Another WWII Veteran Story

Back in December, I wrote a couple articles of my father’s memoirs of the South Pacific during World War II. He served in the US Army Signal Corps and was with the invasion forces working their way through the Pacific islands to Japan.

Several weeks later, I received an email from Paula, whose grandfather was with the US Army 196 Port Company Transportation Corps, serving in New Caledonia. She was kind enough to send along a photo of him. Charlie Boling is on the left, and his friend Hart on the right.

Here is his story:

My grandpa’s name was Charlie Boling. He once told me he was up for some leave time and took it to come home and see my mother (he hadn’t seen her since she was about two months old). When he got to San Francisco, the war was over and he didn’t go back to New Caledonia. He left his foot locker and everything over there. I wonder if someone got his foot locker and took it home. Perhaps it is sitting in someone’s attic.

Paula wanted to know if anyone had any information about her grandfather.

If you would happen to know him, be familiar with the outfit in which he served, or know where Paula might find further info, please post a comment below. I’ll be glad to forward the information to her.

Every day, over 1200 World War II veterans die, leaving their history, and often their story, untold. Usually it is not the one we read in the history books. In my mind, most of these men and women are heroes, serving our country with bravery, dignity, and honor.