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Contact Info
Home Town Fresno, California
Last Address Fresno, California
Date of Passing Feb 11, 2015
Wall/Plot Coordinates Cremated; location of ashes unknown.
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Navy veteran. Married the love of his life, Violet, for 67 years. He died first, she passed away with in hours.
HARTWIG — Floyd R. Hartwig, 90, of Fresno died Feb. 11. He was a retired farmer. Visitation: 3 to 7 p.m. Feb. 18 at Stephens and Bean Chapel. Service: 10 a.m. Feb. 19 at the chapel. Remembrances: Childrens Hospital Central California-NICU Unit, 9300 Valley Childrens Place, Madera, CA 93638 or Wounded Warriors Project, P.O. Box 758517, Topeka, KS 66675.
HARTWIG — Violet L. Hartwig, 89, of Fresno died Feb. 11. She was a retired farmer. Visitation: 3 to 7 p.m. Feb. 18 at Stephens and Bean Chapel. Service: 10 a.m. Feb. 19 at the chapel. Remembrances: Childrens Hospital Central California-NICU Unit, 9300 Valley Childrens Place, Madera, CA 93638 or Wounded Warriors Project, P.O. Box 758517, Topeka, KS 66675.
Both were born in Fresno, CA, and passed on February 11, 2015. After a brief illness they passed on the same day while holding hands. He enlisted in the United States Navy on December 15, 1942, and served in World War II, in the Pacific. He was awarded the following medals, Victory World War II American Theatre, Good Conduct-Asiatic Pacific and Phillippine Liberation. During the six years he served in the Navy, he participated in all the major battles in the American Theatre. He was on board the LST 463 Naval ship at Bikini O'Toole when the first atomic bomb was detonated. His ship was credited with downing five Japanese planes. His ship crossed the equator 26 times. He was honorably discharged in 1948. He married "Vi" while home on shore leave in August 1947. After his discharge he returned to the Fresno area and started farming on his ranch in Easton, CA, along with "Vi". They chopped cotton and fed turkeys side by side. They were very proud of the fact that they did all their own work right up to the last week. "Vi" was very devoted to her family; sewing, cooking, gardening, and volunteering for the PTA. She enjoyed the times when the family sat together at the dinner table and laughed and worked together on the ranch. She enjoyed long visits with family in the breezeway and under the big tree that stood in their front yard. "Vi" always said she lived every day to the fullest. Floyd and "Vi" are survived by their children, Donna Scharton and her husband Jerry, Carol Johnson and her husband Carl, Kenneth Hartwig and his wife Betty. They have four grandchildren; and ten great-grandchildren that they loved dearly. She is also survived by her sister, Betty Jones; brother, Donald Johansen and his wife Francine; and sister-in-law, Allie Johansen. We would like to thank their care giver, Ginnie Dowdy; and Optimal Hospice. Visitation will be held at Stephens and Bean Chapel on Wednesday, February 18, 2015, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. A Funeral Service will be held at Stephens & Bean Chapel on Thursday, February 19, 2015, at 10:00 a.m. Remembrances may be made to Children's Hospital NICU, 9300 Valley Childrens Place, Madera, CA 93638; or Wounded Warriors Project, P.O.Box 758517, Topeka, KS, 66675. Stephens & Bean Chapel, 202 North Teilman Avenue, Fresno, California (559)268-9292.
Published in the Fresno Bee on Feb. 18, 2015
World War II/Asiatic-Pacific Theater/Bismarck Archipelago Operation
From Month/Year
June / 1943
To Month/Year
May / 1944
Description Rabaul was the strategic key to the Bismarcks. The Japanese recognized the value of the port, and seized it with forces staged from Truk early in the Pacific War. Air attacks began on 4 January 1942 and elements of the South Seas Detachment began their landings on 23 January, rapidly driving back the 1390 men of the defending Australian 22 Battalion ("Lark Force") and taking the town and airfields. With Rabaul secured, the Japanese occupied the remainder of the Bismarcks more or less at their leisure. Kavieng was taken the same day as Rabaul, Bougainville was occuped on 30-31 March, and the Admiralties were occupied on 8 April 1942.
Allied strategy in the Southwest Pacific was initially focused on recapturing Rabaul. MacArthur envisioned a two-pronged counteroffensive (CARTWHEEL) with one prong coming up the Solomons and the other across the Dampier and Vitiaz Straits from New Guinea to New Britain. These operations began with the operations to secure Guadalcanal in the Solomons (7 August 1942) and to clear the northeast coast of New Guinea around Buna (19 November 1942.) Both tasks proved far more difficult than anticipated, becoming battles of attrition that lasted for months. The Buna area was not secured until 22 January 1943 and Guadalcanal was not secured until 9 February 1943.
At at the Pacific Military Conference of March 1943 in Washington, D.C., MacArthur's representative, Richard Sutherland, presented a revised plan for taking Rabaul (ELKTON III). This envisioned the capture of the Huon Peninsula in New Guinea and Munda on New Georgia, followed by the seizure of points in western New Britain and Bougainville. The Allies could then take Kavieng, if necessary, before the final assault on Rabaul. Japanese forces in the area were estimated at around 85,000 men and 383 aircraft, with another 11,000 men, 250 aircraft, and the main strength of Combined Fleet available for immediate reinforcement. In the longer term, the Japanese could dispatch another 615 aircraft and 10 to 15 divisions to the area if shipping could be found. (Japanese records show that this estimate was quite good, and that shipping available was about 300,000 tons to which perhaps another 100,000 tons could be added.) MacArthur demanded another five divisions and a tripling of the air strength in the theater in order to carry out his plan.
The Washington planners rejected any reinforcements beyond two or three divisions and a small number of aircraft, and the plan was scaled back accordingly. The final directive, issued 28 March 1943, called for Allied forces to advance as far as the Huon peninsula, western New Britain, and Bougainville by the end of 1943. Overall command would be given to MacArthur, with whom Halsey in the South Pacific would be expected to cooperate. Fortunately, there was enough mutual respect between the two men to make the plan work.
