Howard L Garthwaite

Howard was residing in Nassau County, New York ... enlisted at Ft. Jay Goveners Island, New York on 9 July, 1942 as a Private in the Air Corp.  Born in NY in 1920, completed 4 years of High School, is White, a Citizen ... was a Mail Carrier and was still single at enlistment.  32402780

     ***** Information and pictures will be coming from Howard's proud son James H. 

                         .....  and his proud grandson Brian Garthwaite.  *****

S/Sgt Howard Howard was a Radio/Gunner with the 321st Bomb Group, 445th Bomb Squadron, B-25 Mitchells in the MTO / WWII

*****  GARTHWAITE - Howard L., of Levittown on December 23, 2012. Worked for US Postal Service for 35 years, retired as Manager. Purple Heart Recipient. Survivor of Stalag 17. Recently featured on HBO Documentary, Hard Times Lost on L.I. Beloved husband of the late Mary Llyn. Loving father of James H. (Patricia), Alan P. (Gayle), and Howard M. (Stephanie). Cherished grandfather of Brian, Kevin, Glenn, Jacki andAndrea. Friends may call Thursday 2-5 and 7-9PM at the Thomas F. Dalton Funeral Homes, Levittown Chapel.  Interment Calverton National Cemetery.  Hauppauge, NY 11788

Howard flew Combat in the "Oh-7", the "Wolf", the Wolf II", "Idaho Lassie" and others.

Sunday, 11 July 1943 (Howard's 1st Combat Mision)

445th BS Mission Summary: (Ops Order 88/mission 87) Group Mission # 88: 39 B-25’s (12 of the 445th) took off to bomb the town of Caltanissetta in Sicily.  72 x 500 lb. demolition bombs were dropped by the 445th from 10,000 ft.  Captain Tipton led the formation.  24 P-38’s of the 82nd Fighter Group were our escort.  Strings of bombs started at the railroad station on the west side and fell through the town very well.  No flak and no fighters.  As the formation came back across the coast they saw the Navy shelling the shore. 

A/C No.   41-13207 “Oh 7” Heflin, Norman H. B., 2Lt   Carmine, John W., 2Lt    Greenblatt, Milton H., 2Lt Kunis, Theodore C., S/Sgt Garthwaite, Howard S., S/Sgt Woronuk, John (NMI), Pvt

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HQ 321st BG War Diary:    More transports came in today to take more of the ground echelon’s equipment and personnel to our new base.

            The first mission of the month took off from the Grottaglie airdrome to bomb Argos Airdrome.  Numerous direct hits were made on enemy aircraft on the ground and ten fires were counted.  Three oil fires were seen, small buildings left burning and one large explosion was observed as the planes left the target.

           On the take-off for this mission one engine of the plane, piloted by Lt. Brinkley of the 447th Squadron, failed and Lt. Brinkley, unable to get enough power out of the remaining engine to return to the field, crash-landed a few miles after the take off.  Lt. Shaw, Brinkley’s co-pilot was killed in the crash, dying on the way to the hospital, and the rest of the crew were hospitalized for various injuries.  Luckily the plane did not catch on fire nor did the bombs explode. (Inc. T/Sgt Edward C Ennis, RADAR/Radio/Gunner)  One man died, Lt James Shaw.  Of the Crew, only James Harter was able to return to Combat this month. 

Brinkley, Hamilton M., 2Lt, pilot, 447th BS - Ennis, Edward C,; T/Sgt RADAR/ R/G

HQ 321st BG Mission Summary: (Ops Order 132/mission 131) Group Mission # 133:  -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

321st BG Mission No    133     Date:  4 Oct 43      No A/C completing mission:   47

Squadrons: 445- 12  446- 12  447- 11  448- 12  Target: Argos A/D, Greece.

 445th BS Mission Summary: (Ops Order 132/mission 131) Group Mission # 133:  

 A/C No.   42-64575

Fisher, James B., Jr., 1Lt     Carmine, John W., 2Lt     Osburn, Hobat G., 2Lt     McLeod, Jack P., 2Lt   Kunis, Theodore C., *****  S/Sgt Garthwaite, Howard S., S/Sgt ******* Woronuk, John (NMI),  Cpl Landron, C. J., Capt, 47th Wing (passenger/observer)

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 Shot-Down on 8 Oct. 1943, Mission to Athens, Greece.

321stBG,445thBS, Lt James B Fisher, Jr. Pilot

8 Oct. 1943
"445th BS War Diary: Our men are encountering more and more small Italian children
who stand by the garbage pails and be food. They are apparently ill fed. Back in Africa
there were the Arab children who pulled the same thing. Here, the plot is the same but
the characters different. Once again our men got a look at Photo Jerry this morning. He
is apparently interested in this base which is an aerial beehive. Our Squadron lost two
planes today in the raid on the Athens Eleusis Airdrome. Great damage was caused and several enemy fighters were destroyed, however."
Planes and Crew Lost 8 Oct. 1943;
A/C No 42-64675 (missing crews,at sea)
P Fisher, James B., Jr.,Lt.
CP Carmine, John W., Lt.
N Osburn, Hobat G., 2Lt
E Kunis, Theodore C., S/Sgt
R Garthwaite, Howard S., S/Sgt
G Woronuk, John (NMI), Cpl O’Neill, Phillip W., Sgt
F Corning, C. H., Capt (observer)

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Barbi Ennis Connolly, 321st BG Historian  PRINCESSBARBI_B25@msn.com

321st Bomb Group Historical Research Team, John T Fitzgerald, Patti Johnson and Barbi Ennis Connolly.

S/Sgt Howard L Garthwaite, Shot-down / POW 8 Oct. 1943

Germany;  Stalag 17B Braunau Gneikendorf Near Krems Austria 48-15 .....  Liberated 23 July, 1945

http://www.americainwwii.com/articles/stalag-17-b/

GARTHWAITE - Howard L., of Levittown on December 23, 2012. Worked for US Postal Service for 35 years, retired as Manager. Purple Heart Recipient. Survivor of Stalag 17. Recently featured on HBO Documentary, Hard Times Lost on L.I. Beloved husband of the late Mary Llyn. Loving father of James H. (Patricia), Alan P. (Gayle), and Howard M. (Stephanie). Cherished grandfather of Brian, Kevin, Glenn, Jacki andAndrea. Friends may call Thursday 2-5 and 7-9PM at the Thomas F. Dalton Funeral Homes, Levittown Chapel. (2 Blks East of Wantagh Pkwy). Funeral Friday 9:30AM. Interment Calverton National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers donations to LI Cares Inc.,10 Davids Drive, Hauppauge, NY 11788, in his memory would be appreciated.