World War II Veteran Tells His Story

Not even two years old when the Wall Street Crash of 1929 hit and barely twelve when recovery from the Great Depression is declared over. It is not an over exaggeration to say the times were hard on a small farm between Bandera and Medina. The youngest of six children, who had already left home, it was time for Charles “Dayton” Whitehead, to strike out on his own. “If it hadn’t been for plentiful squirrels and fish in the Medina River and local creeks, we would have starved ,” Dayton stated. It wasn’t uncommon is those days to stay with family friends and work for room and board – even at age twelve.

With two older brothers serving in World War II, joining at a “paper age” of 17 when you’re sixteen wasn’t uncommon either. Dayton joined the Merchant Marine in 1944, assigned to the “Stewards Department.” This lofty title meant preparing food, washing dishes and lots of cleaning. “The biggest job I recall was keeping the coffee in huge pots ready 24/7, he recalled.

After training in Florida, he boarded his first boat: the brand-new SS James Eagan Layne, a Liberty Ship, launched in December 1944, in New Orleans. It was prefabricated and welded together in about 70 days. It was 442 feet long sporting one 5”/38 caliber gun, one 3” gun and 8 20mm: all focused on anti-aircraft targets. SS Layne had 69 crew members and could carry 10,000 tons of cargo with a top speed of 11 knots (12 mph).

Crewmen didn’t always have just one job aboard the SS James Eagan Layne. From “mess boy” to “hot shellman” was a rude awakening for PVT Whitehead. Hot Shellmen was the one position in the 5” gun crew that no one wanted. Rapid fire was required because the guns were designed to bring down attacking planes with a shell burst rather than a direct hit. Once fired, the case ejected with considerable force and it was like a ball of fire due to the burning grease or residue powder. Wearing elbow length asbestos gloves helped to deflect the it away from the exposed cases in the ready box, but it could still hit the ammo passers or roll around under foot if not property caught and thrown in the corner. Flaming ones were thrown over the side. Catching fire balls with asbestos gloves: another day in the life of Private Whitehead.

The SS Layne, fully loaded with munitions headed to England where she picked up engineer equipment destined for Patton’s Third Army in Belgium. At the ripe age of 14 weeks and 4 days, Dayton’s floating home was hit by a German U-Boat on March 29, 1945. Dayton had just turned 17. Fortunately, the torpedo hit the starboard side of the ship aft of the bulkhead and missed hitting the munitions cargo. “I know exactly where I was ,” he recalled, “and glad I was there. I was soldering an English coin onto a belt buckle in the engine room. That was about 8-10 feet from death. There wasn’t any fire and I never moved so fast in my life up the ladders.” The ship sank slowly and most of the crew was put into lifeboats and rescued by the British Monkstone.

With the Army Air Corps (USAAF) transitioning to the Air Force toward the end of the war, Private Whitehead was then assigned to the Air Force in 1946, while his records and discharge paperwork show the Army seal. He was then assigned to the Pacific theater focused on duties as occupation forces. He spent time in Guam and Japan where some remaining enemy forces hadn’t gotten the word that the war was over. He experienced Japanese soldiers crawling out at night to raid the mess hall (dining facility) for food carrying nothing but makeshift spears. He took his turn on guard duty thereafter. Dayton received the Army Occupation Medal Japan.

The Army also changed his specialty to “truck driver, light.” He was assigned as the company commander’s driver in a communications unit at Olmsted Field, Pennsylvania. Dayton received a three-day pass and really needed to get back to Medina for a visit. Aircraft routinely flew from everywhere to Kelly Field for mechanical issues, so he hopped onto a luxurious General Officer’s B-17 headed there for a radio repair. There would be no problem returning by Tuesday morning: the radio would take a few days to fix. At the ripe age of 19, Dayton discovered that “rank has its privileges.” A new radio was “found ,” the aircraft repaired and returned to PA within a day. Dayton returned to Kelly only to find his “ship had sailed.” Fortunate once more, his Commander was fair, but still docked his vacation time for the extra 7 days absence.

Volunteering to join the Merchant Marine at 16… enduring the sinking of your ship at 17… serving from the mess to hot shellman to truck driver… globetrotting from various points in the United States to England to Guam and Japan at age 19… and at the ripe old age of 21 deciding it was time to come home to Texas and family: another example of service to the nation during World War II. Private First Class Whitehead returned home in 1949, to Medina and raised a family of four successful, well-educated children. One son retired from a career in the Army and Navy. Another is a pilot, another a retired school teacher and yet another retired from the Bandera Electric Cooperative.

Dayton Whitehead has been officially retired for nearly 30 years, but he can be seen on his tractor at his property in Medina or driving to the hardware store. He still like to “stay close to home.” The memories of his military service, the names of comrades long gone, the stories and life’s lessons of that period in his life are quite detailed, sharp and sometimes emotional. Dayton reveres the names of service mates and friends as he recites them.

We should be as reverent of those who lived that history, who volunteered for the unknown, who did the job they were told to do, who were a part of something so much bigger than themselves. Bandera Honors Veterans on November 12th is an opportunity to do just that. The displays, program, parade and barbeque are designed to do just that. Everyone is welcome to be a part of “something bigger than themselves” showing honor to those who wear the uniform, past and present. Our very own, Dayton Whitehead, at 94-plus years young may be there. For more information, www.al157tx.org. or call 830-796-7528.