Remembering service

A Navy veteran and his crew got bombed and shot at while in the South Pacific.

By SEAN BARRON

VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT

BOARDMAN — Ed Enterline recalls with clarity how, in the days and weeks after the Dec. 7, 1941, bombing of Pearl Harbor, military recruiting stations nationwide were flooded with people eager to enlist.

“I was in college then; suddenly, my world changed,” Enterline told a crowd of more than 200 at Boardman Township Park on Memorial Day. “The next day [after the attack], all recruiting stations were jammed with young men wanting to avenge Pearl Harbor.”

Enterline, a World War II Navy veteran, related that and many other experiences he had while on two tours of duty in the South Pacific during the war.

He was the keynote speaker at the 103rd annual Boardman Memorial Day program and grand marshal of the parade. The main purpose of both was to honor military personnel who lost their lives during war.

The observance at the Maag Outdoor Arts Theater also included performances by the Boardman High School Symphonic Band, as well as the unveiling of a plaque containing the names of eight Boardman servicemen who lost their lives during the Vietnam War.

Enterline said that while a senior at Youngstown College, it didn't take long for him to be thrust into duty.

“One week after Pearl Harbor, I took an exam and was told to be ready to go within 30 days,” he recalled.

What he did

Later, Enterline continued, he took a four-month course at Notre Dame University and learned to operate a patrol torpedo boat. He was one of about 40 from a class of 1,200 to be selected for such duty, Enterline noted.

Equipment on his boat included a radio and radar, which allowed it to operate at night, he said. Nevertheless, Enterline added, he and his crew got bombed and shot at while in the South Pacific.

The Navy veteran praised the so-called coast watchers, who supplied information regarding the positions of Japanese soldiers.

Enterline added that he respects the women who worked in the steel mills so the men could serve.

He shared a few close calls he had while on duty and concluded by imploring his audience not to “take our way of life for granted.”

Shortly after Enterline's presentation, Boardman Police Capt. Jerre Patterson read the names of the eight deceased Boardman Vietnam veterans. All had family members on hand who placed a red rose in front of the plaque that was unveiled and dedicated to the men.

Lt. Col. Bill Moss placed a wreath in front of the memorial to honor those who died during war. Another wreath honoring current military personnel was presented by the Boardman High School National Honor Society.

Veterans from all branches of the military walked to a flagpole as the band played service songs pertaining to their branch. Afterward, the program closed with a playing of taps and a rifle salute.

Giving the invocation was the Rev. David Joachim of Westminster Presbyterian Church.