Stories To Tell Part 1: Larry Wanninger

I apologize that I haven't been able to post anything these past few weeks. I have been very busy getting ready for school getting back to school and returned to my job as a desk clerk in the dorms. On Monday July 31, 2017 I had the opportunity to meet four residents with amazing stories at the place where my dad works. During each conversation with them, with their permission, I took extensive notes of what they told and put them all together for this four part series. I am and will be forever honored to have had the opportunity to hear their stories. I hope you all enjoy reading these as well!

Cheers
Dave

Although Mr. Wanninger confessed to me that his memory is not so good, he did share with me a document that details everything he did in the army. He told me that he had typed this in case one day he couldn't remember what he had done as well as having it typed out for his children and grandchildren. During his time in the army he also carried around a camera with which he took a lot of photographs that he has kept and labeled in several photo albums. One of his photo albums contains all of the photos that were taken with his camera during his time in the army and he also shared this with me as well. With his permission I took pictures of a few of those photographs and will post them later. Here is what was typed on the document that he let me look at that details what he did in the army:

Lawrence W. Wanninger, Message Center Chief Administration NCO

On December 7, 1941 I was bowling when I heard the news of Pearl Harbor.
I had to register for the draft on June 25, 1942 on my 20th birthday. I was sworn into the army on Oct. 26, 1942, and left for Ft. Thomas, KY on Nov. 9, 1942. Spent eight days at Ft. Thomas, KY. getting classified and shots. Home each evening.
Left there Nov. 17, 1942 by C & O Railroad to Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Md..There were four of us assigned there to the Ordance Dept. Spent three weeks in basic training and was assigned to Headquarters Company as a student clerk. Worked there filling forms, letters, etc.
I was sent to Camp Perry, Ohio March 12, 1943 and again put into the office. Actually it was a training section and they taught "depot and supply."
October 2, 1943 saw me moved to the 436th Motor and Vehicle Assembly Co. at Atlanta Ordnance Depot. This turned out to be a paper move as I was immediately placed in the message center at Atlanta Ordnance Depot. I was a corporal at this time.
All mail coming into the camp came to the message center and we handled it, including all classified and confidential secret information including troop movements. The Ordnance units in our camp would be sent to points of embarkation.
July 20, 1944 saw me going to Mississippi Ordnance Depot near Jackson, Mississippi. This was because of a War Dept. regulation that came out of ordering all personnel with two years of state side duty to be shipped overseas. I was a S/Sgt. now and there was no spot for that rank at Miss. Ordnance Depot. I had to have an operation (necessary before sending me overseas) - and while recuperating there was, also, given the duty of picking up an A.W.O.L. (Away without official leave) soldier in Albany, New York.
Nov. 20, 1944 found me at Camp Beale, California after a 14 day furlough in Cincinnati. Spent eleven days in Camp Beale getting ready for overseas.
On December 1, 1944 I was sent to Camp Stoneman, California (near San Francisco, Ca.) ready to go overseas.
Dec. 19, 1944 found me boarding the Willard A. Holbrook (very old) ship, and 22 days later arrived at Hollandia, New Guinea (this was Dutch New Guinea). No assignment here. Waiting for a spot to go. Food bad - consisted of bully beef, spam and mutton.
June 4, 1945 saw me on the President Adams, bound for Manila. Arrived there June 14, 1945 at Manila and had to go ashore in landing boats as the harbor was in bad shape. The campaign was still going on and I received a battle star for this.
June 14, 1945 I was sent north by train (open gondola cars) to Luna La Union next to Camp Spencer, a Philippine Army camp. I had been assigned to the Philippine Army training group. We were one of many task forces consisting of 15 to 20 men, sent throughout the Philippine Islands to work and organize, and train the Philippine guerrillas that had banded together to fight the Japs. I was an administrative N.C.O. (non commissioned officer).
This was our base and we would go out into northern Luzon to the scattered units still fighting. In Sept. 1945 I was at kilometer 90 (north of Bagiuo(summer capital)), when the final Japs surrendered. Over 10,000 came in - I took a bayonet, Jap flag and a sword and our unit took a truck. I have many photos of this.
I taught American Army Administration to Philippine officers and non-coms. Also visited the units, to get their way of administration coinciding with ours. Later I worked with the demobilization of the Philippine guerrillas and army. They kept no records.
For this work in the Philippines, I was awarded the "Award of Military Merit Medal." I still have it.
I left there Jan. 14, 1946 for Manila and our Hqs. there and then on to the Billy Mitchell for the 15 day trip home. Home to U.S.A. in February 1946 to San Francisco, Calif.
Discharged from Camp Atterbury, Indiana February 9, 1946. I was in the Army 3 years, 3 months, and 13 days.

I will upload the pictures that I took of some of his photographs, the photos of the Japanese soldiers that were surrendering and some of the Japanese equipment that were handed over which included an artillery piece, later.

 

Does anyone know how to reduce the file size of photos without taking anything out of them? I am trying to upload the photos that I took of Mr. Wanniger's pictures of the surrendering Japanese and I am having trouble uploading them because it says that they are too big. I am probably going to have the same issue with the photos for my thread about Mr. Jansing.

 

If you mean the size of the file there is no way to do it that doesn't remove some data. However if the resolution is greater than what a screen will display you can use pretty much any photo editing program to reduce the resolution (and thus the size). I think we have a photo hosting service here on sight so you may be able to post a lower resolution image in a thread and have the higher resolution one hosted on site for those interested. Will message the admins (via report) so they can correct and or expand on this.