Jarrett M. Huddleston, Colonel and M.D., O-05451

Jarrett Matthew Huddleston was born on September 12, 1893 in Washington, District of Columbia. His parents were Jarrett Gilbert Huddleston and Clara Veronica Curtin Huddleston, both natives of Washington, D.C. Clara’s parents were immigrants from Ireland. Jarrett Matthew was the youngest of three children and the only boy. According to the 1900 and 1910 census, the family lived in D.C. Jarrett Gilbert worked as a “slater” and in slate roofing.

Jarrett attended medical school at George Washington University in D.C. He became an M.D. in 1916. In the GWU 1916 Yearbook called The Cherry Tree, it was noted that “Jerry” was a member of the Phi Chi medical fraternity. He was described as “the man of many adventures and undoubtedly the man who put Georgetown on the map.” It was also stated that “...we all love Jerry, whose unlimited supply of good-nature, is freely dispensed at all times and in all places.” In May of 1917, Jarrett was accepted as a 1st Lieutenant of the medical section of the Officers Reserve Corps. Jarrett met Helen Mary MacLain at Norfolk Naval Hospital. Helen was rated as a nurse and served 85 days according to North Carolina WW1 Service Cards. Their marriage on July 16, 1917 resulted in Helen being “disenrolled” from the Navy. In August of 1917, Jarrett was transported on the “Finland” from the port of Hoboken as a member of the Sanitary Troops, 1st Division, 1st U.S. Engineers. He was an Assistant Surgeon in France until the Armistice. Helen may have followed him to France to work with the Red Cross. The couple was later stationed in Koblenz, Germany. Their son, Jarrett Matthew Huddleston, Jr. was born there in 1920. The family returned to D.C., where son James was born in 1921. Twin boys John and Thomas followed in 1924. Sadly, John only lived a short time.

During the 1920s, Jarrett served as instructor at various Army schools: Medical Field Service School, Infantry School and Graduate School of Aviation Medicine. In 1934, Jarrett became Secretary of the Army Medical School. In 1937, he was moved from the Adjutant General’s Office in the War Department in DC to be placed in command of the Provisional Medical Battalion, 1st Provisional Infantry Division in Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas. Between 1938 and 1940, he was Division Surgeon of the Second, Fifth and Sixth Divisions. During these years, Jarrett rose in rank: 1st Lieutenant, Captain (1920), Major (1929) and Lieutenant Colonel (1937.) The 1940 census shows Jarret, Helen and two sons living in San Antonio, Texas. In 1941, Jarret was Commanding, 6th Medical Battalion and Division Surgeon at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.

In 1942, the 95th Evacuation Hospital was formed. Jarrett arrived in the European Theater in July 1943. On September 9, 1943 the 95th was the first U.S. hospital established on the European continent in WW2. In early 1944 the 95th made an amphibious landing in Anzio, Italy. On February 7th, a German plane dropped fragmentation bombs on the hospital killing 38 and wounding 60. “Around 1400 hours, 9 February 1944, Colonel Jarrett B. Huddleston (Surgeon, VI Corps) was waiting outside Corps Headquarters for a jeep when a 170mm shell fell nearby and a large piece of shrapnel struck and killed him where he stood..” * Anzio was the location of the most casualties suffered by U.S. Army medical units.

Jarrett was awarded a Silver Star Citation, Order of the Purple Heart, Croix de Guerre and the Victory Medal, 6 clasps for distinguished service for WW1. Unit Commendations were given to the 95th Evacuation Hospital for devotion to duty during “Operation Avalanche” (Salerno Landing) and for devotion to duty and meritorious conduct during “Operation Shingle” (Anzio-Nettuno landings.) Jarrett was also awarded a Silver Star Medal and an Italian Military Honor Cross.

Jarrett was initially buried in Italy. On July 26, 1948, Jarrett was interred at Arlington National Memorial Cemetery. A ship that was converted to a hospital ship was commissioned as the USAHS Jarrett M. Huddleston in August 1944 and operated between the east coast and the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater of operations. Following decommissioning as a hospital ship in December 1945, it was commissioned as USAT Jarrett M. Huddleston in 1946. The ship transported military dependents between New York and European ports.

Jarrett left an outstanding legacy. Son Jarret Jr. (Jerry) graduated from West Point in 1943. He served with the 106th Infantry, 424th Regiment as a Lieutenant. Jerry was killed in action on January 13, 1945 during the Battle of the Bulge. He was interred at Arlington National Cemetery on July 26, 1948. Father and son share a grave and a headstone. Son James also attended West Point and was a Lieutenant in 1945. James also saw action at the Battle of the Bulge. He was reassigned to England related to the deaths of his father and brother. James retired as a Lt. Colonel. Son Thomas was a USMA West Point Cadet in 1944. He retired as a Colonel. Thomas’ first born son was named Jarrett Matthew. Jarrett’s brother-in-law was Major General John B. Wogan. Following the war, Helen Huddleston became the social director of St. Joseph’s Academy in Emmitsburg, Maryland. She is interred at Arlington with her husband and son.

Thank you, Jarret M. Huddleston, for your service and sacrifice for our freedom!

This story is part of the Stories Behind the Stars project (see https://www.storiesbehindthestars.org/). This is a national effort of volunteers to write the stories of all 400,000+ of the US WWII fallen on Fold3 and Together We Serve. Can you help write these stories? Related to this, there will be a smartphone app that will allow people to visit any war memorial or cemetery, scan the fallen's name and read his/her story.

If you have any details, photos or corrections for this story, please email me by clicking on my name.

Laura Hanaford - Contributing Author, Stories Behind the Stars

References:

https://www.honorstates.org

https://www.ancestry.com: US Census Records, Military Registers

familysearch.com

https://www.findagrave.com

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/49208481/jarrett-matthew-huddleston?_gl=1*43ct3i*_ga*MTg2MDM1MDY3Ny4xNjUyMzA2MTQz*_ga_4QT8FMEX30*MTY1NTc4Mjk1MS44My4xLjE2NTU3ODc2MTUuMTU.

Newspapers.com

Genealogybank.com

Fold3.com

*https://www.med-dept.com/unit-histories/95th-evacuation-hospital/ https://www.navsource.org/archives/30/08/0809.htm

Hospital at War: The 95th Evacuation Hospital in World War II (Williams-Ford Texas A&M University Military History Series Book 96) by Zachary Friedenberg, 2004

Jarrett M Huddleston