U.S. Army Corporal Albert Quinton Gause III   (1923-1985)

Albert enlisted in the United States Army at the out break of World War II. He spent most of the war stateside until being assigned to the 106th Infantry Division in 1944. He had only been in Belgium a little while when he met the war full out.

December 16, 1944 three German armies plunged into the semi-mountainous, heavily-forested Ardennes region of eastern Belgium and northern Luxembourg. Their goal was to reach the sea, trap four allied armies, and stop a negotiated peace from occurring on the Western front.

American Commanders thought the Ardennes was the least likely spot for an offensive. The line was kept thin, so that the manpower might concentrate on offensives north and south of the Ardennes. The US Army was unaware of the coming attack and were hit with full force. After three days of battle, two Regiments were surrounded by German forces. The units that retreated formed a Regimental Combat Team.

Within three days, the determined American stand and the arrival of reinforcements insured that the ambitious German goal was far beyond reach. The Germans fell short of their objective of reaching the Meuse River on the edge of the Ardennes region and then to break through to Antwerp. A bulge was created in the American line that would last approximately four weeks. The battle used so much of the precious resources of the German Army that the loss of their resources, both human and equipment accelerated their final defeat and caused an early end to the long war in Europe. This battle was the worst amount of casualties to the American Forces in WWII, 100,000 German casualties, killed, wounded or captured. 81,000 American casualties.

Albert returned home to Indiana, choosing not to reenlist with the Army.

U.S. Navy Chief George Leonard Gause (1926-1998)  
 

George enlisted in the United States Navel forces a few months after his older brother Albert went off to war. George was not quite 17 years old, but the praise and attention his brother had gotten from friends and family was intoxicating. Lying about his age, George ran away from home and signed up. His first tour of duty he was a firefighter on the destroyer escort USS Mitchell. While at sea, in the combat zone, his superior officer discovered discrepancies with his age. When questioned about it he told the truth. However, instead of being discharged back to the states for 6 months which was left until his 18^th birthday, his commander ignored the report and applauded him on his bravery and patriotism. This event inspired him to a career in the navy that spanned twenty years and three wars.

Tour of duty 1, 1944-48: Firefighter

Destroyer escorts were named for naval heroes and other notable persons. The USS Mitchell was named for Ensign Albert E. Mitchell a naval aviator who was killed in action in June 1942.

The destroyer escort class of ship came into existence as a less expensive ocean escort against the submarine threat. When opportunity provided, the destroyer escort could itself fulfill the mission of the destroyer by attacking surface ships with guns and torpedoes and serving as scout ships of the fleet.

Stationed out of San Diego, California, the USS Mitchell served in the Pacific war zone as a screening vessel for convoys. After the surrender of Japan, she secured the occupation of Japan.

Sumner Class Destroyer

Destroyers are named for naval heroes and other notable persons. Captain Allen M. Sumner was a killed in action saving the lives of his men without regard for his own safety.

The destroyer class of ship came into existence as a weapon against the torpedo boat which itself came about as a cheap weapon against capital ships. The destroyer was in fact developed out of torpedo boat design. When opportunity provided, the destroyer could itself fulfill the mission of the torpedo boats and attack capital ships with torpedoes. Destroyers also were capable, being larger and more durable than torpedo boats, of serving as scout ships for the fleet. Eventually they became the general workhorses of the world's navies. They were small, expendable, and supremely seaworthy.

Stationed out of Charleston, South Carolina, the USS Allen M. Sumner served in far east duty of Australia, Philippines, China, and Japan. One event that George was a part of was the atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll, Marshall Islands- Micronesia.

Operation Crossroads was born December of 1945 when President Harry S. Truman issued a directive to Army and Navy officials that joint testing of nuclear weapons would be necessary "to determine the effect of atomic bombs on American warships." Bikini, because of its location away from regular air and sea routes, was chosen to be the new nuclear proving ground for the United States government.

George’s second tour of duty was spent in the Philippine Islands. He joined the Naval Construction Battalions sense he had joined the Navy at such a young age he had not learned a trade. He felt the Seabees could help him.

Much of his time was spent on Island X. Island X is code from World War II when Construction Battalions would be deployed to one of the 300 islands in the Pacific Ocean. For security reasons the island name was classified because the Construction Battalions presence would let the enemy know where the next invasion was to happen. He never knew the real name of the island he served on.

The Seabees would land soon after the Marines and built major airstrips, bridges, roads, warehouses, hospitals, gasoline storage tanks and housing.

After Japans surrender the Soviets seized the opportunity swept through Manchuria and North Korea taking over Japanese control over these provinces. The potential danger of having the strategic Korean peninsula controlled by communist forces led President Truman proposed a joint occupation of Korea by the two powers where the Soviets would occupied the territory north of the 38 parallel, while the U.S. would control the area south of the line.

The intention of both sides was to establish a stable and unified Korean nation that was favorable to each's ideology; the Soviets desired a Communist Korea whereas the U.S. wanted a democratic nation to be established. An uneasy peace began, but on June 25, 1950 the North Koreans attacked South Korea beginning the Korean War.

Yellowstone provided repair, supply, and auxiliary services (power and fresh water, etc.) not only to destroyers (the purpose for which she was designed) but also to aircraft carriers and submarines. In time, this valuable adjunct to the fleet earned a reputation for reliability and dependability that caused some to nickname her "Old Faithful," after the famous geyser in Yellowstone National Park.

Tour of duty 4, 1956-60: Chief Petty Officer

The Forrest Sherman Class Destroyer was the last of the standard destroyers to be built by the US Navy after World War II. Named for Admiral Jonas Ingram who was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his for distinguished conduct in battle during the engagement of Vera Cruz, 22 April 1914.

Designed during the late 1940's and built during the 1950's the USS Jonas Ingram had the most modern weapons and crew conveniences available at the time, including air conditioning throughout the ship and more living space for the men than in earlier destroyers.

Guided missile destroyer named after Admiral David Foote sellers past JAG of the Navy and commander of the USS Agamemnon and USS Wisconsin during World War II.

The USS Sellers was part of the U.S. Atlantic Destroyer Squadron Six based in Charleston, South Carolina. The ships deployment was mainly in the Mediterranean Ocean.

Tour of duty 5, 1960-64: Instructor & Recruiter, Senior Chief Petty Officer

In 1956, the communist North Vietnamese decided to unify South with North Vietnam through military force rather than by political means. Fearing the spread of communism in Asia, the U.S. government provided economic and military assistance to South Vietnam. Guerrilla warfare spread and U.S. President John F. Kennedy sent advisors (military personnel) to the region. President Kennedy authorized them to fight if they were fired upon.

George saw that this situation would probably lead to military occupation before it stabilized. Having already spent four tours of duty in the navy and not anxious to see yet another war, he became an instructor at the Great Lakes Navel training station.

Located in an area that comprises almost half of the Navy’s recruits, the Great Lakes training station dedicated on October 28, 1911 by President William H. Taft. The Waukegan Daily Sun welcomed this new addition to the North Shore area, saying: "Where scholarly attainment is the aim of the Naval Academy at Annapolis, which trains the future rear admirals of the Fleet, at the North Chicago school, which has been seven years in the building, the plan is to take the rank and file, teach it to swing and sleep in a hammock; how to pack a sailor's bag; how to wash, mend and care for a sailor's clothes; how to handle boats under sails and oars; and, generally speaking, to teach a land lubber sea etiquette."

George was involved with fire-fighting training, parachute folding, and taught advanced Seabee classes. Superiors recognized his ability to communicate with recruits and he was transferred into recruiting at Purdue University as the Vietnam War began to escalate. George retired at the end of his fifth tour of duty.