In October of 1940, Carl Stenberg joined the Army National Guard. While the United States had not yet joined the war, the country was preparing by mobilizing the National Guard and starting an unprecedented peacetime draft.
He had spent a couple of years in the Civilian Conservation Corps from 1936-1937, stationed at Camp Wells, Michigan and Camp Rock Harbor on Isle Royale in Michigan. The camps had a military-style structure to them and would have been good training for future soldiers.
After joining the National Guard, Carl was sent to Camp Beauregard, Louisiana for training, and shortly after that, to the new Camp Livingston in Louisiana. He participated in the Louisiana Maneuvers, a training exercise that involved around 400,000 troops. In July of 1941, Carl was promoted from Private to Corporal
A Girl Back Home
Carl’s girlfriend, Fran Hladin, was back in Muskegon. He was reluctant to get married knowing that he would probably be sent off to war, but eventually they decided to tie the knot.
On leave in November 22, 1941, they were wed at Lakeside Methodist Church in Muskegon, MI. Just over two weeks later, the Japanese would attack Pearl Harbor and the United States would join the war.
Australia and New Guinea
In April of 1942, Carl and the others in the 32nd Division boarded ships for Australia. They would train in Australia, then moved on to New Guinea. He was part of the famed “Ghost Mountain Boys” who crossed the Owen Stanley Mountains on foot, battling illness and disease, bugs, and mother nature. After the brutal trek, they went into battle against the Japanese at Buna, New Guinea.
Carl Stenberg
Carl was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge, Good Conduct Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with two Service Stars, WWII Victory Medal and the Honorable Service Lapel Button.
He was wounded at Buna and was hospitalized. He had shrapnel wounds from a grenade, a broken eardrum, and was suffering from malaria.
Shortly after the war, Carl and Fran bought a house in Fruitport, Michigan where they raised their children. They lived in this same house until shortly before they both passed away in 2016.
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