Whittlesey, Henry Clark (0358386): Difference between revisions

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|birth_place=Chongqing, China

|arm_or_service=Military Intelligence

|rank_final=~~Captain~~

|rank_final=First Lieutenant

|death_date=~~2 February~~ 1945

|death_date=21 January 1945

|specialty=Photo Interpretation

}}

'''Henry Clark Whittlesey''' (10 August 1906–~~2 February~~ 1945) was a China-born Ritchie Boy ([[Class 3]]) ~~and~~ Dixie Mission ~~officer~~ killed in China~~; he~~ received the Distinguished Service Cross posthumously.

'''Henry Clark Whittlesey''' (10 August 1906–21 January 1945) was a China-born Ritchie Boy ([[Class 3]]) on the Dixie Mission; he was killed near Japanese lines in China and received the Distinguished Service Cross posthumously.

</div>

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Henry Clark Whittlesey was born on 10 August 1906 in Chongqing, China, one of six children of missionaries Roger and Annie Withey Whittlesey. He attended the Chefoo Schools in China through 1918 and later Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania (1924–1928). After returning to the United States he worked as a journalist in Philadelphia.

During World War II he trained at Camp Ritchie (Class 3) and at the Yale University Chinese School (1943). Fluent in Chinese, he joined the Dixie Mission (~~1944–1945~~)~~, the American observation group sent~~ to Yan’an ~~to assess~~ the Chinese ~~Communists and consider closer wartime cooperation~~. ~~While preparing in India and working in~~ the ~~Yan’an area he also wrote short wartime sketches later collected by his daughter Ruth Schroeder as ''Sidelights of the War''~~.

During World War II he trained at Camp Ritchie in Class 3 (photo interpretation) and at the Yale University Chinese School (1943). Fluent in Chinese, he joined the Dixie Mission (United States Army Observation Group) to Yan’an in 1944—the first U.S. liaison and intelligence mission with the Chinese Communists—arriving with the first party on 22 July 1944 under Colonel David D. Barrett. Whittlesey represented the Air Ground Aid Service (AGAS), helping downed American airmen avoid capture or escape Japanese imprisonment.

On ~~2 February~~ 1945, while on a ~~reconnaissance trip south of Fouping connected with plans to evacuate downed pilots~~, Whittlesey ~~was killed; accounts differ on whether he~~ and a photographer were ~~shot~~ by Japanese snipers ~~or captured and executed~~. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross posthumously.

On 21 January 1945, while entering a village near Japanese lines that Communist guides had reported clear, Whittlesey and a photographer were killed by Japanese snipers. He is remembered as the only member of the Dixie Mission to die in the line of duty. (Some secondary accounts date the death 2 February 1945.) He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross posthumously. Short wartime sketches he wrote were later collected by his daughter Ruth Schroeder as ''Sidelights of the War''.

== Research notes ==

* To Yale. See: Mission to Yenan

* Dixie Mission; death 2 February 1945 near Fouping (accounts differ)

* Dixie Mission / AGAS; death 21 January 1945 per Gross Dixie Mission note (other sources give 2 February 1945)

== Technical record ==

@@ Line 23: / Line 23: @@
 |birth_place=Chongqing, China
 |arm_or_service=Military Intelligence
-|rank_final=Captain
+|rank_final=First Lieutenant
-|death_date=2 February 1945
+|death_date=21 January 1945
+|specialty=Photo Interpretation
 }}
 <div class="soldier-lead">
-'''Henry Clark Whittlesey''' (10 August 1906&ndash;2 February 1945) was a China-born Ritchie Boy ([[Class 3]]) and Dixie Mission officer killed in China; he received the Distinguished Service Cross posthumously.
+'''Henry Clark Whittlesey''' (10 August 1906&ndash;21 January 1945) was a China-born Ritchie Boy ([[Class 3]]) on the Dixie Mission; he was killed near Japanese lines in China and received the Distinguished Service Cross posthumously.
 </div>
@@ Line 34: / Line 35: @@
 Henry Clark Whittlesey was born on 10 August 1906 in Chongqing, China, one of six children of missionaries Roger and Annie Withey Whittlesey. He attended the Chefoo Schools in China through 1918 and later Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania (1924–1928). After returning to the United States he worked as a journalist in Philadelphia.
-During World War II he trained at Camp Ritchie (Class 3) and at the Yale University Chinese School (1943). Fluent in Chinese, he joined the Dixie Mission (1944–1945), the American observation group sent to Yan’an to assess the Chinese Communists and consider closer wartime cooperation. While preparing in India and working in the Yan’an area he also wrote short wartime sketches later collected by his daughter Ruth Schroeder as ''Sidelights of the War''.
+During World War II he trained at Camp Ritchie in Class 3 (photo interpretation) and at the Yale University Chinese School (1943). Fluent in Chinese, he joined the Dixie Mission (United States Army Observation Group) to Yan’an in 1944—the first U.S. liaison and intelligence mission with the Chinese Communists—arriving with the first party on 22 July 1944 under Colonel David D. Barrett. Whittlesey represented the Air Ground Aid Service (AGAS), helping downed American airmen avoid capture or escape Japanese imprisonment.
-On 2 February 1945, while on a reconnaissance trip south of Fouping connected with plans to evacuate downed pilots, Whittlesey was killed; accounts differ on whether he and a photographer were shot by Japanese snipers or captured and executed. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross posthumously.
+On 21 January 1945, while entering a village near Japanese lines that Communist guides had reported clear, Whittlesey and a photographer were killed by Japanese snipers. He is remembered as the only member of the Dixie Mission to die in the line of duty. (Some secondary accounts date the death 2 February 1945.) He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross posthumously. Short wartime sketches he wrote were later collected by his daughter Ruth Schroeder as ''Sidelights of the War''.
 == Research notes ==
 * To Yale. See: Mission to Yenan
 * Dixie Mission; death 2 February 1945 near Fouping (accounts differ)
+* Dixie Mission / AGAS; death 21 January 1945 per Gross Dixie Mission note (other sources give 2 February 1945)
 == Technical record ==