Lieutenant Dan Noorlander
March 12, 1921 — October 3, 1990
Documents
Part of Lt. Noorlander’s purpose in writing down his experience in the South Pacific was to describe war as it really is. He wanted his children and grandchildren to understand the physical, mental, and emotional cost associated with protecting liberty. His descriptions of war and life in the Army can be disturbing.
Picture: Lt. Noorlander sent this picture to Dorothy in 1944, after he was released from the hospital in New Zealand. He was treated for blackwater fever, a form of Malaria, which he came down with during his mission around Kolombangara.
- WW II—Infantry School: Completion of the officer candidates course, and commission as Second Lieutenant.
- WWII—Colonel Hobart D. Belknap’s Letter: Infantry School Recommendation
- WW II—Commission
- WW II—Wounded in Action Notices: A postal telegraph and two letters were received by Johannes Noorlander, Dan’s father, when Dan was wounded.
- WW II—Certificate of Service: Military rank, occupational specialty, battles, war decorations, wounds received in action, and so on.
- WW II—Chemical Warfare School
- WW II—General Jacob L. Devers’ Letter: This was an unsolicited letter praising Dan for his service.
- Korean War—Commission
- National Guard—Commission
- Army Discharge Certificate
According to this telegraph, Dan was wounded August 1, 1943. Johannes received the telegraph September 4; he received a follow-up letter from the Army, dated September 17, when Dan was released from the hospital. The wounded-notification letter from Representative King is dated September 20, 1943. The Congressman was a little behind in his correspondence!
Read the story describing how Dan was wounded in his own words, and in newspaper articles.
If you read the Wiki article on General Jacob L. Devers, anyone knowing Lt. Noorlander will understand why the General took a liking to him.
For example: “[General Devers] was an articulate proponent of the emerging tactical doctrine of combined arms, and rejected the American doctrine that held that tanks were for exploitation, not for fighting other tanks. He pressed American industry to produce more powerful engines, and, often against the views of his superiors, pushed the development of the M4 Sherman, a medium tank with a 75mm gun. Not satisfied with the Sherman, he called for still more heavily armed and armored tanks. He wanted 250 of the new M26 Pershing tanks for Operation Overlord, but was overruled.”
How General Devers knew Lt. Noorlander is not clear, but may have something to do with his command of the Army Ground Forces from June 29, 1945 to March 9, 1948. He wrote his letter to Lt. Noorlander October 5, 1945.
