WWII Operation Whitebox Veteran Sketches part 3

In the first post in this series, I profiled T/Sgt Don Malarkey (US Army, 101^st Airborne Division) and Sgt Smokey Smith (Canadian Army, Seaforth Highlanders of Canada).  In the second post, I profiled 2Lt Daniel K Inouye (US Army, 442^nd Regimental Combat Team), Eileen Nearne (United Kingdoms, Special Operations Executive) and S/Sgt Roza Shanina (Soviet Union, Red Army).  In this post, I will explore two more veterans, who will be featured in the WWII Operation Whitebox fan site I am working on: T/5 James Rookard (US Army, 514^th Quartermaster Truck Regiment) and Sgt Tommy Prince (Canadian Army, 1^st Special Service Force).

Technician Fifth-Grade James Rookard (US Army, 514^th Quartermaster Truck Regiment)

Technician Fifth-Grade James Rookard was drafted to the US Army out of Cleveland’s Central High School in 1943; the army trained him to be a truck driver with the 514^th Quartermaster Truck Regiment: a segregated African-American regiment.  

On August 25, 1944, what is known as the ‘Red Ball Express’ was created: 700-miles of supply lines connecting the beaches of Normandy to the Divisions in the front lines of France and Belgium.  There were 28 Divisions fighting on the front-lines; each Division required 700-tons of food, fuel, ammo and supplies on a daily basis.  Thus, the Red Ball Express truck drivers, whom the majority were African-Americans, became the lifelines for the Divisions: providing the materials necessary for the survival of the soldiers fighting on the front-lines.

The Red Ball Express ran for 83 days: ending on November 16, 1944. T/5 Rookard, like the other Red Ball Express drivers, faced numerous hazards, ranging from close proximity to enemy units to bad weather and hazardous road conditions, on the 700-mile supply line. The Red Ball Express truck drivers delivered over 400,000 tons of materials to the front-lines; playing a vital role in the war.  After the war, Rookard returned to Cleveland, married his high school sweetheart, Mary, raised a family and worked for the City of Cleveland as a truck driver until his retirement in 1986.

 

Sergeant Tommy Prince (Canadian Army, 1^st Special Service Force)

Sergeant Tommy Prince was born in the Brokenhead Ojibway Reservation in Manitoba, Canada.  Growing up, Prince spent countless hours hunting on the Reservation, developing his skills as a tracker and marksman: skills that would play a vital role in his military career.  On June 3, 1940, Prince joined the Canadian Army, first with the Royal Canadian Engineers; later, he volunteered for the 2^nd Canadian Parachute Battalion.  In 1942, the 1^st Special Service Force, a joint Canadian and American commando unit, was formed.  Prince, now a sergeant, was part of this elite unit, serving as a Reconnaissance Sergeant.  The 1^st Special Service Force was sent to Italy in November 1943.  For his heroic actions during the war, Sergeant Prince received the Military Medal from King George (England) and the Silver Star from the US Army.

On June 15, 1945, Prince was honourably discharged from the Army. Back home in Canada, Prince faced racism at the hands of the Canadian government: as a First Nations person, Prince was denied the right to vote (despite being a veteran) and was refused the same benefits as other Canadian veterans.  

With the outbreak of the Korean War, Prince re-enlisted in the Canadian army on August 1950; joining the 2^nd Battalion, Prince Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (2 PPCLI).  In Korean, Sgt Prince participated in the Battle of Kapyong (April 22-25, 1951), where the 2 PPCLI received the United States’ Presidential Unit Citation; marking Sgt Prince’s second US decoration.  Sgt Prince was honourable discharged from the Canadian Army in September 1954.

Returning to civilian life was difficult for Prince; as a First Nations person, he experienced racism and discrimination.  Prince became isolated, turning to alcoholism and selling his medals to pay for food.  Prince spent his remaining years living at a Salvation Army hostel.  He passed away on November 25, 1977.