WW2 33rd Division Ike and Flag

[T1gertank519]

Donald Jack Whitmeyer was born on July 7th, 1926. He was brought up in the 4th generation of a farming family in small-town Canastota, New York. His Great-grandparents immigrated from Germany in 1850. He was always noted as being a bit stubborn due to the combination of German ancestry and a stern farmer’s upbringing. Before he was born, Don’s family was hit hard by the Spanish Flu. His Mother, Father, and older brother Charles (only 2 years old at the time) all caught the virus in the cold winter of 1918. The town of Canastota was so ravaged by plague that the Doctor was unable to make it to the Whitmeyer household until the next morning. Sadly little Charles was unable to hold on that long. He passed away before any medical care could arrive. 

 

As Don and his 2 siblings grew up, his grandparents ran the 48-acre family dairy farm on Roberts Street while her father worked at a nearby garage. His parents had moved back and forth from the farm a few times before finally deciding they needed to take it over or never come back again. When he was 4, they decided to make the commitment and purchased the farm to continue the family dairy operation. Growing up, Don and his brother Bud heavily disliked working on the farm. His sister equally disliked the home-bound life that a farm demanded. The farm had a massive apple orchard, grapevines, and land for potatoes and vegetables that proved a godsend to many residents of the area as the Great Depression hit. Don’s Father – a well-known member of the Canastota Fire Department – looked after the hungry neighbors by making sure they were fed. Donald worked a job as a milk truck driver when he was not in school or working the farm. Once the war started, the children essentially saw it as a way to escape the familiar confines of their farm. Bud was drafted in early ‘42, sister Agnes joined the Ordnance Corps, and Don volunteered to be inducted into the US Army on November 27th, 1944. 

 

His first stop was Fort McClellan in Alabama for basic training. Basic training was roughly 6 weeks at this point in the war due to the brutal fighting in the ETO around the Hurtgen Forest and the upcoming Ardennes Offensive. Next, Don completed Advanced Infantry Training at Fort Dix, New Jersey, and then went on to Fort Ord for further training. When Don arrived in California, he would have realized that he was not destined for the ETO. He was sent to Camp Stoneman, California which would act as his  Port of Embarkation before leaving as a Replacement destined for the pacific theatre. 

 

After a little less than a month aboard a troop transport, Don Whitmeyer was assigned to Service Company of the 130th Infantry Regiment, 33rd “Golden Cross” Division. He presumably joined them in early-mid February 1945 during their campaign on Luzon. The regiment was pushing through the Caraballo Mountains towards Baguio, the summer capital of the Philippines and the headquarters of the Japanese General Tomoyuki Yamashita. The Japanese Forces in the Philippines were fiercely fanatical and unwilling to surrender. The coastal province of Aringay was secured on March the 7th. From that point onwards the fighting was focused on mountain ranges surrounding the capital city. Fighting on Mount Calugong lasted for a month before Golden Cross troops reached the summit on April 8th. As the other regiments focussed on other mountains directly around Baguio, the 130th pushed into the city itself. The urban fighting was fierce, with Japanese Soldiers taking up positions inside makeshift casemates and bunkers, as well as the destroyed buildings. Finally, on April 26th, the city fell into Allied hands. The 33rd was used to flush out Japanese holdouts in Luzon until May 1st, and then the division was refocused for the capturing of the San Nicholas- Tebbo- Itogon roadways for the rest of the month. In late June the entire division was withdrawn into a rest area, drawing to a close their heroic fighting in the Pacific. Don was allowed to return home for his sister's wedding in July, where he would perform as the best man. Just two days before the July 7th ceremony, he was called back to California to return to the Pacific theatre. The 33rd was one of the first units to land on Mainland Japan, landing on September 25th, three-and-a-half weeks after the formal surrender of the Empire of Japan. Don was honorably discharged on November 13th, 1946 after wrapping up occupation service with the Army General and Service Headquarters in the Pacific. It is believed that he acted as a jeep driver for much of his time overseas.

 

Don returned home to Canastota and immediately took up a job as a Truck driver. He met a girl and was engaged in August 1947. They were very deeply in love and planned on having many children. He was happy to be home from the service and enjoyed nature in his free time. Tragically, in January 1948 Don was driving a truck near Cairo New York when he was involved in a collision with another large truck. He passed away in the hospital on the 29th of January, 1948. His Fiancé would never remarry. Don Whitmeyer was only 21 years old. 

 

Thank you very much to the Whitmeyer family for teaching me Don's story and gifting me his flag to go with the uniform. I will do my part to ensure Donald is never forgotten. 

 

 

[dhcoleterracina]

Great group and fantastic unit marked captured flag. Sad and ironic ending to his life. Thanks for sharing. 

[CavalryCombatant]

That flag is incredible!  Amazing that it has good history behind it as well.