PO3 James Cleveland
U.S. Navy – Coxswain LCVP
Saltash, Plymouth, Exeter, England
December 1944 – July 1945
U.S. Navy – Coxswain LCVP
Saltash, Plymouth, Exeter, England
December 1944 – July 1945
“…that Statue of Liberty gotta be the most beautiful thing in the world”.
James Cleveland was born October 17th, 1926 in Bristol, Connecticut. His father Vincent was from Bristol Connecticut, and his mother Rhoda was from Rhode Island. Jim was the youngest and had two brothers and one sister. During Jim’s childhood Bristol was the home to many manufacturing companies. His father worked in the shipping department for the local ball bearing manufacturer, New Departure. His mother was a homemaker. “She was a redhead and she was an excellent mother to all of us kids”.
The stock market crash in 1929 was one of the precipitating factors that led the country into the Great Depression. Through those lean years Jim’s dad was able to hold onto his job. Jim recalled the family received their cloths from his father’s uncle’s family that had several children. “Most of our cloths came from the Atwood family in Terryville. When they outgrew ‘em they would give ‘em to my mother. She’d sometimes have to patch ‘em but that’s what we had for cloths”. The family always had food to eat. “We ate spaghetti, we ate macaroni, sandwiches”. Bill Atwood was a butcher and “once in a great while we’d get a piece of meat. The ends of the liver”. The family would eat that treat on Sundays.
When Jim was nine years old, he began working for a local farmer, Harry Stone. “Not quite half a mile from my house. I went to his house to do chores”. Jim would milk and feed his cows and bring in water “because they didn’t have running water” and “he had a windmill to generate electricity”. Jim had a lot of respect for Harry. “He was honest, hardworking and his word was his bond. That’s what he taught me…if your word’s no good, you’re no good. So whatever you say, you better be willing to back it up and I lived my life that way”
Harry’s son Albert took over the farm and when Jim turned 16 Harry asked him if he would be willing to help out on the farm. “Albert lost his hired man to the draft”. Jim was attending technical school at the time, and he decided to quit school and work on the farm full time helping milk the cows and other chores including cutting ice. During the winter Jim and another man would go down to the frozen lake cut blocks of ice that were used to keep the milk chilled throughout the year.
“I do remember that was the worst winter for cold we’d ever had”. Jim and the other farm hand would cut ice blocks that Jim recalls being 21 inches thick. They would score the ice to mark out the blocks and then use a saw to cut the blocks. Once the block was cut they would push the block down into the water and when it popped up both men would use metal ice tongs to grab it. The men would load the ice onto a wooden sled pulled by two horses and bring it to the icehouse. “He had an icehouse the size of a two-car garage. We brought up the ice from the lake and put it in layers. You put saw dust down first and you put saw dust in between so they wouldn’t stick”. The layers would reach 12 feet high.
Shortly after Jim’s 18th birthday he and a friend decided to take a trip to New York City and enlist with the Coast Guard. When the men arrived, they were sent to separate interview rooms. When they emerged, Jim’s friend was accepted but Jim was not. Jim was told since he was of draft age, he would be drafted shortly. As promised, Jim received his draft notice, and he reported to New Haven. They asked him which branch of the service he wanted. Jim chose the Navy. The recruiter asked why he chose the Navy. Jim told him, “I have an older brother that’s in the Marine Corps…he’s out in the South Pacific…I have another brother in the Air Corps. He’s a mechanic. I’d like to make it one in all three”.
In December of 1944, Jim was sent to the Sampson Naval Base near Geneva, New York. The base was located on the shore of Seneca Lake and was a major training center for the Navy during World War II. Bootcamp lasted 10 weeks and Jim was sent to Pier 92 in New York City where he boarded a troop ship headed for La Harve, France.
Jim recalled traveling in a convoy of approximately 50 troop ships. “Of course, you could only see one or two”. The trip took over 10 days. Extremely rough seas and endless zigzagging to avoid Nazi U-Boats hindered their progress. “We went across the north Atlantic and it was rougher than I ever could have imagined”. It was easier to count the men that weren’t seasick than those that were.
Thankfully, the convoy finally made port in La Harve, a port city in Northern France that was of great strategic importance to both the Nazi’s and the Allies. It was taken by the Nazi’s as they rolled through Europe in 1940. It was home to numerous radar sites and E-Boats, which were fast attack boats. Hitler had declared the port a fortress to be defended to the last man. After an intensive air campaign, on September 12th, 1944 the Allies took control of the port and the city.
In March of 1945, Jim’s ship docked and allowed the U.S. troop to disembark before heading across to Saltash, a town in the Cornwall parish of England. Saltash is near the southwestern tip of England on the banks of the River Tamar, home to a U.S. naval base used to make amphibious repairs to a variety of naval vessels. Jim was initially assigned to Saltash and given the job of Coxswain, operating LCVP (Landing Craft Vehicle Personnel). Jim’s LCVP carried welders, divers, mechanics, electricians, plumbers and other tradesman who made repairs to keep the ships in good operation. Jim would drop the men on a floating dock dock in the morning and pick them up in the evening.
By March of 1945, although Nazi’s were fighting hard to hold their homeland, it was clear it was just a matter of time before the Allies dealt the final knockout punches. The Navy began to close down some of the bases. When Saltash was closed, Jim went to Chapters Field, a Naval base in Plymouth where he was responsible to help shut down the base. Jim’s next and final stop was a Naval Supply Depot in Exeter, England where he helped shut down the operations.
By May of ’45 the Nazi’s had surrendered and by July of ’45 Jim found himself aboard the USS General George Oliver Squire headed for New York City. “The ride back was a breeze. It was almost like you’re on vacation. Lay out on the deck. Everyone was happy. They were coming home”. The ship entered New York Harbor and sailed passed the Statute of Liberty. What were the men feeling when they passed by Lady Liberty holding her torch? “I can’t even describe it”.
Jim made it back home safely as did his brother who served in the Army. Jim’s oldest brother George fought on Iwo Jima. He returned to the states with no physical injuries but the fighting on the volcanic island took an emotional toll and resulted in a lifelong alcohol problem. The brothers never spoke of their time in the war. Late in life as George lay dying Jim asked him if there was anything he wanted to tell him about the war. George recounted being in the second wave to hit the beach. He was part of the communications division, and he made it 150 yards up the beach. His sergeant turned to him and told him the radioman was killed and they desperately needed the radios. He told George to retrieve the radios and take two men with him. George found two buddies and they ran through the mayhem and found the radios. They turned to run the gauntlet up the beach and George’s two buddies were hit and killed. George blamed himself and never was able to deal with the guilt.
George returned to Bristol and took a job working at Elton Dairy. Jim would carry the milk cans the farmers dropped off on the loading dock and carry them into the cooler. The next day they would pasteurize the milk delivered the previous day and weigh it so they knew how much each farmer should be paid. After three years “I went out peddling” milk. The men would start early in the morning and end before noon. Being an industrious person Jim found other jobs to fill during his off hours. He took a job with Bristol Construction where he learned to operate heavy construction equipment.
While he was working at the dairy, Jim met a local girl, Edna Wood. She would often come into the store for some milk and heavy cream. Jim thought she was cute and asked her for a date. Edna said no. Jim asked her a second and a third time and her answer was no, both times. Jim assumed it was a hopeless cause and forgot about her until the Riverton Fair came around. The Riverton Fair is a large fair held each autumn in the town of Riverton. Jim was working at the fair with horses his friend had in a competition. There at the end of the corral was Edna, with a big smile. Jim went home that night and thought maybe Edna had changed her mind and he should call and ask for a date. He called and asked her for a date the following night. She said, ‘I can’t go tomorrow. How about tonight’? “So, we went to the movies and that was the beginning. The couple was married in 1948.
With two other Bristol natives Jim formed a paving business. Over the years he bought out his partners, and it became Jim’s family business. His wife Edna worked in the office and his sons also worked in the business.
Jim is retired now and looking to turn the page into his next century when he turns 100 in October. Thank you, Jim, for serving your country, helping defeat true evil and making the world a better place.
James Cleveland was born October 17th, 1926 in Bristol, Connecticut. His father Vincent was from Bristol Connecticut, and his mother Rhoda was from Rhode Island. Jim was the youngest and had two brothers and one sister. During Jim’s childhood Bristol was the home to many manufacturing companies. His father worked in the shipping department for the local ball bearing manufacturer, New Departure. His mother was a homemaker. “She was a redhead and she was an excellent mother to all of us kids”.
The stock market crash in 1929 was one of the precipitating factors that led the country into the Great Depression. Through those lean years Jim’s dad was able to hold onto his job. Jim recalled the family received their cloths from his father’s uncle’s family that had several children. “Most of our cloths came from the Atwood family in Terryville. When they outgrew ‘em they would give ‘em to my mother. She’d sometimes have to patch ‘em but that’s what we had for cloths”. The family always had food to eat. “We ate spaghetti, we ate macaroni, sandwiches”. Bill Atwood was a butcher and “once in a great while we’d get a piece of meat. The ends of the liver”. The family would eat that treat on Sundays.
When Jim was nine years old, he began working for a local farmer, Harry Stone. “Not quite half a mile from my house. I went to his house to do chores”. Jim would milk and feed his cows and bring in water “because they didn’t have running water” and “he had a windmill to generate electricity”. Jim had a lot of respect for Harry. “He was honest, hardworking and his word was his bond. That’s what he taught me…if your word’s no good, you’re no good. So whatever you say, you better be willing to back it up and I lived my life that way”
Harry’s son Albert took over the farm and when Jim turned 16 Harry asked him if he would be willing to help out on the farm. “Albert lost his hired man to the draft”. Jim was attending technical school at the time, and he decided to quit school and work on the farm full time helping milk the cows and other chores including cutting ice. During the winter Jim and another man would go down to the frozen lake cut blocks of ice that were used to keep the milk chilled throughout the year.
“I do remember that was the worst winter for cold we’d ever had”. Jim and the other farm hand would cut ice blocks that Jim recalls being 21 inches thick. They would score the ice to mark out the blocks and then use a saw to cut the blocks. Once the block was cut they would push the block down into the water and when it popped up both men would use metal ice tongs to grab it. The men would load the ice onto a wooden sled pulled by two horses and bring it to the icehouse. “He had an icehouse the size of a two-car garage. We brought up the ice from the lake and put it in layers. You put saw dust down first and you put saw dust in between so they wouldn’t stick”. The layers would reach 12 feet high.
Shortly after Jim’s 18th birthday he and a friend decided to take a trip to New York City and enlist with the Coast Guard. When the men arrived, they were sent to separate interview rooms. When they emerged, Jim’s friend was accepted but Jim was not. Jim was told since he was of draft age, he would be drafted shortly. As promised, Jim received his draft notice, and he reported to New Haven. They asked him which branch of the service he wanted. Jim chose the Navy. The recruiter asked why he chose the Navy. Jim told him, “I have an older brother that’s in the Marine Corps…he’s out in the South Pacific…I have another brother in the Air Corps. He’s a mechanic. I’d like to make it one in all three”.
In December of 1944, Jim was sent to the Sampson Naval Base near Geneva, New York. The base was located on the shore of Seneca Lake and was a major training center for the Navy during World War II. Bootcamp lasted 10 weeks and Jim was sent to Pier 92 in New York City where he boarded a troop ship headed for La Harve, France.
Jim recalled traveling in a convoy of approximately 50 troop ships. “Of course, you could only see one or two”. The trip took over 10 days. Extremely rough seas and endless zigzagging to avoid Nazi U-Boats hindered their progress. “We went across the north Atlantic and it was rougher than I ever could have imagined”. It was easier to count the men that weren’t seasick than those that were.
Thankfully, the convoy finally made port in La Harve, a port city in Northern France that was of great strategic importance to both the Nazi’s and the Allies. It was taken by the Nazi’s as they rolled through Europe in 1940. It was home to numerous radar sites and E-Boats, which were fast attack boats. Hitler had declared the port a fortress to be defended to the last man. After an intensive air campaign, on September 12th, 1944 the Allies took control of the port and the city.
In March of 1945, Jim’s ship docked and allowed the U.S. troop to disembark before heading across to Saltash, a town in the Cornwall parish of England. Saltash is near the southwestern tip of England on the banks of the River Tamar, home to a U.S. naval base used to make amphibious repairs to a variety of naval vessels. Jim was initially assigned to Saltash and given the job of Coxswain, operating LCVP (Landing Craft Vehicle Personnel). Jim’s LCVP carried welders, divers, mechanics, electricians, plumbers and other tradesman who made repairs to keep the ships in good operation. Jim would drop the men on a floating dock dock in the morning and pick them up in the evening.
By March of 1945, although Nazi’s were fighting hard to hold their homeland, it was clear it was just a matter of time before the Allies dealt the final knockout punches. The Navy began to close down some of the bases. When Saltash was closed, Jim went to Chapters Field, a Naval base in Plymouth where he was responsible to help shut down the base. Jim’s next and final stop was a Naval Supply Depot in Exeter, England where he helped shut down the operations.
By May of ’45 the Nazi’s had surrendered and by July of ’45 Jim found himself aboard the USS General George Oliver Squire headed for New York City. “The ride back was a breeze. It was almost like you’re on vacation. Lay out on the deck. Everyone was happy. They were coming home”. The ship entered New York Harbor and sailed passed the Statute of Liberty. What were the men feeling when they passed by Lady Liberty holding her torch? “I can’t even describe it”.
Jim made it back home safely as did his brother who served in the Army. Jim’s oldest brother George fought on Iwo Jima. He returned to the states with no physical injuries but the fighting on the volcanic island took an emotional toll and resulted in a lifelong alcohol problem. The brothers never spoke of their time in the war. Late in life as George lay dying Jim asked him if there was anything he wanted to tell him about the war. George recounted being in the second wave to hit the beach. He was part of the communications division, and he made it 150 yards up the beach. His sergeant turned to him and told him the radioman was killed and they desperately needed the radios. He told George to retrieve the radios and take two men with him. George found two buddies and they ran through the mayhem and found the radios. They turned to run the gauntlet up the beach and George’s two buddies were hit and killed. George blamed himself and never was able to deal with the guilt.
George returned to Bristol and took a job working at Elton Dairy. Jim would carry the milk cans the farmers dropped off on the loading dock and carry them into the cooler. The next day they would pasteurize the milk delivered the previous day and weigh it so they knew how much each farmer should be paid. After three years “I went out peddling” milk. The men would start early in the morning and end before noon. Being an industrious person Jim found other jobs to fill during his off hours. He took a job with Bristol Construction where he learned to operate heavy construction equipment.
While he was working at the dairy, Jim met a local girl, Edna Wood. She would often come into the store for some milk and heavy cream. Jim thought she was cute and asked her for a date. Edna said no. Jim asked her a second and a third time and her answer was no, both times. Jim assumed it was a hopeless cause and forgot about her until the Riverton Fair came around. The Riverton Fair is a large fair held each autumn in the town of Riverton. Jim was working at the fair with horses his friend had in a competition. There at the end of the corral was Edna, with a big smile. Jim went home that night and thought maybe Edna had changed her mind and he should call and ask for a date. He called and asked her for a date the following night. She said, ‘I can’t go tomorrow. How about tonight’? “So, we went to the movies and that was the beginning. The couple was married in 1948.
With two other Bristol natives Jim formed a paving business. Over the years he bought out his partners, and it became Jim’s family business. His wife Edna worked in the office and his sons also worked in the business.
Jim is retired now and looking to turn the page into his next century when he turns 100 in October. Thank you, Jim, for serving your country, helping defeat true evil and making the world a better place.