Always they looked forward to News From Home. That was the
title of the newspaper the Townspeople used to send to their boys
and girls in the Armed services, especially during the dreary days
of World War II. J. Harold Baszner, who had been the second
President of the Whitco Foremen’s Club, succeeding Henry Kooistra,
had spent 33 years in the Freight Department of the Whitin Machine
Works as foreman of packing, shipping and receiving. (In 1957, I had
courted and later escorted to my Junior Prom at Northbridge High
School, a young lady, then named Linda LaPensee of Linwood Village,
who later on, fell in love and married Harry Jr., J. Harold
Baszner’s eldest son!) Anyway, J. Harold was the roving reporter for
the Linwood Village of Northbridge, because at that time, he lived
on Union Street, having built a home there in 1941. From there he
and his family went back to Whitinsville, on East Street, near St.
Patrick’s Church, in 1947. His former home now contains a plaque for
being on of the old historic houses in Whitinsville. At 28 East
Street, it was formerly the old Baldwin Estate, and later, that
belonging to the Bartleys. It had been from them that J. Harold had
purchased it in July of 1947, and he lived there for quite some time
while employed by the Whitin Machine Works.
With some issuance of the Volume of World War II: Northbridge
Service Men’s Album. the
"News
From Home" Committee had fulfilled its purpose. In putting together
such an album containing over 1,200 persons, and one of such
significance, it was mentioned, with regret, that pictures of all
those persons who assisted in the production, publication, or
distribution of News From Home, and all of those who gave
their time, money, and talents to the Album Fund, could not
be included. It was certainly mentioned and noted also, that the
"splendid spirit of co-operation and the unity of purpose" among all
the people of Northbridge, which had been evident certainly during
the war years, would continue to develop and prosper during the
future peacetime years ahead.
Among many who made up the "News From Home" Committee were the
following: (known by me personally, during my present lifetime of 58
years)--- - having held a position of influence, either in Town
Affairs or in Town Government while employed by the Whitin Families
in some capacity--- Daniel C. Duggan, Winifred W. Jones, Harold S.
Case, Lawrence M. Keeler, Patrick A. McGovern, J. Harold Baszner,
Gertrude E. McGovern. Helenora S. Carr, Evelyn K. Marker, Mary C.
Case, Samuel J. Currie, Raymond F. Adams, Thomas M. Marshall,
Douglas S. Carr Sr. Roscoe M. Marker, Eugene M. Kennedy, Robert S.
Wilson, Gerald L. Gaudette Sr., and Florence B. Adams.
Among
the prominent Whitin Family members, as Whitin males, who served in
World War II were the following: Harry Whitin Sr. (Oct. 16, 1942 –
May 16, 1946) as 1st Lieut., Army Air Corps; R. Courtenay Whitin Jr.
(Sept. 11, 1942 – Apr. 26, 1946) as Lieut. (j. g.), Navy Reserves,
Supply Corps; Thomson Whitin (Feb. 1, 1943 – Jan. 27, 1946) as
Lieut. (j.g.) Navy, and Welby C. Whitin (Dec. 30, 1942 – Dec. 10,
1945) as Lieut. (j.g.) Navy. With
exception of Harry Whitin, each had been decorated with at least one
Battle Star, the American Theater Ribbon, and the Victory Medal.
Among my father’s brothers who served in World War II were the
following: Joseph Leonard Gosselin (Jan. 27, 1942 – July 29, 1945)
as PFC, Army, who was awarded 8 Battle Stars and a Purple Heart for
having been wounded in Action while serving in Normandy, France;
Joseph Roger E. Gosselin (July 20, 1942 – Jan. 2, 1946) as Cpl.,
Army Airborne with 3 Battle Stars; Joseph Fernand
R. Gosselin (Oct. 2, 1942 – Nov. 8, 1945) as T/5, Army Cavalry and
later in Medic Corps, who earned 2 Battle Stars in addition to the
Bronze Star for Heroic Conduct; and Joseph Gerard M. Gosselin (May
28, 1943 – Nov. 17, 1945) as T/5, in the Army Combat Engineers, who
was awarded 4 Battle Stars in addition to other honors.
On
my Mother’s side of her Family, were three of her brothers who
served also during World War II. My other brave Uncles included the
following: Alpha J. Gauthier (Apr. 17, 1942 – Nov. 16, 1945) as PFC,
Army Engineers, who earned 5 Battle Stars and other war honors, and
Leo J. Gauthier (Mar. 29, 1944 – Apr. 11, 1946) as PFC, Army
Armored, who got the Purple Heart after being wounded in Germany,
along with the Meritorious Award. He would later serve the Town of
Northbridge as a dedicated foot patrolman and police officer and be
recognized by former President Richard M. Nixon with a Citation and
the Carnegie Medal for Heroism. He had also excelled in boxing as a
young man and was a Golden Gloves Champion who know Rocky Marciano
personally. (And it was also he who taught this writer how to
operate a 1947 Harley-Davidson motorcycle safely and properly, as he
did while on duty in a Motorcycle Brigade overseas.) However, the
accolades of the Armed Services were especially pronounced for my
special Uncle and Godfather, Joseph Harvey Gauthier (Aug. 12, 1940 –
Aug. 11, 1946) as B.M. 2/C in the United States Navy. Having served
a full 6 years during Wartime, and later in the Merchant Marines as
a Career, he amassed a total of 15 Battle Stars, in addition to
numerous Service Awards, and can recall vividly the Japanese
Invasion of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941, a day which
still lives in infamy, although it happened over a half a century
ago. Let us NEVER, EVER, FORGET, to HONOR --- those who gave their
service AND ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES AS THE ULTIMATE
SACRIFICE as they served their Nation, their GOD, and their Town
of Northbridge.
