SPECIAL RECOGNITION
Local World War II veteran remembered in monthly ceremony
BALLSTON SPA, N.Y. » Late local World War II veteran Charles E. Drew Sr. was recognized by his community at Saratoga County’s monthly Honoring Our Deceased Veterans ceremony.
Born on Feb. 2, 1922 in Schuylerville, Drew attended Schuylerville Schools and then worked as a routeman helper at King Fuels, before entering into service on Oct. 15, 1940 as a member of the New York Army National Guard Company L 105th Infantry based in Saratoga Springs.
“While Germany and Fascist Italy were in the process of conquering most of Europe in 1939 and 1940, and the Empire of Japan was grabbing territory in the Pacific and China, the United States felt unprepared in the event war was necessary to combat the Axis Powers and began mobilizing its army in response,” Frank McClement, director of the Saratoga County Veterans Service Agency, explained about the time period during Tuesday’s event at the Saratoga County Offices in Ballston Spa.
The Selective Training and Service Act of 1940, which allowed the government to draft U.S. citizens, was passed, and all available National Guard Divisions were inducted into Federal Service within a year, McClement shared of Drew’s entry into service, noting that the 105th Infantry Regiment was mustered for federal service and assigned to the 27th Infantry Division on Oct. 15, 1940.
The regiment was organized into 12 companies, which initially drew their membership from a number of towns in the Capital Region including Saratoga Springs.
The group moved to Alabama after it was inducted, and then to California and Hawaii in 1942 after the attack on Pearl Harbor. There, they trained for combat in the Pacific Theater against the Imperial Japanese Army.
Drew’s record lists his service occupation as a bugler. “During WWII, in garrison and training environments, the bugler was still very much a critical part of the military environment,” McClement said. “A bugler sounded regulation calls and command for information and guidance of military personnel.”
Once Drew’s Infantry unit reached the beaches of the Pacific Ocean, everything changed.
The 105th Infantry Regiment earned its “baptism by fire” on Butaritari Island on Nov. 20, 1943. Here, during the Battle of Makin, the 3rd Battalion (3-105) made an assault landing alongside the 165th Infantry Regiment.
These parties fought together for the remainder of the battle, which lasted four days and cost the Americans 66 killed and 185 wounded.
On Nov. 24, 1943 the entire regiment left the atoll for Hawaii, where they arrived in December.
Drew’s Regiment is perhaps most famous for being highly decorated for its actions during the Battle of Saipan, where its dogged defense against the largest Japanese Banzai charge of the war decimated its ranks, but prevented the American effort on the island from collapsing.
The Regiment left Hawaii and landed on Saipan in June of 1944, where it fought with the rest of the 27th Division for the first time. The 105th Regiment was initially responsible for clearing the hilly and wellfortified southern point of Saipan, which was later found to have been held by more than 1,200 Japanese defenders.
Following this, the Regiment joined the rest of the 27th Division and the 2nd and 4th Marine Divisions for what would be an extremely bloody assault on Mount Tapotchau, the island’s key defensive position. Near the end of the battle, the 105th
also bore the brunt of the largest Banzai charge of the entire war.
The 105th was detached to Army Garrison Force 244 on Saipan between in July. It arrived at Espiritu Santo on in September of 1944 for rest and re-supply, and departed on March 25, 1945.
For his service, Drew received the Asiatic-Pacific Medal, American Theater Service Medal and the World War II Victory Medal.
He was discharged on Sept. 20, 1945 at the rank of Private First Class.
“Charles’ service exemplifies a spirit of service that traces its roots back to our Nation’s first Veterans who fought in Schuylerville and Saratoga at the Battle of Saratoga in our fight for Independence,” McClement said. “Today we honor the Charles Drew, and the presence of all here today is proof this legacy will live on in future generations of Saratoga County Veterans.”
Drew came home after the war, and move on to a prosperous life after service. He was married to the late Nellie Wilcox Drew and they raised a family of four sons and three daughters.
Drew retired from the Village of Schuylerville, and was the former Superintendent of the Public Works Department. He was also a member and past Chief of the Schuylerville Fire Department (Schuyler Hose Company) for more than 50 years. Additionally, Drew was involved in fraternal organizations and gave back to the community in the Town of Saratoga and Village of Schuylerville until his death on March 20, 1995.
During Tuesday’s ceremony Town of Saratoga Supervisor Thomas Wood III called Drew “one of the Town of Saratoga’s best.” Wood also noted that all seven of Drew’s brothers were in the military, including in World War II, Korea and Vietnam. “[This] is a further reflection of the Drew Family’s dedication to their country, and their willingness to serve their country.”
Other elected officials including Saratoga County Board of Supervisors Chairman Pestron Allen, Saratoga County Veterans Committee Chairman Tom Richardson, Saratoga County District Attorney Karen Heggen, Saratoga County Clerk Craig Hayner, and representatives from the offices of Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner, Senator Daphne Jordan and Congresswoman Elise Stafanik also spoke at the ceremony honoring Drew.