72 years ago - My Uncle Howard was killed on Okinawa

[sigp220.45]

He died before I was born, but he was always a presence in our house growing up. My Mom never really got over it. She was the nicest woman in the world, who taught sign language and worked with handicapped kids after raising 7 kids of her own. Once we drove past a lady in a bathrobe who was standing over a dead dog on the side of the road, and my Mom cried all day. But she hated the Japanese until the day she died. The Manhattan Project never had a bigger fan than Joyce. Once I bought a Honda CRX, and she wouldn't let me park it at the house.

I found the letter from Howard's CO notifying the family that he had been killed. He was ancient by WWII standards - a 36 year old NCO who had been in before Pearl Harbor. Here's the letter:



It may be hard to read, but here is the salient part:

"We were assaulting the heavily defended enemy position known as Tombstone Ridge. Howard's platoon was one of the assaulting units, and as one of his continued habits, he led his men in battle. He had secured the ridge, and was moving forward when Howard saw several Japs running away. Grabbing a BAR, he started after them, killing several as they fled. It was during this action that an enemy machine gun hit Howard and killed him instantly."

He never married, and never had kids. Almost everyone that ever met him in person is dead.

I framed the letter and this picture for my Mom. I have it now.



He looked liked my Mom.

My brother was named after him, and he died at an early age too.

Anyway, I hate to think of him being forgotten so I thought I'd tell my forum friends about him. Thanks for looking.

 

[df06]

He is a hero.
May he RIP.
My dad was wounded there in 1945 and a neighbor of his, a good friend was killed there by sniper fire.

 

[Tom S.]

Having done extensive reading on the battles the Marines fought against the Japanese, plus the way the Japanese treated POW's, it never ceased to amaze me, not to mention make me mad, every time I saw an older person driving a Toyota, Honda or Nissan. I just don't know how or why someone from that era would do such a thing. Then my father-in-law, who was in the army air corp and stationed in England, bought a Toyota. I ragged on him from the day he bought it till the day he got rid of it.

Your Uncle Howard was but one of the many hero's who gave their all for our country, and he has my undying gratitude. Unfortunately, as each generation comes to be, they learn less and less about the terrible sacrifice our country made during WWII to preserve our freedom and liberty, and to me, that is a crying shame.

 

[Arik]

My great grandfather ... I've only ever seen a picture of him. My great grandma died in 2000 but he was taken prisoner in the battle of Kiev when the Germans invaded. He was never seen or heard from again. When my great grandma returned back to Kiev after the war her neighbor, who didn't leave and survived, said she thought she saw in the wave of prisoners the Germans were leading away.

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

 

[Targets Guy]

Thanks for sharing that OP. We should never forget the sacrifice of men and women like the one your Uncle made. We owe them so much.

 

[STCM(SW)]

I guy I have been hunting with was wounded on Okinawa, of his platoon, only 3 and him made it out of 97 men....
Can't post what he thinks of Japan or there produces......

 

[Shark Bait]

Massive respect for your Uncle! Thanks for sharing a little about him and his service.

 

[DoubleAdobe]

God bless men such as your Uncle Howard. The moniker "Greatest Generation" was very appropriate for the men and women that served during WWII.

 

[Qc Pistolero]

If we can live in a free world today we owe it to men like him.He and those with him who fought for all of us will never be forgotten.We owe them too much.
Qc

 

[Tom S.]

God bless men such as your Uncle Howard. The moniker "Greatest Generation" was very appropriate for the men and women that served during WWII.

I'm pretty sure he was Army, not Marines. The battle for Okinawa happened late in the war, and involved both the Marines and Army troops. Losses in both branches were staggering, but paled in comparison to those inflicted upon the Japanese.

 

[okiegtrider]

Godspeed Uncle Howard. Thank God for him and his brothers in arms.

 

[Onomea]

We remember Howard Cromwell, his sacrifice, and that of his family.

 

[Kanewpadle]

He died before I was born, but he was always a presence in our house growing up. My Mom never really got over it. She was the nicest woman in the world, who taught sign language and worked with handicapped kids after raising 7 kids of her own. Once we drove past a lady in a bathrobe who was standing over a dead dog on the side of the road, and my Mom cried all day. But she hated the Japanese until the day she died. The Manhattan Project never had a bigger fan than Joyce. Once I bought a Honda CRX, and she wouldn't let me park it at the house.

I found the letter from Howard's CO notifying the family that he had been killed. He was ancient by WWII standards - a 36 year old NCO who had been in before Pearl Harbor. Here's the letter:



It may be hard to read, but here is the salient part:

"We were assaulting the heavily defended enemy position known as Tombstone Ridge. Howard's platoon was one of the assaulting units, and as one of his continued habits, he led his men in battle. He had secured the ridge, and was moving forward when Howard saw several Japs running away. Grabbing a BAR, he started after them, killing several as they fled. It was during this action that an enemy machine gun hit Howard and killed him instantly."

He never married, and never had kids. Almost everyone that ever met him in person is dead.

I framed the letter and this picture for my Mom. I have it now.



He looked liked my Mom.

My brother was named after him, and he died at an early age too.

Anyway, I hate to think of him being forgotten so I thought I'd tell my forum friends about him. Thanks for looking.

Thanks for sharing. A lot of good people died on that island.

Being half Okinawan, I have a different perspective about the battle for Okinawa. The first time I went TDY there in 1982 my grandmother told me stories about her experience leading up to the US invasion.

At that time most Okinawans were dirt poor farmers and fishermen. They were good hard working people. My grandmother was smart although uneducated. She knew the Americans would come. She knew when she saw more and more Japanese soldiers arrive on the island that trouble was coming.

The plan was for the entire family to sneak out at night towards the mountains. They didn't leave soon enough. Early one morning the Japanese army came to their village and took all of the men and teenage boys. Most were used as slave laborers and some fought against the American invasion. The exact number is not known. My grandmother never saw her husband and oldest son again. A day later they went to the mountains where they lived for just over a year. They lived off the land, fought snakes, dysentery, and Japanese soldiers that stole their food.

Most of the men taken dug the tunnel system and trenches used by the Japanese soldiers. Many died or were killed before the invasion.

My grandmother and 7 of her children were rescued by Americans after the invasion. They were put into a prison camp for a short time and then released.

My mother never talked about it. She took her secrets to her grave.

 

[rwsmith]

I watched another documentary......

i watched another documentary today about the 'real' story of dropping the bomb. I learned a few new things (I've studied this deeply for years) but could hardly tolerate the slant of the thing. You know what I mean, so I'll save it. Anyway, a heartfelt thanks to your Uncle Howard, everybody who was there and all who didn't come back.

I never harbored hate against our former enemies, but I'm saving it all for that jackass at the University of California.

If I may proffer an opinion, there was nothing stupid about dropping the bombs in 1945. What was stupid was how it was treated AFTER the war.

 

[STCM(SW)]

"If I may proffer an opinion, there was nothing stupid about dropping the bombs in 1945. What was stupid was how it was treated AFTER the war."

A study performed by physicist William Shockley for the staff of Secretary of War Henry Stimson estimated that the invasion of Japan would cost 1.7-4 million American casualties, including 400,000-800,000 fatalities, and five to ten million Japanese deaths.

No more has to be said......

 

[Cyrano]

I heard that the Army bought purple heart medals for all those expected to be wounded or killed in the invasion of Japan. Of course they were never used then: we ran out of them in Desert Storm.

 

[sw282]

Got in trouble at work about a year before l retired because l refused to wear a certain type of glove..

They were made in Viet Nam.. Mechanix Gloves was the brand

 

[hoosierone]

The US Army sent me to Okinawa for 20 months. My overall opinion of Okinawans is that they are fine people.

For the anti foreign car crowd: In 1974 my employer provided me with a 1973 Ford Torino. I had to have the front wheel bearings replaced. The mechanic brought me the old ones and I was amazed to see That "toyo kogyo" was stamped on them. I currently own two Japanese cars, one, a Honda, was assembled in Ohio.

My father was in the 81st Inf Div and was wounded on Peliliu.

 

[SteveA]

I had an uncle in the Marines on Okinawa. Earned his 3rd Purple Heart there. My Dad was infantry in the ETO, 1st ID. After the German surrender he was preparing to participate in Operation Olympic. I always figured had it not been for Little Boy and Fat Man, I might not be here.

 

[Eagle 477]

My father fought at the Battle of Okinawa, he never talked about much only when he was in his late 80s and his mental health started to fail did I hear about some of the things he went thru. It was only after his passing and when going through his attic did we find he received a Bronze star and numerous medals for his 4 years + in the pacific. He was a great man who never spoke of all the ungodliness that he suffered as a young soldier. God I miss him

Rob