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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/New Guinea Campaign (1943-44)
From Month/Year
January / 1943
To Month/Year
December / 1944
Description The last obstacle in liberating all of New Guinea island was the Vogelkop Peninsula in Dutch New Guinea. The Japanese resistance on the peninsula gathered at Manokwari, and MacArthur did not wish to contest with this force. Instead, his "hit 'em where they ain't" strategy took the Allied forces to a number of undefended beaches near Cape Opmaria and Sansapor. Like Rabaul, the 25,000 men at Manokwari were now stranded, frustratingly idling uselessly.
In Sep 1944, Allied troops occupied the Halmahera Islands, concluding the New Guinea Campaign. MacArthur was now only several hundred miles from the Philippines. In his memoir, MacArthur attributed to the Allied victory over New Guinea to mobility and the ability to achieve surprise at key confrontations. Additionally, he also insisted that his refusal to deploy military governors over conquered regions helped his command focus on the task at hand. Instead, he brought in Dutch and Australian civil administrators immediately after the area had been deemed secure. "The success of this method was reflected in the complete lack of friction between the various governments concerned", he noted.
Although Allied attention would move toward the Philippine Islands by this time, small pockets of Japanese resistance would continue to fight until late May 1945.
