Martin Charles Harding

October 1, 1942

Herbert Anderson, Charles and "Buster" Akins and MARTIN HARDING left Bunnell today with a contingent of the Navy Seabees for Camp Davisville, R.I.

April 29, 1943

MARTIN HARDING, in the Seabees somewhere in the Pacific, has changed his address, so he wrote home, and is getting The Tribune.

August 12, 1943

Had a nice letter from MARTIN HARDING who says “I am still on Island X in Southwest Pacific. Martin said also, that he was receiving The Tribune OK. He added that he likes navy life fine, although I am working very hard. However, I like the kind of work I am doing. "I get to town once in a while and see a few pretty girls but they are rather scattered.”

September 23, 1943

Some more news came in this week concerning guys getting together in out of the way places of the world. This time it is MARTIN HARDING, Navy Seabee meeting up with Bill Durrance, another Seabee in the Southwest Pacific area. Martin's brother, Danny who was discharged from the army for physical injury several months ago, told us about the "meet up."

December 30, 1943

MARTIN HARDING, with the Seabees in the Southwest Pacific, writes his parents here that Gene Bowers had spend several hours with him that day.

June 15, 1944

We learn that MARTIN HARDING, with the Seabees in the South Pacific, is ill in a base hospital in New Caledonia – fever – we understand.

June 22, 1944

Here's some news we regret to report: Raymond Smith and MARTIN HARDING, both Seabees in separate places in the South Pacific, are in separate hospitals. Don't know just what the trouble is.

July 6, 1944

Seabee MARTIN HARDING who has been in the Southwest Pacific for many months, and for the past several weeks in hospitals, has been transferred to a Naval Hospital somewhere out there.

September 21, 1944

Another fellow from the Pacific, also, has just hit the States - MARTIN HARDING, member of a Seabee outfit that has been out there for many months. He has been in a hospital for some time before landing on the west coast a few days ago. Certainly hope he can get that 30 days and come home soon.

October 12, 1944

MARTIN HARDING, carpenter's mate, who has been with his Seabee outfit in the Southwest Pacific for nearly two years, is here on furlough. He recently arrived in the States and spent a week

in Chicago with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Joe Harding who are visiting there, before coming on to Bunnell. Martin looks pretty good but is still having trouble with his stomach which, incidentally, kept him in several hospitals a number of weeks before being sent home.

November 2, 1944

Two other guys from down in the Southwest Pacific have arrived in the States - George and Charles Akins, members of a Seabee unit. They are expected home here this week end on a 30-day leave. Two of their mates, MARTIN HARDING and Herbert Anderson, have just completed their 30 days at home and are now at Davisville, Rhode Island, for assignment.

May 3, 1945

Four Seabees held a gabfest on Holden's corner here Saturday afternoon - Herbert Anderson, MARTIN HARDING, Charles and Buster Akins.

The four shipped into the outfit together, spent many months in the SWP at different stations, sent back to the States late last year, and all have been here on leave before but not at the same time.

The Akins boys left Tuesday to return to California, Martin left today for the same state, while Anderson is stationed at Fort Pierce. They seem to feel they will be shipping out again soon.

May 10, 1945

We added another war souvenir today to the collections you fellows have sent to us. This one is a detonator from a Jap artillery shell and given to us by Seabee MARTIN HARDING, who lugged it all the way from Green Island in the Solomon Group. Martin said it was from a barge load of ammo that our planes had sunk there before he went into the Pacific many months ago.

Martin left last week to return to California and possibly further duty in the Pacific after a short leave at his home here. The detonator (unloaded, of course) is being used for a fine paper weight.

December 13, 1945

Discharged from the armed forces this week ....... MARTIN HARDING