In September of 1942, Luther E White volunteered for the Army and joined the Enlistment Reserve Corps (ERC). He was sworn in November 9, 1942, at Camp Croft on the west side of Spartanburg. He trained for the Signal Corps in several locations and eventually was sent to Angel Island off California. By November 16, 1944, he boarded a ship and was on his way overseas to the Pacific Theater. His ship was a passenger ship with 3,000 men on board that had to zig-zag going over to prevent it from being torpedoed. He first arrived in Hollanda, New Guinea, which was then called Netherland East Indies and next went to Dutch New Guinea. His numerous locations on different islands was always kept secret through censorship of his letters.
As part of the Army Signal Corps, White worked with radios and transmitters. After an island would be taken by the US, the Signal Corp would move there and set up weather stations and transmitters to make it possible for the US planes to island hop to attack the next island. He even had to climb coconut trees as they were putting up wires from where the weather station was located to connect to the new location.
World War II ended on September 2, 1945, and White’s journey back home began in November of 1945. On Dec. 28, 1945, he arrived back home to reunite with his wife Carolyn Henderson White and see his son Jimmy for the very first time.
For more information about Luther White’s life, you can read Together Forever written by Carolyn Henderson White. A copy is available in the Greenville County library.
.
Copyright © 2024 Innourtown - All Rights Reserved.
Powered by GoDaddy Website Builder