Cerro Gordo County Iowa
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The Globe Gazette
Second Lieut. William C. WHORLEY of Mason City has been accepted for a year of active duty as a reserve officer on non-flying duty with the army air corps. He was sent to Randolph Field, Texas, and from there permanently assigned to nearby Kelly Field, an advanced training course station. Lieutenant WHORLEY is a member of the infantry reserve.
The Globe Gazette
LIKES GLIDING Awaits Orders for Advanced Course Somewhere in Texas
It was First Lieut. William WHORLEY speaking. He has just completed the course at the 23rd army air force glider training detachment at Spencer and is awaiting orders to go to Texas or elsewhere for the advanced glider course. The training at Spencer was entirely with light planes such as the Aeronica or the Taylorcraft Cub, Lieutenant WHORLEY pointed out. He completed the course with 55 hours of flying time. "Most of our time, after we learned to handle the planes, was taken up with making precision landings," he said. "With a glider you only have the one chance to land. You can't give her the gun and turn around and try it again. That's why landing is important." Glider students have to learn to make "dead stick" landings from successive heights until they can land in a strange field from 5,000 feet, he said. The course includes 50 hours of ground school training with courses in meteorology, airplane instruments, navigation, maintenance and identification of aircraft. There also is emphasis on physical training to put the men in shape. "Some of these men might be commandos," he declared. "The morale of the men is good. It is an excellent service to be in and I recommend it to others. Fifty hours or more of flying is now required for admittance. The CPT [Civilian Pilot Training] course in Mason City is an excellent training for gilder courses." Lieutenant WHORLEY urged men who are interested in this service to contact James RAE, director of the Mason City junior college and coordinator of the Mason city CPT program. Lieutenant WHORLEY is the son of Mr. and Mrs. C. W. WHORLEY.
The Globe Gazette
Lt. W. C. WHORLEY, son of Mr. and Mrs. C. W. WHORLEY, 404 14th N. W., is with a field artillery unit in the European theater of war taking intensive pre-invasion training in preparation for "D" day when the unit will come into full play, according to word received from headquarters in that area. Lt. WHORLEY is liaison pilot with the field artillery. He has been overseas since last June.
The Globe Gazette
Mrs. William C. [Alice Lucille (SCHLICK)] WHORLEY, 610 Connecticut S. E., received a cable Wednesday stating that her husband, stationed in England, had been promoted to the rank of captain. Capt. WHORLEY is a liaison pilot with the field artillery. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. C. C. WHORLEY, 404 14th N. W. Capt. WHORLEY has been overseas since last June.
The Globe Gazette
in FRANCE JUNE 25 Was Liasion Pilot and Had Been in France Since June 8 Capt. W. C. "Bill" WHORLEY, whose wife and daughter live at 610 Connecticut S. E., has been reported missing in action in France since June 25. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. C. W. WHORLEY, 404 14th N. W. Capt. WHORLEY was promoted to his present rank in England in March and went into action in France on June 8. He has been overseas since June, 1943. He is a liaison pilot with the field artillery unit. A reserve officer "who worked up from the ranks" to get his commission, Lt. WHORLEY was called into active duty in August, 1941. He completed a course in glider training at Spencer and later was sent to Randolph field, Tex., He had served several years with the national guard and took special army extension courses in order to receive a lieutenancy.
The Globe Gazette
The high school has completed a list of men and women who are serving their country from the class rolls of 1935 and 1934. A large number of men from the 2 classes have been decorated by their government for meritorious service. . . . . . . prisoner of war in Germany since last summer is Carl William WHORLEY, army air corps, class of '35; . . . .
The Globe Gazette
of CAPT. WHORLEY'S RELEASE Government Gets Report From U. S. Mission in Moscow
"Am pleased to inform you report received from U. S. military mission in Moscow states your husband, Capt. William C. WHORLEY, previously reported a prisoner of war has been released from a Germany prisoner of war camp and is now presumed to be in Poland," read the message signed by the adjutant general. "The war department invites submission of a message not to exceed 25 words for attempted delivery to him," continued the telegram. "Message should be addressed to Casualty Branch, A. G. O., Room 2315, Munitions Building. Further information will be furnished when received." The last direct word from Capt. WHORLEY was a letter dated last Dec. 31. In it he had said that he was still at Oflag 64, that he had lost some weight, but otherwise was pretty good. Word of release of other prisoners from Oflag 64 had been received but the message from the war department is the first official notice concerning Capt. WHORLEY. Ever since Premier Stalin first announced the capture of the Oflag prison camp, word was anxiously awaited here of Capt. WHORLEY'S release. NOTE: Oflag 64 was a German prisoner of war camp for U. S. Army ground component officers. It was located a few miles south of Bydgoszca, Pomorze, Poland. ~ freebase.com/m/02851jd
The Globe Gazette
PRISON CAMP IN GERMANY Released in January Had Gained Normal Weight in Russia Capt. W. C. WHORLEY, 610 Connecticut S. E., who was released from a German prison camp on Jan. 30 has arrived in Mason City from Washington, D. C., where he had been on "business" since reaching the states by plane from Naples, Italy. The group flown from Naples consisted of a small company of officers, none from Iowa. The closest one was from Mexico, Mo., said Capt. WHORLEY. Another group that had been in his prison camp was scheduled to arrive in New York Tuesday and in that group would be several Iowans, among them Capt. George DUNKLEBERG of Rockford. Capt. WHORLEY is here on rotation plan but definitely does "not want to go back to his last organization at the last permanent station," he said, referring to the prison camp, Oflag 64 in Germany. "It's swell to be back" said the captain, adding that he was now back to his normal weight, having regained 30 pounds since his release. Asked how he had made the gain he explained that the Russians had treated him pretty well. He was with them from the end of January to March 7 and in that time had regained his weight. They were fed on the usual Russian diet, served in typically European style, mostly soup. In Russia the soup was made from barley. Barley was served in many ways: Fried, steamed, baked, boiled, etc. He didn't care much for the Russian white bread but did like the Polish white bread, which was very good. The meat given them by the Russian consisted of American corned beef, very little fresh meat, though they were given "fat back" pure fat pork which, of all things, they ate raw. Asked how they could eat it, the captain said, "You can eat anything when you are hungry." The Poles were almost too good to them when it came to feeding them. Some were made ill by the sudden transaction to meals served by the Poles, who would invite them out to dine. The Polish people treated them very well - looked after them and found places for them in which to sleep. In the German prison camp the menu was something like this, according to WHORLEY: For breakfast, hot water. They could not drink it cold as it had been condensed. At noon each man got 8 to 12 ounces of soup. In the evening there were 2 potatoes, each about the size of an egg. Twice during all the time in the camp (Capt. WHORLEY had been there since last June) they were given oatmeal. They drew a sixth of a loaf of bread a day, about 75 grams. Once a week they were given 5 teaspoons sugar and about an eighth of a pound of margarine. The erstz coffee was made of burnt barley and the likewise erstz tea of what tasted like maple leaves. There was sauer kraut once in about 2 or 3 weeks. The meat given in the prison camp amounted to 8 ounces a week, 2 of which were bone. They saved it all for Sunday night supper and then made gravy, said Capt. WHORLEY. During the fresh vegetable season they had cow turnips and what they nicknamed "purple passion" soup made from purple cabbage. Dehydrated vegetables consisted of turnips, sugar beet pulp, carrots and rutabagas. "We were not physically mishandled - we were simply not fed," said Capt. WHORLEY. "A lot of the prison camp if it hadn't been for the Red Cross and the Y. M. C. A. which organizations worked hard in Germany for the welfare of prisoners of any nation. They provided books, music and food and helped them to pass the time. The trip from Russia to Naples included Warsaw, Lublin (where he stayed until Feb. 20), and Odessa. At Odessa they took a British boat for Naples but before reaching Italy stopped off at Port Said, Africa. There they were given clothing and money and "we went to town," said the captain. As many as 1,600 prisoners were in the camp the last time they were together, he said. Among them were Clyde HERRING, Jr., and Col. WALTERS, son-in-law of Gen. Patton, the latter according to a news release Monday, just rescued by the 9th army. In Washington, Capt. WHORLEY had talked to Clyde HERRING, who stated that his son, Clyde Jr., had been heard from, still in Germany in one of the camps in upper Silesia. Capt. WHORLEY will go to Hot Springs, Ark., for a rest period and reassignment at the end of his 3 weeks' leave here.
The Globe Gazette
Whorley and Smith Tell War Experiences Two Mason City officers, Capt. W. C. WHORLEY, recently released from a German prison camp and Lt. Stephen SMITH, navy torpedo pilot who holds the navy cross and 3 distinguished flying crosses, were speakers at the regular Kiwanis luncheon meeting at the Hotel Hanford Thursday noon. Capt. WHORLEY, liaison officer with a field artillery unit of the 1st army, was captured by the Germans shortly before the Normandy breakthrough. He said that 1,600 American officers were kept prisoners in the 5-acre prison compound. The average loss of weight among the prisoners was 23 pounds, according to the former prisoner. "There wasn't much diversion at the camp. As a result, many of the prisoners suffered from mental depression. It was difficult to find something to do. A great deal of time was spent experimenting with various ways of preparing the food we received from the Red Cross," said Capt. WHORLEY. He said that the camp hospital consisted of 10 beds with a Polish surgeon in charge. The library was stocked with 4,000 books. He added that prisoners were allowed to attend classes which were conducted by prisoner officers "who knew something about the subject." "The Germans beamed radio commentaries to the prisoners boasting of huge gains made against the allies on the eastern and western fronts," Capt. WHORLEY chuckled, concluding his talk. Following completion of his leave on May 1, Capt. WHORLEY will depart for the army ground forces redistribution center at Hot Springs, Ark. Capt. WHORLEY and his father, C. W. WHORLEY, were introduced by Jerry POLAND. Lt. Stephen SMITH, commenting on his receipt of the navy cross, after the battle of Midway, said, "I was lucky to be in the right place at the right time." The veteran torpedo pilot attributed much of the navy's success to improved navy planes and better aircraft carriers. "Ack ack fire over Tokyo was fierce," Lt. SMITH declared. "The first navy flight over Tokyo shot down 71 Japanese planes while we lost 3. We seldom saw any Japanese planes in other flights and these Jap pilots seemed reluctant to join battle." Lt. SMITH participated in the battles of Ormoe Bay and the Philippine sea. He was introduced by Fred WAGNER. Richard SETTERBERG gave a baritone solo, accompanied on the piano by Miss Patricia YELLAND. Guests were Mr. and Mrs. O. W. ONG, C. W. WHORLEY, A/S Harold KORNBAUM, Ray F. CLOUGH, Carleton STEWART, R. G. HUBBARD, and Al MEYER, Clinton. Roger PATTON, president of Kiwanis, presided at the meeting.
Transcriptions and note by Sharon R. Becker, May of 2013
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"There's a big future in gliding."
Capt. Bill WHORLEY, Mason City, who has been a prisoner of war of the Germans since last June, has been released from a
German prisoner of war camp and is now presumed to be in Poland, according to a telegram received from the war department
Monday morning by his wife, 610 Connecticut S. E.