In Memory of a PENN veteran

Private Harvey G. Penn 

Harvey G. Penn

Harvey G. Penn's date of induction was 28 November 1943 and he entered active service on 10 December 1943.  This would have been 5 months and 27 days before his high school graduation from Butler Township High School of the Montgomery County Public Schools in Ohio.  Dad had already earned his credits for graduation but was unable to participate in the commencement ceremony.

Harvey entered service at Fort Benjamin Harrison in Indiana. After his boot camp training, Harvey was sent to Aerial Gunner school in Kingman, Arizona.  During an interview prior to his death, Dad described to me a little about this training.  His description was one of shooting a moving target while riding in the open bed of a moving truck.  He commented that his instructor was impressed by his accuracy and questioned where he attained his skill.  Dad's response was experience was from being taught not to waste ammunition when hunting for quail, pheasant, squirrel, or rabbit with his maternal grandfather. He did not indicate his favorite prey from observation I would have to conclude that squirrel was the answer.

S/Sgt. Harvey G. Penn

My father served with 385 Bomb Group of the 8th Air Force as an Aerial Gunner 611.  He departed for Europe on 20 September 1944, on his 19th birthday. The battles and campaigns that he participated in were Ardennes, Rhineland and Central Europe. The decorations and citations he earned during his service were: EAME W/3 Bronze Stars; Good Conduct Medal; Air Medal W/4 Bronze Clusters; and Victory Medal.

Harvey arrived back in the United States on 5 September 1945 [just in time for his 20th birthday].  After serving one year, eleven months and six days, he mustered out of military service at SAD AAFPDC located in San Antonio, Texas.  He was honorably discharged on 3 November 1945.

Honorable Discharge certificate [copy privately held by Susan Penn Groover]

Groover, Susan P. "In Memory of a PENN Veteran." Web log post. PENN Historian. Susan Penn Groover, 11 Nov. 2013. Web..

Happy Birthday, Dad! I miss you!

Harvey Glenn Penn was born 19 September 1925 in Greensfork Township of Randolph County, Indiana, United States.

Randolph County, Indiana, Book 19, p. 83, Harvey Glenn Penn; IN Randolph County Department of Health, Union City; private holding of Susan Penn Groover.  This document seems to secondary since it is dated 19 August 1943.

BIRTH:>  Local Record of Birth. Randolph County Department of Health. Union City, Indiana.  

THIS IS TO CERTIFY, that our records show Harvey Glenn Penn was born in Greensfork Tp. [sic] Randolph Co. Indiana, September 20th 1925.  

Name of Father:> Harvey Glenn Penn  Birthplace of Father:> Ohio

Maiden Name of Mother:> Madge Marie Chenoweth  Birthplace of Mother:> Indiana

Recorded locally in Book No. 19 Page No. 83  Date Record Filed 9-29-1925 [sic]

SEAL  [Note: Seal is not readable on this document.]  Signed  R. W. Reid, M. D. County Health Officer  [Note: There is something scribbled after "M. D." below the line and over the word "Officer"]  Address: Union City, Indiana   Date:  8-19-1943 [sic]

Since Dad was 17+ years old on the date of this document, my conclusion is that this was a certified copy of the original birth record.  He probably had to obtain this document to satisfy his military enlistment.

This picture was taken at Jean Doyle's home in Cleveland, Ohio.  Jean was Dad's grandmother.  He is holding a toy truck given to him for birthday.  Picture is not dated, but during one of last visits with Dad was told he thought he was five years old when picture was taken.

Welcome!

Welcome to PENN HIstorian!  Come on in and have a look around.  Get a cup of coffee or a tall glass of your favorite beverage, I'll wait.  Enjoy your visit and add comment, if the "spirit" moves you.