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Post by rhapsody on Sept 16, 2009 19:14:23 GMT -5
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Post by crabby on Sept 16, 2009 20:51:41 GMT -5
Nice find Mr. rhapsody. You must have been a detective in a former life. This really fills in some of the blanks about our Wheezer. Too bad no picture.
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Post by rhapsody on Sept 16, 2009 21:10:28 GMT -5
Nice find Mr. rhapsody. You must have been a detective in a former life. This really fills in some of the blanks about our Wheezer. Too bad no picture. Here are some more details about a couple of the medals awarded Robert E. Hutchins. (oh, and it's Ms. rhapsody - from Captain Scarlet  ) AWARDS OF SILVER STAR: CAPTAIN (then FIRST LIEUTENANT) ROBERT E. HUTCHINS (Army Serial Number 01019175), Infantry, 31st Tank Battalion, United States Army, for distinguishing himself by gallantry in action in Belgium, on 19 January 1945. Entered the military service from Kentucky. (I seem to recall that Wheezer's father was from Kentucky) CITATION FOR BRONZE STAR MEDAL SECOND LIEUTENANT ROBERT E. HUTCHINS (Army Serial Number 01019175), Infantry, Company "C", 31st Tank Battalion, United States Army, for distinguishing himself by heroic service in connection with military operations against an enemy of the United States on 14 August 1944, in the area of Chartres, France. While leading his platoon of tanks a group of well emplaced enemy heavy weapons were encountered. 2nd Lt. Hutchins immediately ordered the platoon to advance upon the positions which were firing at point blank range. In the advance the 37-mm gun of his tank was put out of action. He thereupon ordered his tank to overrun a gun position consisting of two 40-mm guns and one 20-mm gun. Approximately 50 prisoners were taken. 2d Lt. Hutchins sustained a cheek wound, in the engagement. The elimination of the strategic enemy position is directly attributable to his quick and courageous decision. |
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Post by booklover on Sept 17, 2009 8:12:38 GMT -5
Oh, rasberries! I'm clicking on the link and it says "page cannot be displayed." Anybody have any suggestions?
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Post by rhapsody on Sept 17, 2009 9:14:11 GMT -5
Oh, rasberries! I'm clicking on the link and it says "page cannot be displayed." Anybody have any suggestions? Collection: Richards Studio Collection Series: A19486-2 (Unique: 12274) Date: 05-23-1945 Description: Robert E. Hutchins Funeral. Aviation cadet Robert E. Hutchins, age 20, was killed in a mid-air plane crash 12 miles north of Merced, California. His casket at Trinity Lutheran Church in Parkland is surounded by flowers, several of which depict the medals Cadet Hutchins won during the war. The one to the left of the casket resembles the Army Distinquished Service Cross, the two on the right resemble the Silver Star, given for galantry in action. (T.Times, 5/19/1945, p.1; 5/21/45, p.11) |
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Post by booklover on Sept 17, 2009 9:41:29 GMT -5
Oh, rasberries! I'm clicking on the link and it says "page cannot be displayed." Anybody have any suggestions? Collection: Richards Studio Collection Series: A19486-2 (Unique: 12274) Date: 05-23-1945 Description: Robert E. Hutchins Funeral. Aviation cadet Robert E. Hutchins, age 20, was killed in a mid-air plane crash 12 miles north of Merced, California. His casket at Trinity Lutheran Church in Parkland is surounded by flowers, several of which depict the medals Cadet Hutchins won during the war. The one to the left of the casket resembles the Army Distinquished Service Cross, the two on the right resemble the Silver Star, given for galantry in action. (T.Times, 5/19/1945, p.1; 5/21/45, p.11) Thanks very much! I'm going to pass this onto our Our Gang fans. |
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Post by bigshotjones on Sept 17, 2009 10:52:54 GMT -5
I hate to throw cold water, but. . .
Is it possible that we're talking about two different "Robert E. Hutchins?" It seems odd that Wheezer was a 2nd Lieutenant in 1944, and the an Aviation Cadet in 1945.
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Post by rhapsody on Sept 17, 2009 11:22:38 GMT -5
I hate to throw cold water, but. . . Is it possible that we're talking about two different "Robert E. Hutchins?" It seems odd that Wheezer was a 2nd Lieutenant in 1944, and the an Aviation Cadet in 1945. I checked a list of WWII Silver Star recipients. Only one Robert E. Hutchins is listed, and it's the fellow in the narratives above. Combine that with the specific funeral wreaths noted in the photo, and it would appear we have a match. And there's the possible Kentucky link to his dad. I agree it's hard to imagine a teenager accomplishing so much in such a short period of time (he only turned 18 in 1943.) But we do know that Wheezer originally enlisted in the Army and only joined the Air Corps near the end of the war. I don't know how that effects rankings, but being a trainee in flight school might automatically make one a "cadet". (a cadet being someone in a military school.) |
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Post by bigshotjones on Sept 17, 2009 12:44:24 GMT -5
Yeah, that's impressive. Whoda thunk it?
What is your reference for his actions in battle? I'm not disputing it, but I'm going to at least post this on his IMDB entry, and I'd like to have some backup.
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Post by littlerascal4891 on Sept 17, 2009 15:31:22 GMT -5
Thanks for posting this. It's a shame that he died so young.
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Post by rhapsody on Sept 17, 2009 17:41:50 GMT -5
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Post by wheeepwooow on Sept 18, 2009 14:52:26 GMT -5
What a trip! Like Dorothy would say, "Poor little Wheezer ...."
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Post by bigshotjones on Sept 22, 2009 10:34:11 GMT -5
One more question about Wheezer’s name: Since I was a kid, I’ve always heard the kids refer to him (phonetically) as “weezer,” as opposed to the apparent pronunciation “hweezer.” I haven’t watched any of the Wheezer shorts in recent memory to reevaluate this, but did anyone else notice that. I just remember when I got the first Maltin/Bann book and saw how it was spelled, which was at odds (to my ears) with the way the kids pronounced it. I know that there are regional variations that pronounce words beginning with *“wh” as though they start with “w.”
Anyone else???
*OK, some words, like “who” and “whom” are exceptions.
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Post by rhapsody on Sept 22, 2009 15:35:10 GMT -5
One more question about Wheezer’s name: Since I was a kid, I’ve always heard the kids refer to him (phonetically) as “weezer,” as opposed to the apparent pronunciation “hweezer.” I haven’t watched any of the Wheezer shorts in recent memory to reevaluate this, but did anyone else notice that. I just remember when I got the first Maltin/Bann book and saw how it was spelled, which was at odds (to my ears) with the way the kids pronounced it. I know that there are regional variations that pronounce words beginning with *“wh” as though they start with “w.” Anyone else??? *OK, some words, like “who” and “whom” are exceptions. Asthmatics "wheeze"; they don't "weeze". "Wheeze" can be pronounced either hweez or weez. Most American children would probably use the second option. (Speaking of Weezer, lead singer Rivers Cuomo named the band after the nickname his parents gave him as a child. He has denied a Rascals connection, but it's suspected he may have dropped the H to avoid the direct connection.) |
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Post by littlerascal4891 on Sept 22, 2009 16:59:04 GMT -5
Yes, and since Wheezer got his nickname by making a "wheezing" it is spelled with the "H."
Interesting trivia about the band Weezer. I did wonder if it had anything to do with Wheezer from "Our Gang."
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