When Fighting Brothers Meet It's Peace On Earth
Yule In January:
When Fighting Brothers Meet It’s Peace On Earth
Christmas comes only once a year, but not necessarily on Dec. 25, for Wednesday night three Ann Arbor brothers, "Jeep," "Lefty” and "Peanuts," greeted St. Nick in true holiday spirit at the home of their father and step-mother, Mr. and Mrs. Clarence J. Rafeld, 514 Krause St.
A Christmas tree, gaily wrapped gifts and a traditional Yule dinner made a real Christmas for Cpl. Clarence, Jr., Cpl. J. Blain and Edward, fire controlman, third class. The occasion marked the first reunion in over three years for the brothers who have accumulated eight and one-half years of service between them.
Clarence, who bears the nickname "Jeep,” served with the 284th field artillery, Third Army, in Scotland, England, Wales, France, Germany, Luxemburg and Austria.
On Feb. 28. 1945, he was chosen as a liaison between his unit and the Fifth Ranger Battalion, and with 500 Rangers crossed the Saar river and traveled 15 miles behind enemy lines to cut off the German’s main supply route to Serrig, Germany. Given food rations for only one day, the group found itself cut off behind the German lines for four days and face to face with the Nazi Second Mountain Division composed of 2,000 men.
Wins Bronze Star
"You’d think we were fighting a 1917 German army. They were already scraping the bottom of the barrel for their poor equipment. We took 800 prisoners in the four days. But by the time we reached our own lines half of our original 500 men were gone," he said. Clarence, 24, received the Bronze Star for his action during that period, and his unit, during its overseas duty, was awarded three citations by the division commanding officer.
Clarence is married to the former Geraldine Frederick, and they make their home at 226 Wildwood Ave. Besides the Bronze Star, he wears the ETO ribbon with four battle stars, the American theater ribbon, good conduct medal, Victory ribbon and the Presidential Unit citation. Before entering the Army two and a half years ago, he was employed in the Ford aircraft factory at Willow Run. Clarence, who attended Ann Arbor High school, plans to attend night school to receive his diploma.
27 Months In Pacific
Blair ’’Lefty” Rafeld, 23, served as a Diesel mechanic at Signal Headquarters, 13th fighter command, 13th Air Force. He spent 27 months setting up communications in New Caledonia, Guadalcanal, New Guinea and Palawan, Borneo and Luzon. On his tunic he wears the Asiatic-Pacific ribbon with three battle stars, Southern Philippines ribbon with two battle stars, Northern Philippines ribbon, Good Conduct ribbon and the Victory ribbon.
"Lefty” took part in invasions on New Guinea and Palawan. A graduate of Ann Arbor High school, he plans to go on to college. Before entering service, he, like his brothers, was employed at the Willow Run aircraft division. He is engaged to Miss Mary Brandon of 1560 Packard St.
Youngest of the Rafeld brothers, Edward is dubbed “Peanuts" because he was so little for so long. "Peanuts,” 21, put on Navy blues on Jan. 11, 1943, and boarded the destroyer USS Sproston, DD-577, as a member of its first crew, on May 19, 1943, when the ship was commissioned.
“It’s the best ship afloat—you can ask any man aboard her,” Ed says. After seven months duty on the east coast and trips to Trinidad, Cuba and Bermuda, the Sproston went through the Panama Canal on Nov. 2, 1943, on its way to the Pacific. On Feb. 19, 1944, Destroyer Squadron 49, of which the Sproston was a member, made the first shore bombardment of Jap islands in history, attacking the Paramoshiri Islands, northernmost of the Aleutian chain.
From Attu To Leyte
After operating from Adak and Attu in the Aleutians for the following seven months, the Sproston participated in the initial invasion of Leyte, a sea battle off Samar, the initial landing at Lingayen and smaller invasions including those at Zambolies Beach and Subic Bay.
Arriving at Okinawa on March 26, 1945, six days before the initial landings, the Sproston made a temporary landing at Karama Retto which served as a supply depot.
Cmdr. Robert Esslinger of Ypsilanti, commanding officer of the Sproston and a "mighty fine skipper," according to "Peanuts,” led the ship unscarred through the Okinawa area which was infested with Japanese suicide planes. The Sproston supported Okinawa landings by shore bombardments and "radar picketing.”
"Peanuts” returned to the States on July 14, 1945, and was in San Francisco on V-J Day. Transferred from the veteran Sproston on Aug. 20, he reported to San Diego to advanced fire control school for 14 weeks training. And then he boarded a train for that “long wonderful trip home.”
He was discharged at Great Lakes separation center on Tuesday after three years and four days service. “Peanuts” wears the American theater ribbon, Asiatic-Pacific ribbon with four battle stars, the Victory Medal, Philippines Liberation ribbon with two combat stars and the Navy Good Conduct medal.
A 1942 Ann Arbor High school graduate, he is looking forward to business college. Before entering service he installed aircraft hydraulics at Willow Run.
“Jeep,” "Lefty” and "Peanuts" report that their father was "the happiest man alive” when he had his three sons home together again.
A PERFECT DAY FOR CHRISTMAS: Cpl. J. Blair, Edward, FC, 3/c, and Cpl. Clarence J. Rafeld, jr., left to right, celebrated Christmas in holiday spirit at their home Wednesday night.
The unseasonal celebration was held as the three got together for the first time in three and a half years.