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Contact Info
Home Town Burley, Idaho
Last Address Born: Mapleton Utah Raised in: Burley, Idaho Buried: Idaho State Veterans Cemetery, Boise.
Date of Passing Dec 15, 2009
Location of Interment Idaho State Veterans Cemetery - Boise, Idaho
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Last Known Activity:
Arvel Milton Rudolph
He was born January 19, 1926 at Mapleton Utah, the son of Archie Milton Rudolph and Inez Perry Rudolph. He was the first son, and one of nine children. He moved with his family to Burley, Idaho when he was 11 months old. He lived there until he was 16, when he moved to Boise, working at a café until he moved to Seattle, Washington to work for Boeing Aircraft. On August 12, 1943, at the age of 17, he joined the Navy. He took his basic training at Farragut and then went to Treasure Island, California where he was involved in the commissioning of the destroyer U.S.S. Twining. He spent most of his time in the Navy aboard the Twinning in the Pacific fleet fighting the Japanese. His ship escorted the U.S.S. Missouri into Tokyo Bay when Japan surrendered. He was discharged from the Navy in 1945 at the end of the war after two years of service, he was 19. and in 1946, he met the love of his life, Norma Shepard. They were married in 1947 in Burley, Idaho. Arvel spent his entire working career as a master carpenter. In 1967, he moved to Boise to become a building supervisor for Hon Construction Co.. This work allowed him the opportunity of building in Everett, Washington, Sun Valley, Cascade and Boise. He was preceded in death by his parents Archie and Inez, and brother Jim. He is survived by his wife of 62 years Norma; sons Rick and wife Jan Rudolph, Martinez, Ca., Layne and wife Cheryl, Boise, daughter Kara and husband Jack Lewis, Nampa, Idaho, six grandchildren, and six great grandchildren; sisters Maxine Twedt, Lancaster, California, Bernyce Kalblinger, Nampa, Opal Wilcox, Twin Falls, Dixie Montgomery, Boise and brothers Perry Rudolph, Placerville, Ca., Reid Rudolph, Cheyenne, Wyoming and Riece Rudolph, Burley . Arvel was active in community service. He was President of the Burley Jaycees, a Boy Scout leader, a Cub Scout Leader, member of the Elks, Toastmasters and received an Idaho Life Merit Award for his work in PTA. He had a love of the outdoors, enjoying hunting, fishing, camping, and spending time with his Good Sam group, the "Boise River Eagles." He enjoyed wintering in Yuma, Arizona. He spent his retirement building furniture and teaching his grandchildren the love of fishing and camping. The family wishes to express gratitude and thanks to the staff at the Idaho State Veterans Home for the loving care they gave Arvel during his three years there. He was buried at the Idaho State Veterans Cemetery, Boise.
Other Comments:
World War II/Asiatic-Pacific Theater/Luzon Campaign (1944-45)
From Month/Year
December / 1944
To Month/Year
April / 1945
Description On December 15, 1944, landings against minimal resistance were made on the southern beaches of the island of Mindoro, a key location in the planned Lingayen Gulf operations, in support of major landings scheduled on Luzon. On January 9, 1945, on the south shore of Lingayen Gulf on the western coast of Luzon, General Krueger's Sixth Army landed his first units. Almost 175,000 men followed across the twenty-mile (32 km) beachhead within a few days. With heavy air support, Army units pushed inland, taking Clark Field, 40 miles (64 km) northwest of Manila, in the last week of January.
Two more major landings followed, one to cut off the Bataan Peninsula, and another, that included a parachute drop, south of Manila. Pincers closed on the city and, on February 3, 1945, elements of the U.S. 1st Cavalry Division pushed into the northern outskirts of Manila and the 8th Cavalry Regiment (organized as infantry) passed through the northern suburbs and into the city itself.
As the advance on Manila continued from the north and the south, the Bataan Peninsula was rapidly secured. On February 16, paratroopers and amphibious units simultaneously assaulted the islet of Corregidor. It was necessary to take this stronghold because troops there can block the entrance of Manila Bay. The Americans needed to establish a major harbor base at Manila Bay to support the expected invasion of Japan, planned to begin on November 1, 1945. Resistance on Corregidor ended on February 27, and then all resistance by the Japanese Empire ceased on August 15, 1945, obviating the need for an invasion of the Japanese Home Islands.
Despite initial optimism, fighting in Manila was harsh. It took until March 3 to clear the city of all Japanese troops, and the Japanese Marines, who fought on stubbornly and refused to either surrender or to evacuate as the Japanese Army had done. Fort Drum, a fortified island in Manila Bay near Corregidor, held out until 13 April, when a team of Army troops went ashore and pumped 3,000 gallons of diesel fuel into the fort, then set off incendiary charges. No Japanese soldiers in Fort Drum survived the blast and fire.
In all, ten U.S. divisions and five independent regiments battled on Luzon, making it the largest American campaign of the Pacific war, involving more troops than the United States had used in North Africa, Italy, or southern France.
My Participation in This Battle or Operation
From Month/Year
December / 1944
To Month/Year
April / 1945
Last Updated: Mar 16, 2020
Personal Memories
Memories Plank Owner and service from 1943-1945 on the USS Twining DD-540; awarded: AMERICAN AREA Campaign, 8 Battle Stars ASIATIC-PACIFIC AREA including Marianas Campaign, Tinian Campaign, Paulau Campaign, Leyte Campaign, Luzon Campaign, Iwo Jima Campaign, Okinawa Gunto Campaign, PHILIPPINE LIBERATION ribbon with star: Initial Landing in Luzon and the Battle of Leyte Gulf.
