Their Story
Clarence Paul Holland was born on August 9, 1917, in Calumet, Houghton County, Michigan, the son of Paul August Holland and Anna Rose (Goulet) Holland.[1] His father was a laborer in a copper mine.[2] By 1930, Clary had 8 siblings.[3] Clarence was known as “Clary” to family and friends. He went to high school in L’Anse, Michigan, for two years.
In 1933, he joined the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) at a camp north of Baraga, Michigan, to assist in the replanting of the forests on the Upper Michigan Peninsula. His mother did not like him being separated from the family, but other work was not available at the time. The CCC provided food, clothing, and quarters for the boys, who were paid one dollar per day. Each month, twenty-five dollars was sent home to their families with the boys being allowed to keep the five-dollar balance. This was about 1933-1934 when the Great Depression had set in and family resources were at a minimal level. In large part, Clary’s decision to enter the CCC was to help the family. That decision was not lost on his father who, though he never showed favorites, always had a particular soft spot for Clary.[4]
The mining industry was hit hard in Upper Michigan, and many were out of work. The Holland family moved from Michigan to Rock Island, Illinois, in 1935. Many of the family’s men found work at the Farmall Plant of the International Harvester Company, including Clary.[5] He married Grace P. Bell on July 29, 1939, in Rock Island. Clary was laid off from International Harvester in 1942. He then went to work for Peerless Dairy as a route salesman from January 1943 until he was inducted into the Navy in January 1944.
Here is a timeline of Clarence P. Holland’s time in service, where he served as an Aviation Ordnance Mechanic, 2nd Class Petty Officer:
26 Jan 1944 Inducted into U.S. Navy at Rock Island, Illinois[6]
9 Feb 1944 Entered the Navy at Great Lakes, Illinois, near Chicago
18 Apr 1944 Graduated Basic Training, Farragut, Idaho
9 Sep 1944 Graduated Ordnance Training, Farragut, Idaho
16 Nov 1944 Completed Naval Air Gunners Course, NAGS Jacksonville, Florida
11 Jan 1945 Ordnance Maintenance Training, Whidbey Island, Washington
9 Feb 1945 Completed Aircrewman Training, NAGS Jacksonville, Florida
19 Jun 1945 Qualified as Gunner in PB4Y Type Aircraft
19 Jun 1945 Completed Advanced Training in PBY4 Types
19 Jun 1945 Awarded Air Crew Insignia with no stars, Jacksonville Air Station, Florida
20 Jun 1945 Ordered to Flight Status
10 Aug 1945 Departed continental USA
13 Aug 1945 Reported to VPB-200 from VPB-197
12 Sep 1945 Transferred to VPB-119
15 Sep 1945 Crossed 180th Meridian
19 Sep 1945 Reported to VPB-119 from VPB-200
9 Dec 1945 Transferred to USA for discharge
9 Jan 1946 Discharged at Great Lakes, Illinois[7]
During Clary’s service he flew as a gunner on the PB4-1 Liberator and the PB4Y-2 Privateer. These two aircraft were built by Consolidated Aircraft Corporation. The PB4B-1 was a Navy version of the Army Air Corps B-24 Liberator. The Navy version carried more electronic warfare equipment than the B24.
After the war, Clary returned to Rock Island. He became a sales manager for Thoms-Proestler Co., Davenport, Iowa.[8] Clary and Grace had twins, a boy and a girl, in 1955, adding to their five other children.[9]
He was a member of a senior citizen group and did volunteer work at the former Franciscan Medical Center, Rock Island. He enjoyed fishing, playing bridge, and golf; in fact he had a hole-in-one before he quit playing. Clarence P. Holland, 76, died January 13, 1994, at Trinity Medical Center, East Campus, Moline, Illinois.
Clarence P Holland’s memorial page – Honor Veterans Legacies at VLM (va.gov)
PO Holland on left and his buddy “Rocky” F.R. Rossbank. They are standing in PB4Y-1 gunner window, with a .50 caliber machine gun.
U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947 – Ancestry.com
This photo was taken in late 1944 at the Naval Training Center at Jacksonville, Florida. This was a crew training facility. The facility was used to form crews and train them before going overseas.
The “193” that was written on the side turret was for the 193rd class to go through the training.
The crew members pictured are, bottom row, kneeling from left to right
- R. W. Dacquet AMM 3C 2. F. R. Rossback AOM 3C 3. C. P. Holland AOM 3C
4. A. C. Schultz AMM 2C 5. A. L. Morgan ARM 3C 6. L. A. Browne ARM 3C
Second Row, Standing, From right to left. 7. J. C. Beeson ARM 1C Radio Operator
8. R. E. Lechtenburg Ensign Co-pilot 9. W. V. Harmon Lt. Pilot
10. G. S. Pearson Ensign Co-pilot 11. F. s. Vetterlein AOM 3C 12. C. T. Coates AMM 2C
[1] Clarence Paul Holland (1917-1994) – Find a Grave Memorial
[2] Ancestry.com – 1920 United States Federal Census
[3] 1930 United States Federal Census – Ancestry.com
[4] Personal interview with Jeff Holland, son of Clarence P. Holland
[5] 29 Jul 1939, 4 – The Dispatch at Newspapers.com
[6] Fold3 – Holland, Clarence P in U.S. Veterans’ Gravesites, ca.1775-2019
[7] 14 Jan 1946, 16 – The Rock Island Argus at Newspapers.com
[8] 14 Jan 1994, 28 – The Dispatch at Newspapers.com
[9] 13 Aug 1955, 11 – The Rock Island Argus at Newspapers.com