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Ferdinand Frederick DREVLOAugusta SCHETATFrederick YEAGERKatherine SIEGMANN

Arthur DREVLORose Henrietta Elizabeth YEAGER

Arthur Frederick DREVLO

Arthur Frederick DREVLO
  • Born: 02 August 1918, Pittsburgh, Allegheny Co., PA
  • Married 08 March 1940, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Co., CA, to Virginia Mary BABCOCK
  • Died: 19 April 1945, Manila, Luzon Island, Philippines
  • Occupation: cadmium plater and US Army Private
    pict1.jpg [126x193] Arthur F. Drevlo, US Army Portrait, 1944
    Art was born at home at 2811 Breker Street, Pittsburgh, PA. About 1924, Art moved with his family to southern California. The family lived at 216 E. 99th Street in Los Angeles, CA, the house which his father built. He was confirmed at Messiah Evangelical Lutheran Church on 20 March 1932 in Los Angeles, CA. On 23 June 1933, Art graduated from the 99th Street Elementary School. As a kid, he took trombone lessons and was a lifelong fan of Benny Goodman.

    While he was in high school, Art once became very angry with his mother. The fashion at the time was to wear corderoy pants, and to have them as dirty as possible. You were NOT supposed to wash them. The dirtier they were, the more in style you were. To prevent his mother from washing them (she was a "clean fanatic"), Art would put them under his mattress every night, so she couldn't get to them. However, he forgot one night, and was out with some friends. She took the opportunity and - Gasp - washed them. Apparently Art ranted and raved for hours about it, accusing her of ruining his life, etc. Despite having clean pants, he graduated from John C. Fremont High School on 25 June 1937 in Los Angeles Co., CA.

    From 1938 until he was drafted, Art worked as a cadmium plater at Douglas Aircraft. On 18 November 1938, Art received his Student's Pilot's License. He had exchanged manual labor like cleaning and odd jobs at the Los Angele Airport for flying instruction lessons. Art was 5 feet and 11 inches tall and had brown hair and blue eyes.

    On 08 March 1940 he married high school sweatheart Virginia Babcock, in a small ceremony held at her parent's house at 411 E. 91st Street in Los Angeles, CA. The marriage was performed by Rev. F. T. Wood, a friend and war commrade of Sam Babcock, Virginia's father. They took their honeymoon at Big Bear Lake in San Bernardino Co., CA. Their first home together was at 5205 1/2 South hoover Street in Los Angeles, CA. They moved to 525 W. 92nd Street in Los Angeles soon afterwards, the home where they started their family.

    After the outbreak of World War II, Arthur tried to enlist in the Navy, but his draft notice for the Army came through before the enlistment could be finalized. He entered the Army on his 26th birthday, 02 August 1944. Even though he had logged in several hundred hours of flying time, the Army put him into the infantry. His first training occurred at Fort MacArthur and he was later transferred to Camp Roberts in California where he served in Company A, 3rd Platoon, 76th Infantry in the Training Batallion. He finished Boot Camp and trainng by January 1945. He served with Company E, 1st Infantry, 6th Division, 6th Army in the Pacific Theater. He served at or saw action in the New Hebrides islands, Guadalcanal, New Guinea, Leyte Gulf and finally Luzon in the Philippines. During his service he was decorated with the Combat Infantryman's Badge and Purple Heart.

    On 02 April 1945, Art was wounded in a mortar attack near Manila Dam in Luzon, Philippine Islands. He died from his wounds at 5 o'clock p.m. on 19 April 1945 at the 80th General Hospital in Manilla at 26 years and 8 months of age. Col. Litteral wrote the following in a letter to his widow, Virginia: Arthur "received a severe penetrating wound of the abdomen, caused by enemy shell fragments, while his unit was engaged in action, at the Antipolo Line, Luzon, Philippine Islands on the Second of April, 1945. He was placed under the supervision of this hospital [80th General], on that same day. The finest of medical attention, and every possible effort failed to save his life ..."

    His body was interred at United States Armed Forces Cemetery, Manilla, No. 2 on 20 April 1945 in Manila. The Chaplain of his former unit led the graveside services. He received full military honors at the burial. A later letter from the Quartermaster General indicated that the cemetery was located within the city limits of Manila and was under the care and supervision of US Military Personnel. As part of a regular program, the Los Angeles Times and Radio Station KMPC paid tribute to the memory of Arthur F. Drevlo, he was chosen to represent all the men from southern California who fought and died in the War. The tribute followed the June 14th news broadcast at 11:05 p.m. A recording of this was made onto a record for the family to keep.

    Arthur was posthumously decorated on 14 July 1945 with the Purple Heart Award for serving in the US Army. His body was returned to America aboard the SS Crain for final burial at Inglewood Park Cemetery in Inglewood, Los Angeles Co., CA. The American Veterans of World War II officiated at the furneral service.
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