WOODWARD, HARRY L Dec 22, 1943 age 28 KIA Cape Merkus

HARRY L. WOODWARD b. July 5, 1915 Ohio d. Dec 22, 1943 Killed in Action

Cape Merkus, New Britain Island

1^st Lt  O-1037372 Army 93rd Chemical Composite Co..

Buried New Albany National Cemetery, Indiana

Parents: William Hamilton & Clara Barbara (Gerner)

Siblings: Charles William, Roy, Kenneth, Richard, Betty L., Robert L., Thomas J., Barbara Low

William was born 1886 in New Corydon, Indiana, Clara 1892 in Pittsburg; they married 1912 in Mahoning Co., Ohio.  It’s amazing how people drift across the country, meet, marry and then go on their way elsewhere, an ongoing process that is such an important part of American history. 3 of their children were born in Ohio, then 5 more in Michigan, where William was the proprietor of an electric lighting specialties business. Clara must have been a hardy woman having 9 children. She lived until 1873, William until 1961; they are buried in Berkley, Michigan.



15343 Grandville

3795 Vicksburg

The family owned a fairly expensive home at 15343 Grandville in Rosedale Park value $27,000 in 1930; it still looks good. That put Harry in the Redford school district from where he graduated 1934 and managed one year college. Perhaps the Depression’s impact is why Harry worked as a salesman of toys at a department store and the family moved to the Vicksburg St. location.  They rented the home for $60 a month; that house at this time is foreclosed, sadly.  

High School 1934

On June 24, 1941 Harry, 5’7” 166 lbs, enlisted in Detroit. He joined the 93rd Chemical Composite Company. The Chemical Warfare Service deployed and prepared gas weapons for use throughout the world during WWII. However, these weapons were never used in combat. CWS saw its funding and personnel increase substantially due to concerns that the Germans and Japanese had a formidable chemical weapons capability. By 1942 the CWS employed 60,000 soldiers and civilians and was appropriated $1 billion. The CWS completed a variety of non-chemical warfare related tasks and missions during the war including producing incendiaries for  flame throwers, flame tanks and other weapons. Chemical soldiers were also involved in smoke generation mission. chemical mortar battalions used the 4.2 inch chemical mortar to support armor and infantry units. This is a reminder that war is a  very nasty business.

The Pacific was the most likely area for the initiation of gas warfare, however the CWS had a deficiency of knowledge as to the employment of gas in the tropics which was a serious drawback in planning and could well be a vital defect should actual gas operations commence. It was noted they were hampered in planning for gas warfare retaliation by a lack of information on the effectiveness of toxic munitions in a tropical environment.

The Battle of Arawe was fought between Allied and Japanese forces during the New Britain Campaign. Its main geographical feature is Cape Merkus, which ends in the "L"-shaped Arawe Peninsula The battle formed part of the Allied Operation Cartwheel, and had the objective of serving as a diversion before a larger landing at Cape Gloucester in late December 1943. The Japanese military was expecting an Allied offensive in western New Britain, (east of Papua New Guinea) and was reinforcing the region at the time of the Allied landing in the Arawe area on 15 December 1943. The Allies secured Arawe after about a month of intermittent fighting with the outnumbered Japanese force there. The troops encountered resistance from Japanese in caves, against which bazookas and machine guns did no damage. They used flame throwers carried by trained operators. Tests revealed that one flame thrower was not functioning properly. The" troop's assault party was formed, including one flame thrower team augmented by a machine gun. Fire was placed on the entrance to the cave while the flame thrower operator crawled up to within fifteen yards and fired the entire charge. The assault platoon then advanced to the cave entrance and threw in hand grenades. Seven enemy dead were found in the cave. All of them were badly burned and their clothes were still ablaze. The operation was completed without further loss to the cavalry.

Lt. Woodward however was killed Dec. 22^nd.  Initially he was interred in the American Cemetery No. 1 at Finschafen on the island where he was killed. There were 5 cemeteries created by the U.S. Army; post war all graves were exhumed and remains transported for permanent internment elsewhere. Harry was reinterred Oct 26, 1949 in Indiana, across the river from Louisville.