This is a true story about two of my uncles that died long before I was born. Even though they have been gone a long time and we never met they've become my hero's. Sadly because so much time has passed there are more unknowns than there are known facts, but based on what I have learned, it's a story worth telling about two guys who shouldn't be forgotten.
One day while I was in high school for some strange reason I stopped to read a plaque on the side of the main office of the school. The plaque was in honor of graduates of Mulberry High School who had died while serving in World War II. While reading the names of those who had died, two names stuck out, Earl W. Aultman and Arthur B. Aultman. Aultman is not really a common name and I knew it was my mothers maiden name.
Later that evening I remember asking my mom something along the line of "did you know the two Aultman's from Mulberry that died in World War II? Her answer was quite unexpected and shocking. She said "they were my brothers". Maybe the question caught her by surprise or dredged up incredibly painful memories but it was clear that she didn't want to talk about it even though more than thirty years had passed. It was a little out of character but I didn't push it and that conversation with mom which lasted less than a minute was all she ever told me about her brothers.
For some strange reason I never forgot that brief conversation. I've learned from my brother (Gerald) and an aunt (Pat Ball) that after my grandfather lost his second son in less than two years he said "we're not going to talk about them ever again". Why he felt this way I really don't know but I'm choosing to believe that it was just too painful. I've learned from several people who I have told my grandfathers edict to that it really wasn't that unusual at that time, even though it seems incomprehensible today.
Over the years for some reason my curiosity as to who they were and what happened to them never left me. I kept promising myself that "one day" I would commit to learning as much as I could about the two uncles that I never knew. I'm not finished digging and researching but with all due respect to my grandfather, their stories deserve to be told and their memories kept alive for a little longer.
A little background information that I've learned from a family bible. My grandparents were married in April, 1917. Arthur was the oldest of their three children and was born in March, 1918. Earl was the middle child, born in October, 1921 and my mom was the youngest born in January, 1925.
Upon graduation from Mulberry High School Arthur and Earl joined different branches of the military. I'm not certain if they "volunteered" or were among the more than 10 million "drafted" into service between 1940 and 1945. Arthur was in the Army, Earl the Navy.
Not only did they end up in different branches of the military but they served in different campaigns thousands of miles away from each other. Arthur was a member of the 703rd Tank Destroyer Battalion that was based out of Camp Polk, Louisiana which was deployed to the European Campaign. Earl was assigned to the USS Little (DD-79) which left Norfolk, Va. in February, 1942 sailing to San Diego before making it's way, via Pearl Harbor to Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands.
On September 5, 1942 the USS Little was transporting Marines between islands when it came under fire from what was believed to be a Japanese submarine. A Navy aircraft, also believing the shots had been fired from a submarine, dropped flares to assist the Little and it's sister ship the USS Gregory. Unfortunately three Japanese destroyers were in the area and the illumination from the flares made the outgunned US transport ships easy targets. The Little and Gregory were quickly disabled. The Gregory sank at approximately 1:40 AM and the Little sank two hours later. Yeoman 3rd class Earl W. Aultman and 63 of his shipmates lost their lives that night.
Thanks to Gerald there are a few mementos that remain, including Earl's Oath of Allegiance signed on his induction, an Asian Pacific Campaign medal, his Purple Heart medal and a very chilling telegram sent from my Grandfather to a relative that simply said "Earl was killed in Action".
http://navylog.navymemorial.org/aultman-earl
I'm not certain where Arthur was stationed at the time of his brothers death or if he was able to return to Mulberry to be with his family. I do know that the 703rd Tank Destroyer Battalion shipped out from New York in September, 1943 for England. Upon arrival they trained through what was described in a commanding officers report as a "harsh English winter". By the 30th of June, 1944 they had crossed the English Channel to Normandy, France. The D-Day invasion of American, British and Canadian troops that began on June 6 was still raging. The battalion was attached to an army armored division and engaged in combat by July 8.
On July 11 at approximately 3:00 AM heavy shelling was reported and a one-quarter ton truck took a direct hit. Along with multiple injuries of other troops, Arthur was the only casualty. Within 675 days my grandparents lost both of their sons and my mom lost both of her big brothers.
Military records gave me the opportunity to learn how they died. What I'd really like to know is how they lived. Were they funny, serious, studious, jokers, athletic, musical? Unfortunately too much time has passed to have those questions answered. I do know that I'm honored to keep their spirits alive.
https://www.abmc.gov/node/406524#.WnjQteSWxMs
One day while I was in high school for some strange reason I stopped to read a plaque on the side of the main office of the school. The plaque was in honor of graduates of Mulberry High School who had died while serving in World War II. While reading the names of those who had died, two names stuck out, Earl W. Aultman and Arthur B. Aultman. Aultman is not really a common name and I knew it was my mothers maiden name.
Later that evening I remember asking my mom something along the line of "did you know the two Aultman's from Mulberry that died in World War II? Her answer was quite unexpected and shocking. She said "they were my brothers". Maybe the question caught her by surprise or dredged up incredibly painful memories but it was clear that she didn't want to talk about it even though more than thirty years had passed. It was a little out of character but I didn't push it and that conversation with mom which lasted less than a minute was all she ever told me about her brothers.
For some strange reason I never forgot that brief conversation. I've learned from my brother (Gerald) and an aunt (Pat Ball) that after my grandfather lost his second son in less than two years he said "we're not going to talk about them ever again". Why he felt this way I really don't know but I'm choosing to believe that it was just too painful. I've learned from several people who I have told my grandfathers edict to that it really wasn't that unusual at that time, even though it seems incomprehensible today.
Over the years for some reason my curiosity as to who they were and what happened to them never left me. I kept promising myself that "one day" I would commit to learning as much as I could about the two uncles that I never knew. I'm not finished digging and researching but with all due respect to my grandfather, their stories deserve to be told and their memories kept alive for a little longer.
A little background information that I've learned from a family bible. My grandparents were married in April, 1917. Arthur was the oldest of their three children and was born in March, 1918. Earl was the middle child, born in October, 1921 and my mom was the youngest born in January, 1925.
Upon graduation from Mulberry High School Arthur and Earl joined different branches of the military. I'm not certain if they "volunteered" or were among the more than 10 million "drafted" into service between 1940 and 1945. Arthur was in the Army, Earl the Navy.
Not only did they end up in different branches of the military but they served in different campaigns thousands of miles away from each other. Arthur was a member of the 703rd Tank Destroyer Battalion that was based out of Camp Polk, Louisiana which was deployed to the European Campaign. Earl was assigned to the USS Little (DD-79) which left Norfolk, Va. in February, 1942 sailing to San Diego before making it's way, via Pearl Harbor to Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands.
On September 5, 1942 the USS Little was transporting Marines between islands when it came under fire from what was believed to be a Japanese submarine. A Navy aircraft, also believing the shots had been fired from a submarine, dropped flares to assist the Little and it's sister ship the USS Gregory. Unfortunately three Japanese destroyers were in the area and the illumination from the flares made the outgunned US transport ships easy targets. The Little and Gregory were quickly disabled. The Gregory sank at approximately 1:40 AM and the Little sank two hours later. Yeoman 3rd class Earl W. Aultman and 63 of his shipmates lost their lives that night.
Thanks to Gerald there are a few mementos that remain, including Earl's Oath of Allegiance signed on his induction, an Asian Pacific Campaign medal, his Purple Heart medal and a very chilling telegram sent from my Grandfather to a relative that simply said "Earl was killed in Action".
http://navylog.navymemorial.org/aultman-earl
I'm not certain where Arthur was stationed at the time of his brothers death or if he was able to return to Mulberry to be with his family. I do know that the 703rd Tank Destroyer Battalion shipped out from New York in September, 1943 for England. Upon arrival they trained through what was described in a commanding officers report as a "harsh English winter". By the 30th of June, 1944 they had crossed the English Channel to Normandy, France. The D-Day invasion of American, British and Canadian troops that began on June 6 was still raging. The battalion was attached to an army armored division and engaged in combat by July 8.
On July 11 at approximately 3:00 AM heavy shelling was reported and a one-quarter ton truck took a direct hit. Along with multiple injuries of other troops, Arthur was the only casualty. Within 675 days my grandparents lost both of their sons and my mom lost both of her big brothers.
Military records gave me the opportunity to learn how they died. What I'd really like to know is how they lived. Were they funny, serious, studious, jokers, athletic, musical? Unfortunately too much time has passed to have those questions answered. I do know that I'm honored to keep their spirits alive.
https://www.abmc.gov/node/406524#.WnjQteSWxMs
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| Arthur's Grave at Normandy American Cemetery Plot E, Row 2, Grave 14 |
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| Earl's 8th Grade Picture from the 1937 Mulberry School Yearbook. It's the only picture I have of either of them. |
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| Earl's Navy Oath of Allegiance signed on Sept. 30, 1940 |
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| Earls Asiatic Pacific Campaign Ribbon (Left) Arthurs American Campaign Ribbon (Right) |
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| Earl's Purple Heart Medal Arthur was also awarded the Purple Heart |
