HARRY PALLER, LTCOL, USA
Harry Paller '38
Lucky Bag
From the 1938 Lucky Bag:
HARRY PALLER
Nemacolin, Pennsylvania
Doc, Pug
Doc's original interest in life was biological (as whose isn't?), but he shifted to naval affairs as less primeval. A powerful wiry body brings him merited recognition in football and wrestling. Equally enjoyable to us, if less widely known, are our playful sparring and pitching duels in the room. A fantastic bookshelf with frequent additions keeps all of us posted on current trends. He's never moody; in fact when some affair of the heart is going particularly well, his gaiety is so infectious that all of our heavy tomes are unstudiously ignored for the rest of the evening and the races are on. We know what he can do, and we know that he'll "do us proud." That's why we say, "Go forth and slay that dragon, son. You can't miss."
Wrestling 4, 3, 1; Football 3, 2; Choir 4, 3, 2, 1; Glee Club 3, 2; M.P.O.
HARRY PALLER
Nemacolin, Pennsylvania
Doc, Pug
Doc's original interest in life was biological (as whose isn't?), but he shifted to naval affairs as less primeval. A powerful wiry body brings him merited recognition in football and wrestling. Equally enjoyable to us, if less widely known, are our playful sparring and pitching duels in the room. A fantastic bookshelf with frequent additions keeps all of us posted on current trends. He's never moody; in fact when some affair of the heart is going particularly well, his gaiety is so infectious that all of our heavy tomes are unstudiously ignored for the rest of the evening and the races are on. We know what he can do, and we know that he'll "do us proud." That's why we say, "Go forth and slay that dragon, son. You can't miss."
Wrestling 4, 3, 1; Football 3, 2; Choir 4, 3, 2, 1; Glee Club 3, 2; M.P.O.
Loss
Harry was lost when the C-46 transport aircraft he was aboard crashed shortly after taking off from Casablanca on February 23, 1945. Thirteen passengers were killed; seventeen passengers and crew survived.
Other Information
From researcher Kathy Franz:
Harry’s widow was the former Madame Fortunne Sontiono who lived in Cairo, Egypt. They were married in July, 1944. Harry was also survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Carl Paller, Fort Meade, Florida. His sister was Evelyn.
From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, January 9, 1943:
Fun in Africa!
Jacket Star Sees Sights with Rulers
Waynesburg, Pa. – Captain Harry (Hap) Paller of Nemacolin, Pa., former Cumberland Township High school and Waynesburg College wrestler who was graduated from Annapolis but who later transferred to the army, is now stationed with the United States expeditionary forces in Africa and in a letter to relatives said that in company with other officers recently was sight-seeing with the king and queen of Egypt.
Before the United States entry into the war Captain Paller had been assigned as an observation officer with the British Army in the Far East and had started across the Pacific by air and it was recently learned that he was on one of the planes which approached Pearl Harbor at the time of the surprise attack by the Japs.
The pilot received a warning in time for them to land on another island. Captain Paller was one of the officers making the first official reports on the Pearl Harbor disaster when he returned to the mainland, after which his group went to Africa by boat and plane.
Currently Captain Paller has been assigned to a British tank outfit and a recent cable indicated he had been promoted but did not designate his rank.
Per the Evening News, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, April 30, 1945:
CARLISLE. – The legion of Merit has been awarded posthumously to Lt. Col. Harry Paller, brother of William W. Paller, 555 Highland avenue, who was killed in an airplane accident in French Morocco last February.
The citation accompanying the award, states that Colonel Paller’s service “was always marked by outstanding fidelity to duty and commendable efficiency. His keen judgment and high sense of responsibility in a key position contributed to a great extent to the successful operation of the G-4 Section.”
An officer of the Regular Army, he went overseas as a first lieutenant in November, 1941.
He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery. Harry was survived by at least one brother.
His service number was O-023463.
Photographs
Career
From naval aviation historian Richard Leonard via email on February 9, 2018:
From US Army Registers 1942-1945:
1942 Register:
- (023463). B-Pa 16 May 14. B. S., U. S. N. A., 38. A. B. in Chem., Waynesboro Coll., 39.
- 2 Lt. Inf - Res. 26 Sept. 38; accepted 1 Nov. 38; active duty 8 July 39 to 30 June 40; 1 Lt A.U.S. 10 Oct. 41; accepted 18 Oct. 41. -- 2 Lt. of Inf. 1 July l40; accepted 1 July 40; Ord, Dept. 28 July 41.
1943 Register:
- 2 Lt. Inf - Res. 26 Sept. 38; accepted 1 Nov. 38; active duty 8 July 39 to 30 June 40; 1 Lt A.U.S. 10 Oct. 41; accepted 18 Oct. 41. Capt. A.U.S 1 Feb 42 -- 2 Lt. of Inf. 1 July 40; accepted 1 July 40; Ord, Dept. 28 July 41.
1944 Register:
- 2 Lt. Inf - Res. 26 Sept. 38; accepted 1 Nov. 38; active duty 8 July 39 to 30 June 40; 1 Lt A.U.S. 10 Oct. 41; accepted 18 Oct. 41. capt A.U.S 1 Feb 42; maj. A.U.S 1 Dec 1942; lt. col. A.U.S 3 Oct 43 -- 2 Lt. of Inf. 1 July 40; accepted 1 July 40; Ord, Dept. 28 July 41; 1 lt 1 July 43.
1945 Register
- 2 Lt. Inf - Res. 26 Sept. 38; accepted 1 Nov. 38; active duty 8 July 39 to 30 June 40; 1 Lt A.U.S. 10 Oct. 41; accepted 18 Oct. 41. capt A.U.S 1 Feb 42; maj. A.U.S 1 Dec 1942; lt. col. A.U.S 3 Oct 43 -- 2 Lt. of Inf. 1 July 40; accepted 1 July 40; Ord, Dept. 28 July 41; 1 lt 1 July 43; trfd Ord. Dept. 8 Dec 44.
1946 Register (a one line entry in the active duty casualties section)
- Lt. Col. Harry Paller, Ordnance Department, 23 February 1945, in French Morocco.
Translating all that (I happen to speak “Old Army” or at least enough to get by):
After graduating in 1938 it appears that Paller did not get a USN commission, probably another one caught in the vision rules. So, Pennsylvania native, he went off to Waynesboro College and earned a degree in chemistry in 1939. In the meantime, he signs up for the Army Reserve and is offered a commission as a 2 Lt, Infantry, USAR on 26 Sep 1938. He accepts the commission on 1 Nov 1938 – my suspicion on the delay was the negotiation to allow him to finish his chemistry degree at Waynesboro. He is called to active duty as a reservist on 8 July 1939, serving until 30 Jun 1940. On 1 Jul 1940 he is offered a regular commission, 2 Lt Infantry USA, which he accepts the same day and is detailed to the Ordnance Department on 28 July 1940, no doubt by virtue of his chemistry degree. On 10 Oct 1941 he is offered a commission in the Army of the United States (AUS) as 1 Lt and accepts same on 18 Oct 1941. In his case, as a regular officer this is not unlike the rapid promotions in the Navy of the period and subsequent war years. He is a 1 Lt AUS and retains his 2 Lt USA permanent rank. On 1 Feb 1942 he is promoted to Captain, AUS (still a 2 LT USA permanent rank). On 1 Dec 1942 he is promoted to Major AUS, and on 3 Oct 1943 to Lieutenant Colonel, AUS. On the regular army side, his permanent rank changes to 1 Lt with his promotion to same on 1 July 1943. He’s still branched Infantry, but detailed to the Ordnance Dept. On 8 Dec 1944 his basic branch changes from Infantry to Ordnance; his permanent status is 1 Lt., USA, Ordnance; his temporary status is Lt. Col. AUS, Ordnance. Paller is killed in French Morocco 23 Feb 1945.
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