World War II vet to talk in Norway May 30 in honor of Memorial Day

NORWAY — In recognition of Memorial Day, Norway Memorial Library will host a talk by World War II veteran Roy Earle at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, May 30.

Earle will share his experiences, both heart-wrenching and humorous in the 4th Marine Division of the Pacific.
Earle was born in 1924 in Montclair, N.J., and he grew nearby in the city of Bloomfield, where he graduated from high school in 1942. Knowing he would soon be drafted, he made the decision to enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps in late 1942, 11 months after the U.S. entered the war.

Earle did his recruit training at Parris Island, S.C., and in January 1943, he started the Field Lineman’s Course at 2nd Telephone Company at Camp Lejeune; there he received his communicator’s MOS.
In August 1943, he made the cross-country move to Camp Pendleton, Calif., where his unit was redesignated Company A 4th pioneer battalion, part of the newly formed 4th Marine Division. In December 1943, Earle joined the First Joint Assault Signal Company,, his final reassignment. JASCO’s role was to set up communications for the assault troops, maintaining constant communications between the beach and the front-line troops, moving inland to replace communicators that were killed or wounded.
In January 1944, the men were deployed overseas, going directly into combat in the Marshall Islands. Over the next 13 months, Earle was in constant operations combat against the Japanese, participating in vicious battles in Saipan, Tinian, and Iwo Jima.
When the war ended in September 1945, Earle was in Hawaii, where his unit was training to invade Japan. He was discharged in October 1945, at age 21.
For his service, Earle received the two Presidential Unit Citations awarded the 4th Marine Division, the Navy Unit Citation awarded JASCO, the American Campaign Medal, the Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal with four bronze battle stars, and the World War Two Victory Medal.
Back in New Jersey, he went back to work, and also attended college at Rutgers. After 25 years at Hoffman LaRoche, he retired and changed careers, becoming a teacher at Ricker College in Houlton, and later a professor at Casco Bay College in Portland.
This program is free and open to the public. For more information, call the library’s information desk at 207-743-5309 ext. 1 or visit www.norway.lib.me.us.