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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/Southern Philippines Campaign (1945)
From Month/Year
February / 1945
To Month/Year
July / 1945
Description On 10 March 1945, the U.S. Eighth Army—under Lt. Gen. Robert L. Eichelberger—was formally ordered by Gen. Douglas MacArthur to clear the rest of Mindanao, with the start of Operation VICTOR V, with expectations that the campaign would take four months. Eichelberger had misgivings about the projected timetable for the operation, but nonetheless, his Eighth Army staffers came up with a more effective plan.
Instead of the expected headlong frontal assault on the Japanese defenses, the plan called for securing a beachhead at Illana Bay in the undefended west, then a drive eastward more than a 100 mi (160 km) through jungle and mountains to strike from the rear. The objective, which called for achieving surprise and pressing forward quickly and aggressively by the invading forces, deemed Eichelberger, could unhinge the Japanese both physically and psychologically. The key to the operation's success involved the beachhead performance of the landing force and the ability of the participating units to maintain the momentum of their attack, preempting Japanese reactions, and hopefully before the rainy season started which would complicate movement in the island.
Ground operations were assigned to X Corps under Maj. Gen. Franklin C. Sibert, with Maj. Gen. Roscoe B. Woodruff's 24th Infantry Division and Maj. Gen. Clarence A. Martin's 31st Infantry Division as principal combat units. Amphibious Task Group 78.2 (TG 78.2)—under Rear Adm. Albert G. Noble—was tasked to carry the 24th Division and X Corps headquarters to the assault beaches near Malabang by 17 April to secure a forward airfield. Five days later, the 31st Division was expected to be in Parang, 20 mi (32 km) south, located near Highway 1, the route to Davao.