Harry N. Lawler

Harry N. Lawler was in supply and transportation of the 515th squadron

Harry submitted a brief bio of his career:

I wasn't on a flying crew but was in charge of the supply and transportation sections of the 515th squadron.  Was with the group that came over on the USS America and joined the outfit in Benghasi.

Stayed with the 515th until the whole group came home and was disbanded in Nebraska.

Made the Air Force a career and on my last overseas tour, which was in Turkey, came back to Lockbourne AFB in Columbus, Ohio (Now Rickenbacker NGAFB) and was again assigned to the 376th Bomb Group. Funny thing, in Italy Col. Wimberly was the squadron commander, at Lockbourne he was the Group Commander.

Sometimes it gets to be a small world.

Can't say much about missions because I wasn't a flyer but I did get to go along on one with Gene the pilot and who I knew because we went to the same high school in East Haven, Conn.

Then he recounted a unique experience:

I had one experience which I can’t explain and I believe others had similar things happen to them.

When the Group moved from Benghasi to Enfidesville I remained behind with a Lt. Robinson to clear up the loose ends. When the job was done we loaded up the command car with our gear and took off.

I don't remember how far we got, but when it started to get dark we stopped by a building that apparently was an Inn at one time but now was fairly much of a wreck. We didn’t go in it because of possible booby traps, but it did have a porch and a roof and that had more appeal than sleeping on the ground. We set up our cots and as we looked around the terrain was completely level so it was possible to see in all directions and not. likely someone could sneak up on you without being noticed.

The porch was in the rear of the building and in front, the single lane road ran in both directions, straight as an arrow, as far as you could see. There still was remains of the battle that took place, such as burned out equipment vehicles and other such stuff laying around on the desert.

It was getting to be dusk and we were sitting on our cots talking we both heard a sound that once you hear you usually remember. It was someone with hob nail shoes walking up the road. It started from a distance and came closer.  Both Robinson and myself went. around to the road in front and there was absolutely nothing or anyone out there.

We went back to the porch and sat down. This time we heard the hob nail sound going away. Again we went out to the front and saw nothing.

By this time it was starting to get dark and the whole routine took place one more time and then quit.

The next morning we started out and some distance down the road was a burned out truck by the side the road and a number of graves of Germans that were probable killed when the truck was destroyed.

Now you give me an explanation of what happened, or did we get a visit from one of the soldiers.