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Eells, Charles B. Jr (01180175): Difference between revisions

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|rank_final=First Lieutenant
|rank_final=First Lieutenant
|arm_or_service=Field Artillery
|arm_or_service=Field Artillery
|division=Battery B, 246th Field Artillery
|division=Battery B, 246th Field Artillery Battalion
|education=Field Artillery Officer Candidate Course (12 weeks); Military Intelligence Training Center, Camp Ritchie — Terrain Intelligence (8 weeks); University of Illinois (3 years)
|education=Field Artillery Officer Candidate Course (12 weeks); Military Intelligence Training Center, Camp Ritchie — Terrain Intelligence (8 weeks); University of Illinois (3 years)
|years_of_service=8 April 1943 – 19 May 1946
|years_of_service=8 April 1943 – 19 May 1946
|battles=Guadalcanal; Bougainville
|battles=Guadalcanal; Bougainville
|awards=Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with one bronze service star; American Campaign Medal
|awards=Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with one bronze service star; American Campaign Medal; World War II Victory Medal
|awards_grid=Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with one bronze service star;;American Campaign Medal
|awards_grid=Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with one bronze service star;;American Campaign Medal;;World War II Victory Medal
|awards_ribbons=Ribbon_Asiatic-Pacific_Campaign_Medal_ribbon.png;Ribbon_American_Campaign_Medal_ribbon.png
|awards_ribbons=Ribbon_Asiatic-Pacific_Campaign_Medal_ribbon.png;Ribbon_American_Campaign_Medal_ribbon.png;Ribbon_World_War_II_Victory_Medal_ribbon.png
|awards_ribbon_rows=Ribbon_Asiatic-Pacific_Campaign_Medal_ribbon.png;;Ribbon_American_Campaign_Medal_ribbon.png
|awards_ribbon_rows=Ribbon_Asiatic-Pacific_Campaign_Medal_ribbon.png;;Ribbon_American_Campaign_Medal_ribbon.png;;Ribbon_World_War_II_Victory_Medal_ribbon.png
}}
}}


<div class="soldier-lead">
<div class="soldier-lead">
'''Charles B. Eells Jr.''' (31 January 1918 – 3 August 1991) was a Ritchie Boy and field artillery officer who served in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater before training in terrain intelligence at Camp Ritchie.
'''[[Eells, Charles B. Jr (01180175)|Charles Burton Eells Jr.]]''' (31 January 1918 – 3 August 1991) was a field artillery officer and Ritchie Boy who completed terrain-intelligence training at Camp Ritchie in 1943 and served with Battery B, 246th Field Artillery Battalion, on Guadalcanal and Bougainville.
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== Biography ==
== Biography ==
'''Charles Burton Eells Jr.''' first served under enlisted ASN 17060489, attaining the rank of corporal. In April 1943, he was honorably discharged from that enlisted service to accept an appointment as a second lieutenant and active duty in the Army. His later officer records use ASN 01180175.
Charles Burton Eells Jr. studied business administration for three years at the University of Illinois and worked as a tabulating-machine operator before entering the Army. He first served under enlisted ASN 17060489, including basic training with the 2nd Cavalry Division at Fort Clark, Texas (October 1942 – April 1943), and rose to corporal.


Eells attended the Field Artillery Officer Candidate Course at Fort Sill and completed eight weeks of terrain-intelligence training at the Military Intelligence Training Center at Camp Ritchie. His Separation Qualification Record identifies him as a first lieutenant and field artillery unit commander. It describes duties with a field-artillery battery in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater, including preparing firing data for 105mm howitzers, assisting with administration and motor transportation, and taking command when the unit commander was absent.
In January–April 1943 he attended Field Artillery Officers Candidate School at Fort Sill, Oklahoma (Class 59-43). In April 1943 he was honorably discharged from enlisted service to accept a commission as a second lieutenant (officer ASN 01180175). The same year he completed eight weeks of terrain-intelligence training at Camp Ritchie. From December 1943 through November 1944 he served in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater with Battery B, 246th Field Artillery Battalion—including New Caledonia, Guadalcanal, and Bougainville—preparing firing data for 105 mm howitzers and taking command when the unit commander was absent. His Separation Qualification Record lists him as a first lieutenant and field artillery unit commander. He left active wartime service in May 1946.


The record also credits Eells with responsibility for the unit's information and education program. It lists three years of college at the University of Illinois, business administration studies, and earlier civilian work as a tabulating-machine operator. His wartime service included Battery B of the 246th in the Guadalcanal and Bougainville campaigns.
Eells was recalled to active duty around 1950 and was honorably discharged again in 1953. He died on 3 August 1991.


== Research notes ==
== Research notes ==
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5810813012273905.jpg
5810813012273905.jpg
5810813142273892.jpg
5810813142273892.jpg
Eells_Charles_B_Jr_01180175_Bougainville_a.jpg|246th Field Artillery Battalion, Bougainville Island, Dec 1943–Nov 1944 (RB Archive)
Eells_Charles_B_Jr_01180175_Bougainville_b.jpg|246th Field Artillery Battalion, Bougainville Island, Dec 1943–Nov 1944 (RB Archive)
Eells_Charles_B_Jr_01180175_Bougainville_c.jpg|246th Field Artillery Battalion, Bougainville Island, Dec 1943–Nov 1944 (RB Archive)
Eells_Charles_B_Jr_01180175_Bougainville_d.jpg|246th Field Artillery Battalion, Bougainville Island, Dec 1943–Nov 1944 (RB Archive)
Eells_Charles_B_Jr_01180175_Bougainville_e.jpg|246th Field Artillery Battalion, Bougainville Island, Dec 1943–Nov 1944 (RB Archive)
Eells_Charles_B_Jr_01180175_Army_recall_telegram_1950.jpg|Army recall telegram, c. 1950 (RB Archive)
Eells_Charles_B_Jr_01180175_Ft_Sill_meal_card_page1.jpg|Fort Sill officers meal card, page 1 (RB Archive)
Eells_Charles_B_Jr_01180175_Ft_Sill_meal_card_page2.jpg|Fort Sill officers meal card, page 2 (RB Archive)
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| row_source || demographics
| row_source || demographics
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|}
== Timeline ==
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed soldier-timeline">
<div class="soldier-timeline-body">
* 31 January 1918 — Born.
* University of Illinois — three years of college (business administration).
* October 1942 – April 1943 — Basic training, 2nd Cavalry Division, Fort Clark, Texas (enlisted ASN 17060489).
* January–April 1943 — Field Artillery OCS, Fort Sill (Class 59-43).
* April 1943 — Honorable discharge as enlisted man to accept commission (officer ASN 01180175).
* 1943 — Eight weeks terrain-intelligence training, Camp Ritchie.
* December 1943 – November 1944 — Battery B, 246th Field Artillery Battalion: New Caledonia, Guadalcanal, Bougainville.
* 16 May 1946 — WWII honorable discharge / “ruptured duck” button period; Separation Qualification Record as first lieutenant.
* c. 1950 — Army recall to active duty; Fort Sill officers meal-card period in family papers.
* 1953 — Honorable discharge.
* 3 August 1991 — Died.
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== Sources ==
== Sources ==
* Camp Ritchie class roster (classes 1–31), merged research file
* RB Archive folder “Charles Burton Eells Jr.…” additional photographs ([[:File:Eells_Charles_B_Jr_01180175_Bougainville_a.jpg|Bougainville unit photos]], [[:File:Eells_Charles_B_Jr_01180175_Army_recall_telegram_1950.jpg|1950 recall telegram]], [[:File:Eells_Charles_B_Jr_01180175_Ft_Sill_meal_card_page1.jpg|Ft. Sill meal card]])
* Ancestry private member materials noted in RB Archive source.txt (identity and service confirmation; tree not publicly viewable)
* Family service packet for Charles Burton Eells Jr. (RB Archive: Separation Record 1946, WWII service record, honorable discharges 1943/1953, Fort Sill meal card, Army recall telegram 1950; private copies, not re-uploaded this batch)
* Camp Ritchie Museum, Inc. (The Ritchie History Museum), Classes 1–31 roster data
* Dan Gross research spreadsheets, including original Excel timeline/roster work, combined with other research and records
* NARA World War II Army enlistment records (where a NARA ASN is present)
* NARA World War II Army enlistment records (where a NARA ASN is present)
* 1940 U.S. Census (where a census match is present)
* 1940 U.S. Census (where a census match is present)
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