Wartime Heritage ASSOCIATION

Edgar Topping - WWII US Veteran

152 Airborne Anti-Aircraft Battalion,

11th Airborne Division, US Army

Edgar Alfred Topping, World War II Veteran 152 Airborne Anti-Aircraft Battalion, 11th Airborne Division, US Army Service Number 31354408 Date of Birth February 19, 1925 Place of Birth: Lawrence, Essex Co., Massachusetts Date of Enlistment: May 3, 1943 Place of Enlistment: Boston, Massachusetts Address at Enlistment: Middlesex Co., Massachusetts Age at Enlistment: 17 Date of Discharge: January 19, 1946 Age at Discharge: 20 Date of Death: January 30, 2017 Place: Pinellas County, Florida Age: 91 Cemetery: Wildwood Cemetery, Wilmington, Middlesex County, Massachusetts Edgar was the son of Edgar Joseph Topping (1901-1999) and Isabelle Antonia (Foucher) Topping (1905-1989), and the brother of Henry "Hank" Joseph Topping (1926-2008), Doris Isabelle (Topping) Connolly (1927-1999), Kenneth George Topping (1932-2008), and Jeanette Topping (b. 1937). His brother Hank served in the US Army in WWII from July 3, 1944, until his discharge January 7, 1947 (Service No. 31432420). His brother-in-law Edward James Connolly (1927-2013) served in the US Navy during WWII. Edgar was the husband of Marion Jeannette (Gaudet) Topping (1926- 1997), and the father of Edgar R. Topping (1949-2007), Carol Ann (Topping) Martin, Ronald Topping (), Dennis Topping, and Kevin Topping (-2017). His wife Jeanette was the daughter of Joseph Roger Gaudet (1898-1988) and Marie Rose (Comeau) Gaudet (1901-1989), of Clare in Digby Co., Nova Scotia. Jeanette was born in Charlestown, in Boston, Mass. whilst her parents were living and working in Boston during the late 1920’s. Edgar’s family lived at 22 Spring Street in Reading in 1930, (his father was working as a garage auto mechanic). In 1935, they resided in Medford (his father was still employed as a mechanic), and in 1940, they lived in Everett, Middlesex Co., Mass. Edgar registered for the US Draft in WWII on February 20, 1943, in Somerville, Massachusetts. At the time, he and his family were living at 105 Cross Street, and he was employed at Kemp’s Candy Factory. While the company operated multiple locations, Edgar worked at the facility located at 226 Pearl Street, situated at the corner of Pearl and Skelton Avenue. By early May of 1943, Edgar officially enlisted for service in Boston, beginning a three-year military career with the 11th Airborne Division of the US Army that would last until his honorable discharge on January 19, 1946. According to his obituary, these years were spent in the liberation of the Philippines from Japanese occupation, with service spanning New Guinea, Luzon, and the Southern Philippines. Following his induction and basic training, Edgar was stationed at Camp Crowder, Missouri, by September of 1943. During this period, he served and trained with the 804th Signal Training Regiment, 1712th Service Unit, at the Central Signal Corps School. On September 21st, his Military Occupation Specialty was officially changed to MOS 345, classifying him as a Light Truck Driver. This role suited his natural mechanical aptitude, a skill he was well known for and would continue to utilize in his civilian career later in life. From Camp Crowder, he was transferred to Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas, a base that extends into the counties of Doña Ana and Otero in New Mexico. Situated on the Mexican-US border across from the Mexican city of Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua state, Fort Bliss was the primary training center for all Antiaircraft Artillery (AAA) in the US Army during WWII. By March of 1944, Edgar was with the 152nd Airborne Antiaircraft Battalion at Camp Polk in Louisiana. This battalion, as part of the 11th Airborne Division, deployed to the Pacific in May 1944. The move began at Camp Stoneman, California, where the unit boarded transports in San Francisco. Edgar and the 152nd Airborne Antiaircraft Battalion were loaded aboard the USS Sea Pike (AP‑3), departing in mid-May. After a brief stop at Pearl Harbor, they arrived at Oro Bay, New Guinea, in early June and moved inland to Dobodura, in New Guinea for staging at an airfield near the northern coast (June 1944). Edgar and his unit later deployed to Leyte in November 1944. Records for Company C of the 152nd Anti-Aircraft Battalion place him in the Leyte campaign through November and December of that year. “As the 511th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 11th Airborne pushed further into the Leyte mountains, communication became critical so the 152nd Anti-Aircraft Battalion sent up small squads to set up radio relay points which could communicate with the Piper Cub pilots in the air overhead and receive and pass on messages to the tactical units down the relay line.” Edgar also took part in the Luzon Campaign. The 152nd participated in the amphibious landing at Nasugbu on January 31, 1945, and the subsequent drive toward Manila. As the war progressed, the 11th Airborne moved into southern Japan on August 30, 1945, as part of the initial occupation force. Edgar was among the soldiers who landed at Atsugi Airfield, the first foreign troops to land on Japanese soil. The 11th Airborne Division, famously nicknamed "The Angels," was originally activated on February 25, 1943, under Major General Joseph May Swing. The nickname reflected their airborne operations and the distinctive wings on their insignia, though they were also known as the "Saviors of the Airborne" and "General Swing’s Hell’s Angels." One of their most renowned achievements was the liberation of the Los Baños camp in February 1945, earning them the title "Heroes of Los Baños." After the fighting concluded, the division remained in Japan as part of the occupation force for four years, though Edgar returned home to be discharged in early 1946. After returning home to Massachusetts, Edgar married Jeannette Gaudet on Thursday, May 27, 1948, at Saint Augustine’s Church in Andover. Edgar’s sister Doris served as the bridesmaid, while Jeannette’s brother, Donald Joseph Gaudet, stood as the best man, and Edgar’s two brothers served the wedding party as ushers. By 1950, Edgar and Jeannette were living at 29 Summer Street in Medford, sharing a home with Edgar’s parents and his sister, Jeanette. Edgar’s first wife, Jeannette (Gaudet) Topping, passed away in 1997 at the age of 70. In his professional life, Edgar spent 30 years working at Hosmer Pontiac in Medford, and then other Pontiac and Buick dealerships throughout New England until retirement. This long-standing career allowed him to apply the mechanical skills he had been known for since his youth and his time in the service. Edgar married his second wife, Janet Lima (1937-2016), in the 1970s. Edgar retired in 1995. Edgar and Janet enjoyed Sunday drives to Rockport, Mass., and the annual traditions of apple picking and chopping down the Christmas tree at New Hampshire tree farms. Edgar’s favorite past times were fishing, antiques, and garage sales. In his retirement years, Edgar was a talented and prolific pastel portrait artist, spending most of his time in his St. Petersburg, FL home studio drawing, matting, and framing. Edgar died at the age of 91 in Saint Petersburg, Pinellas Co., Florida, on January 30 of 2017, and is interred at the Wildwood Cemetery in Wilmington, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts. A showing of Edgar’s favorite and most significant pastel works of art was held at the Pinellas Park Art Society (5851 Park Blvd N, Pinellas Park, FL 33781) on Wednesday, March 29, 2017, where he faithfully participated in pastel art classes for over 20 years.