azar
  20. Donald A. Bailey, 36508630
  21. Earl R. Baker, 35283411
  22. Charles E. Ballard, 35255578
  23. Hubert S. Banker, 36184369
  24. Carl E. Bard, 16176390
  25. Earl H. Barker, 34004116
  26. Albert I. Barney, Jr., 31125043
  27. Pete Barrett, 20818942
  28. Stanley O. Bathrick, 36184525
  29. Thomas E. Baumgardner, 36486329
  30. Hubert N. Beasley, 33883783
  31. Chester C. Beavers, 38180488
  32. Felton Begnaud, 38240131
  33. Vernon N. Behrendt, 36294101
  34. Monroe S. Bellomy, 36073515
  35. Lloyd J. Benore, 36161181
  36. Otis J. Benson, 32115230
  37. George L. Bessette, 31076601
  38. Louis D. Berman, 36532481
  39. William S. Bishop, 34189679
  40. Donald G. Black, 34609062
  41. Ralph G. Bomgarden, 36312372
  42. James Clyde Bowen, 34653760
  43. Roger D. Bowers, 35331556
  44. Hugh Bradford, 6394821
  45. Paul Bramnick, 33318534
  46. James L. Brennan, 31124017
  47. C.W. Bridges, 34395954
  48. James Bruno, 32355636
  49. Robert A. Bryant, 31099361
  50. Edgar E. Buchanan, 35495869
  51. Bernard J. Bucher, 36312694
  52. Bill R. Bucinski, 35029950
  53. Alex J. Buckosh, 35045015
  54. James E. Buteau, 6146895
  55. Robert K. Butler, 12054888
  56. Walter W. Butler, 36312808
  57. Robert C. Canon, 33272353
  58. James H. Capps, 14018573
  59. Frank Cappuccio, 32263826
  60. David B. Carroll, 34189939
  61. Thomas E. Cartner, 14176812 (unclear if he was full member or just on temporary duty)
  62. Andrew Casp, 33363360
  63. Avery Choate, 34075047
  64. Leonard Z. Church, 33096481
  65. Ernest S. Clark, 31079071
  66. Jack G. Clausen, 36046569
  67. James A. Claxton, 15042218
  68. Lionel E. Cloutier, 20818399
  69. Roy G. Coawette, 37162093
  70. Jacob Cohen, 33317678
  71. Bayard W. Coleman, 19050420
  72. Mitchel C. Compton, 35254342
  73. Thomas Conneely, 31131094
  74. Junior W. Cook, 20832939
  75. Lyle P. Cook, 39312734
  76. Jack M. Corbin, 36321248
  77. Homer Cornwell, Jr., 36653037
  78. Joseph E. Cory, 34024615
  79. Raymond P. Costello, 11070071
  80. Rutherford G. Costley, 34269052
  81. Charles D. Crabtree, 34286115
  82. Curt Crawford, R-3904921
  83. John J. Cristiano, 32118587
  84. Herman B. Crowe, 6984301 (service number may be incorrect or double issued)
  85. Christopher Curas, 31123705
  86. Frank L. Cushman, 31208222
  87. Frank R. Dagostino, 42068460
  88. Rocco P. Dalto, 32244688
  89. Olson Damon, 38010557
  90. Alfred F. Darmstadt, 12021018
  91. Thomas H. Davis, 34195979
  92. Francis L. DeBens, 32577369
  93. Stanley E. Delinski, 36316497
  94. George T. Dennis, Jr., 34031033
  95. Fred G. DeRemer, 36127921
  96. Raymond V. Desorcy, 11050624
  97. Emmett P. Devereaux, 36232545
  98. William E. Dodd, 38022612
  99. Roy M. Domke, 35323098
  100. Frank Domino, 36360718
  101. Delmont J. Donahue, 36364410
  102. Paul R. Dunbar, 34784771
  103. Junior H. Dyarman, 33241654
  104. Herbert L. Eaton, 39024421
  105. Francis J. Egan, 31134730
  106. Ernest E. Egler, 35500563
  107. Sherman L. Elliott, 34333464
  108. Anthony Errico, 32566072
  109. Victor W. Ethridge, 34189703
  110. Raymond J. Farrell, 11069951
  111. Walter E. Fedorczak, 33461875
  112. Gideon A. Fetterolf, 13008320
  113. Maxwell Fink, Jr., 34290907
  114. James A. Fisher, 33550375
  115. Gerald F. Fitzgerald, 33190958
  116. Edward P. Fitzpatrick, 33280054
  117. Stephen J. Flak, 33146636
  118. Roger D. Fleming, 20151949
  119. Johnny T. Flournoy, 7005049
  120. Maurice J. Foffel, 37424078
  121. Mariano Fontanilla, 33233322
  122. Fox
  123. Free?
  124. Howard Froehlich, 32269383
  125. Joe M. Frye, 34497734
  126. Robert A Furlani, 33494642
  127. Daniel G. Furman, 34208031
  128. Vincent Gange, 32037001
  129. Clyde Gantt, 34386909
  130. Sebastian C. Gemmel, 33345976
  131. Cledoth L. Gibbs, 15040895
  132. Christos P. Giotis, 32499410
  133. Philippe E. Girard, 11070067
  134. Marcus Glass, 32020806
  135. Shelby K. Goad, 37234179
  136. Donald W. Godfrey, 36233074
  137. Leo Emile Godin, 11069983
  138. Maurice L. Goede, 37177175
  139. Louis Goldman, 32310839
  140. Kenneth L. Goldy, 36040188
  141. Edward J. Golik, 36354678
  142. Stanley M. Gonya, 11047926
  143. Isidore Goodman, 32356589
  144. John E. Gorak, 36603442
  145. Louis E. Grabowski, 37450468
  146. Arthur J. Graham, 33272795
  147. James D. Graham, 32373921
  148. Carl E. Grill, 39386218
  149. Leonard Gross, 39024391
  150. Harold E. Grother, 37420143
  151. John C. Gwinn, 35772776
  152. Willis A. Gummoe, 33347642
  153. Milad P. Haboush, 33158814
  154. Edward J. Hackett, 32351216
  155. Ernest A. Hagen, 37285503
  156. Stephen A. Hair, 34195862
  157. Jimmie Hale, Jr., 34001774
  158. Lloyd J. Haley, 37408793
  159. William J. Hall, 32307456? 
  160. William R. Hall, 38041267
  161. Charles J. Hammer, 32609832
  162. John S. Hampton, 39024340
  163. Hedge E. Hanson, 37285606?
  164. Hjalmer O. Hanson, 37314885?
  165. George L. Harmon, 36186137
  166. Clyde E. Harrington, 33233337
  167. Juel D. Harrington, 39915286
  168. Robert B. Harris, 37284817
  169. Charles E. Hartley, 6519220?
  170. Willard O. Havemeier, 37285539
  171. Edward T. Hering, 32356455
  172. Rodney C. Hilt, 31099283
  173. Mack Hines, 34397862
  174. Terrence J. Hobbs, 32354435
  175. Harry Honigs, 37283669
  176. Ervin G. Hopkins, 38016380
  177. Donald P. Hooper, 31085998
  178. Joseph G.J. Hopper, 13087141
  179. William E. Hoppock, 32521986
  180. Francis R. Horne, 33131387
  181. Raymond F. Hosford, 12079727
  182. Ernest I. Hottin, 31097115
  183. Stanley E. Howe, 32200553
  184. William F. Hudman, 34199855
  185. Howard R. Hudson, 6887919
  186. Joseph Ihasz, Jr. 35393067
  187. Abraham S. Immerman (officially changed his name to Alan S. Immerman in the fall of 1944), 32356554
  188. Walter N. Isaacson, 37289117
  189. Steven Ivanoff, 36171082
  190. Theodore B. Jargowsky, 42080671
  191. Paul R. Jarvi, 11063789
  192. Andrew J. Jashko, 12007176
  193. Leon O. Jedynak, 20245171
  194. Roy L. Jeffrey, 31137354
  195. Frank M. Jenkins, 34248553
  196. Charles J. Jennee, 32208558
  197. Carl R. Johnson, (service number hard to read, like 31026230, though that’s not it)
  198. John M. Johnson, 34967613
  199. Joseph W. Jonak, 32246042
  200. Arthur Cortland Jones, 32215826
  201. James O. Jones, 37330662
  202. John M. Jones, 33348381
  203. William L. Jones, 37210046
  204. Aloysius F. Kallal, 36359204
  205. Aloysius Kaminski, 36354646
  206. Matthew A. Kass?, 36621636 or 36626636
  207. Patrick Keane, 32925783
  208. Elva D. Kellhoffer, 37373591
  209. John M. Kelly, 33172818
  210. William E. Kendall, 31102555
  211. Robert J. Kenner, 37289115
  212. Martin C. Keogh, 32224651
  213. Berthold D. Kesler, 36357957
  214. Stephen W. Keytak, 33131638
  215. Herbert Knight, 34258890
  216. Henry V. Knitter, 36232711
  217. Kenneth R. Kohout, 16100034
  218. Alfred J. Kojalo, 32352592
  219. Leo Krein, 37285729
  220. William H. Kreis, 34189933
  221. Joseph A. Kudamik, 33281389
  222. Vito J. LaBarbera, 32204821
  223. Joseph J. Laciak, 35159640
  224. Bruno J. Lagosz, 36167840
  225. Benjamin L. Lambert, 33067842
  226. Berry H. Lambert, 34199819
  227. Dominick La Monica, 32348452
  228. John O. Lankford, 34397302
  229. Roy A. Larson, 37285753?
  230. William O. Larson, 33272800
  231. Milton A. Lax, 32355864
  232. Irvin L. Layman, 35254711
  233. Harold J. Lazzaro, 35914824
  234. Joseph Leibenhaut, 42132872
  235. Lloyd A. Lehman, 33907025
  236. Godfrey C. Leland, 39178144
  237. Lemoine
  238. Lendink?
  239. William D. Leonhard, 33269710
  240. Carmon C. Lewis, 35254317
  241. James E. Lewis, 34275940
  242. Lloyd L. Lightfoot, 37294024
  243. Peter A. Livingston, 37448053
  244. Charles J. Lockwood, 14029691
  245. Henry W. Loflin, 34608701
  246. Lloyd A. Lohman, 33907025
  247. Richard E. Lohman, 32879388
  248. Calogiaro J. Lombardo, 32116315
  249. Charles Z. Lopez, 20826765
  250. Christoval V. Lopez, 39113702
  251. Ernest L. Lott, Jr. 14010049
  252. Howard S. Lovestead, 36232678 (unconfirmed)
  253. Earle L. Lowell, 32852932
  254. Joseph Luce, 38095871
  255. Carl C. Ledford, 34653110
  256. Sigmund J. Lukowski, 32399492
  257. Lupo or Lupd?
  258. Ernest Maier, 35048015
  259. Sigsbee Mainous, 15041171
  260. Michele A. Malcangio, 31086153 (enlistment record has first name Michael)
  261. James N. Mallon, 33202064
  262. Harry F. Manley, 35255862
  263. Pat Mannine, 32641550
  264. William H. Marion, 34420016
  265. Frank W. Marino, 36354989
  266. William E. Marler, 34800208
  267. Maroney
  268. Richard J. Marshall, 37208053
  269. Donald H. Marston, 19100481
  270. George L. Melson or Nelson? 37540245
  271. James W. Martin, 34827969
  272. Jesse E. Martin, 35254407
  273. Erich J. Marx, 32348254
  274. Maslak
  275. Deleon P. Mateeff, 16061578
  276. John A. Matuszak, 12017848
  277. Joseph S. Matzcak, 32353496 (last name Matczak on some documents)
  278. Anthony Mazzella, 32348456
  279. Gerald B. Mayes, 37369837
  280. Lawrence W. Mayfield, 37369985
  281. Raymond R. McBride, 36312833
  282. James McBrinn,33054310
  283. Charles K. McCaffrey, 33276739
  284. James W. McCarty, Jr., 37055708
  285. Ernest D. McClellan, 37206089
  286. Hubert R. McClellan, 35265379 (service number may be erroneous or duplicated)
  287. McFarland
  288. Patrick McGetrick, 32321807
  289. James H. McGlon, 38066805
  290. Robert McKay, 39024274
  291. McKinnon
  292. William McKinster, 36512983
  293. James E. McLain, 38353316
  294. Dwight A. McNelly, 12088995
  295. Jerome J. Mehringer, 36247627
  296. Rocco F. Meile, 31078413
  297. Walter Menio, 33347215
  298. Clarence J. Merkling, 17106396
  299. Earle S. Metcalf, 36232523
  300. Walter L. Mills, 20449526
  301. William H. Mitcheltree, 13086893
  302. Sam K. Mitrovich, 32408419
  303. Elwin L. Monroe, Jr., 32855643
  304. Bohumil B. Moravec, 37285504
  305. Floyd H. Moring, 34303913
  306. Sueo S. Morimitsu, 37344984
  307. John S. Morris or Norris, 37200687
  308. Wendell W. Morris, 37200685 or 37288495 or 37288496?
  309. William B. Morris, 31124794
  310. Winfield Morrison, 37285526
  311. Bruno J. Motyka, 36354687
  312. John Edward Moyer, 20322339
  313. George J. Murray, 32317112
  314. Raymond F. Musselman, 33502236
  315. Neal Naha, 39853637
  316. Joseph J. Nagy, 33146495
  317. Froylan Naranjo, 38352517
  318. Benjamin Nath, 32403206
  319. Isidore S. Netel, 32525827
  320. Solomon Nyrhinen, 37285651 (first name may actually be Salomon)
  321. Steve F. Okonski, 38203983
  322. Edward S. Olszewski, 12010225
  323. Julio Orta, 34200648
  324. Arch M. Overbeck, 20800129
  325. Richmond H. Parmenter, 31136312
  326. Joe D. Parra, 38442723
  327. John J. Passarella, 33781664  
  328. Philip R. Pearson, 31134167
  329. Charles A. Peckham, 36232486
  330. Perdue
  331. Amos F. Perkins, 34243162
  332. Nicholas J. Petagno, 32308039?
  333. Milton Peterson, 39105814
  334. Anthony C. Philipowicz, 32096818
  335. Robert H. Pierce, 32269629
  336. Wyatt T. Pierson, 39675982
  337. James T. Pilgrim, 34109105
  338. Henry Pino, 34530371
  339. Louis J. Pistella, 33269822
  340. Frank J. Piwowar, 36353003
  341. Raymond F. Plzak, 36232637
  342. Clifton R. Poindexter, 38051840
  343. Polk
  344. John J. Pollock, 33271233
  345. Andrew T. Preat 33346438
  346. Bill Prochniak, 42045092
  347. Joseph J. Pych, 33281302
  348. Milo Quesinberry, 13024034
  349. Charles W. Racine, 33726457
  350. Rosario A. Regolino, 32311836
  351. Robert C. Reilly, 32265293
  352. Philippe L. Renaud, 31126160
  353. Russell C. Renbarger, 38018071
  354. Robert W. Richter, 36463635
  355. William C. Roberts, 34881207
  356. Kenneth M. Robinson, 33057393
  357. Louis Robles 36599402
  358. John D. Roe, 34234708
  359. Irvin N. Rogers, 14068492
  360. James E. Rogers, 34142578
  361. John D. Rollins, 35637636
  362. Andrew G. Roman, 33424676
  363. Rosall or Rozall?
  364. Ensign W. Rosebrough, 34248526
  365. Hyman Rosenberg, 32992648
  366. Louis Rosenkranz, 32302904
  367. Robert E. Ross, 14006455
  368. Thomas Rossi, 6706837
  369. Mortimer Rossman, 32400033
  370. Cecil D. Royal, 34248309
  371. Gustavo G. Rubio, 39544038
  372. Michael Russo, 32351094
  373. Glen H. Salyers, 13064560
  374. Hugh E. Sanders, 34645821
  375. James W. Sanford, 35645015
  376. Leon C. Sanford, Jr., 6958696
  377. Willard J. Saunders, 39912719
  378. Mario Scaramellino, 32868430
  379. Joseph J. Schillaci, 36359179
  380. Isidore Schiller, 32304180
  381. Anthony C. Schmid, 35366294
  382. Joseph F. Schneider, 37104647
  383. Frank W. Schultz, 37285626
  384. Philip M. Schultz, 33039074
  385. George Schwartz, 32347958
  386. Arthur Scott, Jr., 37213078
  387. Matthew J. Scully, 33272040
  388. Hernab Seidal or Seidel, 38253845
  389. Lorenz A. Seiler, 33269770
  390. Carlo S. Sessa, 32308226
  391. Glen E. Sheldon, 36246405
  392. James L. Sherbert, 34129528
  393. William J. Sherman, 12047774
  394. Gortrie F. Shobe, 35357043
  395. Peter I. Siebert, 39008142
  396. Simmons
  397. Nelson R. Sins, 33280462
  398. Stephen J. Sitar, 35307826
  399. John Slezak, Jr., 32305903
  400. Jerome G. Slocum, 33609195
  401. Bill Smith, 14019397
  402. James H. Smith, 38037293
  403. Leonard L. Smith, 34081885
  404. Lester W. Smith, 11039686
  405. Glenn R. Snodgrass, 35272629
  406. James G. Snow, 34189872
  407. Carmine J. Somma, 42061460
  408. Joseph R. Soroken, 32372279
  409. William A. Southerland, 33095081
  410. Paul C. Soveges, 32451766
  411. Lowell W. Sparks, 36364538
  412. Spaziano
  413. Eddie Spencer, 38312602
  414. Lyle R. Stabenow, 37128028
  415. William H. Stallings, 38106940
  416. Charles C. Staropoli, 32350873
  417. Alva L. Stidham, 38271639
  418. William Stockton, 32359122
  419. Oliver W. Stokes, 34653515
  420. Chester C. Stolarski, 33317097
  421. Lonnie L. Stone, 38038342
  422. Robert D. Stone, 36184662
  423. Thurlo G. Stout, 37245891
  424. Thomas C. Stoyle, 6372834
  425. Phillip M. Stradley, 32371370  
  426. Alvin J. Strom, 37285667
  427. Anthony J. Stross, Jr., 35454635
  428. Albert F. Strow, 38035588
  429. Joseph G. Studzinski, 35915712
  430. Frank Stumpf, 33620013
  431. Donald E. Sudlow, 37349248
  432. J.H.M. or J.J. Suiter, 38060470
  433. Sullivan
  434. Arthur C. Sundet, 17106380
  435. Frank Swayze, 32308939
  436. Swienzenski
  437. Sam S. Teresi, 36716954
  438. Edward A. Tanner, 17052590
  439. John A. Tarsala, 33282135
  440. Tatarek
  441. John T. Tate, 39312837
  442. Jack D. Taubert, 36508699
  443. John F. Taylor, 17011410
  444. Slator S. Taylor, 14005561
  445. John Tenuta, 36232647
  446. Ralph Thomas, 6946923
  447. Richard A. Thompson, 34421834
  448. LaRoy Thornton, 33316117
  449. Arthur C. Tilsworth, 32305138
  450. Michael Tito, 32527889
  451. Howard B. Titus, 39900017
  452. Angelo D. Tomasino, 32348394
  453. Salvatore J. Tomasulo, 32011648
  454. Reginald R. Trader, 33557523
  455. Ralph Trapanese, 32148429
  456. Arthur W. Tressler, 13093560
  457. Willis J. Truhlicka, 37212812
  458. Tucker
  459. Rudolph J. Tupala, 36232332
  460. Irving Turkowitz, 32639868
  461. George J. Van Eron, 32351242
  462. Joseph A. Viola, 36555011
  463. Manuel Vila Ramos
  464. Mike Vukson, 37285596
  465. Stanley J. Wagner, 37162597
  466. William E. Walker, 19012625
  467. John Wallace, 34274718? (service number may be erroneous or duplicated)
  468. Charles W. Wallot, 12090803
  469. Martin T. Walsh, 32359363
  470. Morris Waltzer, 12088999
  471. Oliver B. Ward, 34367176
  472. Stanley G. Wasankari, 39199243
  473. John D. Waters, 35502023
  474. Howard J. Watt, 752039
  475. Fred Weber, 36232478
  476. Martin Weissman, 32190238  
  477. George A. Wells, 37285532
  478. Jacob Westhoven, 32386645
  479. Buford S. Widdifield, 33122692
  480. Frank J. Wieczerzak, 32348882
  481. Vernon W. Wilkes, 34267822
  482. Leo F. Williams, 31135082
  483. William L. Williamson, 36232608
  484. Louis A. Wilson, 36100042
  485. Sam N. Wilson, 34393859
  486. William E. Wilson, 37214140
  487. Woodrow W. Wince, 13075332
  488. John A. Winkels, 37285624
  489. Arthur W. Winsor, 31292670
  490. Austin Lytle Wise, 6973731
  491. Harry E. Wolfe, 35037907
  492. Erwin A. Wollstein, 32356733
  493. Maynard P. Wood, 33047088
  494. Frank J. Yannitelli, 33574916
  495. Harold F. Yonker, 16033832
  496. John C. Young, 35266874
  497. Milton H. Young, 36232648
  498. Rudolph A. Zavala, 38035630
  499. Walter S. Zaborowski, 31124998
  500. Albert G. Zayat, 11044043
  501. Harold Zimmerman, 31133959

More articles in the series Enlisted Men of the 32nd Station Hospital:

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Last updated October 9, 2021

5 thoughts on “Introduction to Enlisted Men of the 32nd Station Hospital

  1. So amazing, Lowell!!! What a lot of work!! Hoping you and your family are all well! The kids must be growing like weeds! Please send everyone my love…❣️Joan

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  2. Lowell, You have done a phenomenal amount of work. The History of the 32nd Station Hospital is a very impressive read. I love to read your additions. Hope you are well and staying safe. Regards, Mary Jane Cusack

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    1. That’s a very good idea. Although major events are summarized in the two history articles, I don’t have a single concise timeline anywhere on the site. As a stopgap, here’s a timeline from the unit’s last report for The Surgeon, Mediterranean Theater of Operations: https://32ndstationhospital.files.wordpress.com/2020/10/32nd-sta-hosp-1945-report-1.jpg

      A few things to note about this timeline, however… Firstly, I believe the date of Lieutenant Colonel Hagelshaw assuming command was actually May 21, 1943 (based on the unit’s morning reports, as opposed to May 23 in the 1945 report timeline). Secondly, it does not mention that the unit’s female personnel went into a separate staging area in December 1943 and sailed afterward. Finally, because it was completed before the unit’s departure from Italy, it doesn’t mention that the unit sailed from Naples on September 22, 1945, arriving at the Boston Port of Embarkation on October 8, and being inactivated on October 9, 1945.

      Update:
      I added this timeline to the introduction page:
      June 25, 1942: 32nd Station Hospital activated as a 250 bed station hospital at Camp Rucker, Alabama; 25 enlisted men arrive soon after
      August 7, 1942: First officers arrive; Major William D. McElroy assumes command
      August 13, 1942: Lieutenant Colonel Theodore Burstein assumes command
      October 26, 1942: Move from Camp Rucker to Fort Benning, Georgia by ground
      November 1, 1942: Unit becomes a 500 bed station hospital
      December 27, 1942: Departure from Fort Benning by train
      December 28, 1942: Arrival at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey
      December 29, 1942: 55 nurses join the unit
      January 13, 1943: Unit boards ships of Convoy U.G.F.-4 at the New York Port of Embarkation; main body aboard U.S.S. Ancon
      January 14, 1943: Convoy departs N.Y.P.O.E.
      January 26, 1943: Ships arrive at Mers-el-Kébir, Algeria
      January 27, 1943: Unit disembarks and goes into staging at Bouisseville, Algeria
      February 13, 1943: Advance party moves to Tlemcen, Algeria
      February 18, 1943: Main body moves to Tlemcen, Algeria by ground
      February 28, 1943: First patients arrive at 32nd Station Hospital in Tlemcen, Algeria
      May 21, 1943: Lieutenant Colonel Gayland L. Hagelshaw assumes command
      June 23, 1943: Lieutenant Colonel Harold L. Goss assumes command
      November 24, 1943: 2nd Lieutenant Rachel H. Sheridan killed in a plane crash
      November 28, 1943: Operations cease in Tlemcen
      December 7, 1943: Unit leaves Tlemcen by train and truck
      December 8, 1943: Unit’s male and female personnel arrive in separate staging areas outside Oran
      December 15, 1943: Male personnel ship out for Italy aboard H.M.T.S. Cameronia
      December 18, 1943: Male personnel arrive in Naples, Italy and enter staging near Bagnoli
      December 28, 1943: Female personnel sail for Italy aboard U.S.A.H.S. Shamrock
      December 31, 1943: Female personnel rejoin the rest of the unit
      January 10, 1944: Unit moves to Caserta, Italy by ground
      January 15, 1944: First patients arrive at 32nd Station Hospital in Caserta, Italy
      April 24, 1944: Air raid on Caserta results in dud bombs landing on the hospital compound
      November 3, 1944: Technician 5th Grade Dominick La Monica killed after he was struck by a vehicle
      May 8, 1945: Victory in Europe Day
      July 7, 1945: Colonel William A. Smith assumes command
      July 20, 1945: End of operations in Caserta, Italy
      July 21, 1945: Responsibility for compound turned over to a detachment from the 300th General Hospital
      August 2, 1945: Move by ground to staging area in Naples, Italy
      September 17, 1945: Remaining female personnel transferred to 7th Replacement Depot to ship home separately from the rest of the unit
      September 22, 1945: Unit ships out of Naples, Italy aboard S.S. John Clark
      October 8, 1945: Arrival at the Boston Port of Embarkation; most personnel transferred to Camp Myles Standish, Massachusetts
      October 9, 1945: Last four members of the unit transferred to Camp Myles Standish; 32nd Station Hospital inactivated

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