Wallace B. Dixon : WWII Deferment Classifications

Selective Service Registration Certificate, 1940

Wallace B. Dixon registered for the Draft on 16 October 1940 in Elizabeth, New Jersey. (1) He was 35 years old, and was living at 763 S. Broad St. with his wife Sophie, and their children, Wally, Jr. and Mary.

As noted in my previous post, my grandfather was issued an ID card in 1942, by the US Coast Guard, indicating his work for Standard Oil of NJ, which involved transport and storage of oil.

1943 Notice of Classification, 3-A, men with dependants,
not engaged in work essential to national defense.

I don't know what his classification was from his draft registration in 1940 until 1942, but I have his classification cards from 1943 and 1944. [I'll update this post when I've recieved his classification files from NARA.]

On 22 September 1943, the local Draft Board determined that Wally be classified as 3-A, which is "Men with dependents, not engaged in work essential to national defense."(2) (3)

In 1943, Wally and his family were still living at the S. Broad St. address.(4) His son, Wally, Jr., would not graduate from high school until the following year. His daughter, Mary, would graduate in 1945.(5)

According to a note written by Wally, and a copious number of photographs, he and possibly Sophie, and certainly Wally, Jr. spent time between 1943 and 1945 living in Miami, Florida.(6) It seems likely that Mary remained in Elizabeth, living either with her mother or her maternal grandparents, Constantine and Alice (Rimkus) Karvoius.

Two other pieces of official ephemera also prove that, at least starting on 13 March 1944, Wally was living at 340 NE 17th Terrace in Miami, and continued to do so until some time after 28 September 1944. Both of these State of Florida driver's licenses list that address, and also give an occupation of "inspector." (7)

1944 Florida Driver's License

1945 Florida Driver's License

I had always assumed that the time my grandparents spent in Florida was related to some health issues, but I think now that they were related to his job, "inspector"[?], with Standard Oil. None of the classification cards indicate deferrment based on health issues.

October 1944 Notice of Classification, 4-A,
men who have completed service, OR deferred by
reason of age.

The first of two classification cards issued in 1944, on March 3, shows a change of classifications to 2-B. (8) Class 2 deferrments were based on occupational status, and 2-B indicates "men necessary to national defense." (3) 

March 1944 Notice of Classification, 2-B,
men necessary to national defense.

The second card issued in October of that year classifies Wally as 4-A.(9)  Category 4 is for men "deferred specifically by law or because unfit for military service." His categorization as 4-A, which is "men who have completed service," was generally not considered at time of war according to one source (3), is also listed as "man deferred by reason of age" in another source. After 31 August 1945, that included men who were age 26 or older. (10) 

Either way, his deferrment from active military duty lasted for the duration of World War II.


Sources

(1) Defense Security Service D. S. S. registration certificate, D.S.S. Form 2, 16 October 1940; privately held by Elizabeth Traina Ackermann, 2018. Wallace Bernard Dixon, 763 S. Broad St Elizabeth Union N.J. has been duly registered on this 16th day of October 1940.

(2) Local Board No. 11, Elizabeth, NJ Selective Service Classification Card, 22 September 1943; privately held by Elizabeth Traina Ackermann, 2018.  DSS Form 57. Wallace Bernard Dixon, Order No. 1585 has been classified  in Class 3-A (H).

(3) "Military Classifications for Draftees." Compiled by Anne Yoder, Archivist, Swarthmore College Peace Collection, 2007. [http://www.swarthmore.edu/library/peace/conscientiousobjection/MilitaryClassifications.htm] Updated 2011 and 2014. Viewed 28 May 2018.

(4) Wallace Bernard Dixon (Roselle, New Jersey), "Handwritten list compiled by writer", After 1974; privately held by Elizabeth Traina Ackermann, 2018.  List of cars owned and residence addresses. 153 Clark Place 1925-1929. 239 Marshal St Store 1929-1934. Garfield St. Li[nden] 1934-1934. 763 So. Broad St. 1934-1943. 340 NE 17th Terr [Miami, FL] 1943-1945. 214 Inslee Place 1945-1952. 1023 Thompson Ave Ro.[selle] 1952-.

(5) Yearbook Staff, TeeJay: Yearbook of Thomas Jefferson High School (Elizabeth, New Jersey: Senior Class of Thomas Jefferson High School, 1944), no page numbers; Senior Class Photos; Class Will; Class Mirror.

Battin Hish School, "Commencement Program 1945", (N.p.; left center page). Elizabeth, Union County, New Jersey. 1945.  Elizabeth Traina Ackermann, 2018; inherited from her mother, Mary E. (Dixon) Traina. Mary E. Dixon is listed among the graduates.

(6) "Selective Service Registration Cards, World War II: Multiple Registrations", digital image, The National Archives, Selective Service Registration Cards, World War II: Multiple Registrations. NARA Record Group 147. Draft Registration Cards for Florida, 10/16/1940 - 03/31/1947.  Fold3.com (https://www.fold3.com/image/607556630). Downloaded 9 December 2017. Wallace Andrew Dixon, living in Miami, Dade, Florida. Registration dated 8 July 1944.

(7) State of Florida Driver's Licenses, issued in 1944 and 1945 to Wallace B. Dixon; privately held by Elizabeth Ackermann, [address for private use], 2018. Inherited by his daughter, Mary E. Dixon Traina, and then by her daughter, E. Ackermann. Licenses give birth date, physical description, occupation [Inspector] and address of Wallace B. Dixon.

(8) Local Board No. 11, Union County Selective Service Classification Notice, 3 March 1944; privately held by Elizabeth Traina Ackermann, 2018.  DSS Form 57. Wallace Bernard Dixon, Order No. 1585, Class 2-B.

(9) Local Board No. 11 Selective Service Classification Certificate, 25 Oct 1944; privately held by Elizabeth Traina Ackermann, Christiansburg, Virginia, 2018.  DSS Form 57. Local Board No. 11, Union County, NJ, Old City Hall, Elizabeth. Wallace Bernard Dixon, Order No. 1585 has been classified in Class 4-A.

(10)" Selective Service System Classifications for WWI, WWII, and PWWII through 1976."  Computer UFO Network [http://www.cufon.org/CRG/memo/74911231.html], 28 May 2018. This is, admitedly, a website dedicated to providing "accurate" information on unidentified flying objects. They don't indicate a source for their information, but it seems to mostly agree with the list from Swarthmore, source number 3 on this page.

Welcome to 2018

Wallace A. Dixon, circa 1926, in the lap of unidentified woman.
Elizabeth, New Jersey. Personal collection,
E. Ackermann, 2018.

Happy New Year!

I generally start my year on the blog with a baby, a traditional icon of new beginnings in the New Year. This year's New Kid on the block is my dear Uncle Wally [Wallace A. Dixon, 1926-1988] in the lap of someone I don't know. Not his mother, not any of his maternal aunts. Possibilities include paternal aunts, or possibly a cousin or family friend. If you recognize her, give me a shout. [Hey! It's a two-for-one! New Years baby and a Mystery Photo! Yippee!]

Wally Jr. Strikes a Pose

Wallace Andrew Dixon [Wally Jr.]. b. 1926 - d. 1988.
Taken some time in the early-mid 1930's?
Collection of E. Ackermann, 2017.

I love this photo of my Uncle Wally. That pose! Those socks!

Buddie, lounging on the porch.
"@ 120" 1936. Elizabeth, NJ.
Colleciton of E. Ackermann, 2017.

And then there's the dog, Buddie, making a cameo appearance in the background. I have other photos of Buddie lazing on a porch that are dated around 1936, so that puts this photo in that ballpark. The photos are labeled on the reverse "Buddie @ 120. 4 '36" and although I have done my best, I have yet to identify a Dixon residence that had the number 120. [You'll find a photo of my Grandfather's sister, Hazel, on the same porch in a previous post. She is in a slightly more precarious position.]

I think it's possible that "120" could have been family shorthand for 125 West Grand St., the home of my Great-grandmother and her second husband, Thomas Payne, from 1930 until around 1938. My grandparents lived at 763 South Broad St. during that time period, so it's not their home.
Other possibilities are 121 Elizabeth Ave. or 127 E. Jersey St. Or it really could be some other relative's home with the address 120. Always a mystery!

Sophie (Karvoius) Dixon & Her Children in 1928

The good thing about scanning photos is that each image gets your undivided attention for at least a little while. Instead of being just a pile of pictures, each picture becomes a piece of a puzzle. Looking closely at each image and logging a description in my photo log can give me missing insights and connections in the larger family story.

My big discovery this week was a set of photos taken on the same day, and labeled with the year. They feature my great-grandmother, grandmother, her sister, and some friends. Better still, my Mom and her brother are there too. These may be the youngest I've ever seen them! This set of photos, with dates on them, help me connect the dots to other images that I have.

The first photo is of my great-grandmother,
Alice Karvoius. She was 45 years old in 1928.

Alice (Rimkus) Karvoius, Sophie (Karvoius) Dixon,
an unidentified friend, and Sophie's sister,
Estelle Karvoius, holding a baby.
In 1928, Sophie was 22 and Estelle was 19 years old.

 

Unidentified friend, left,
Sophie Dixon, on the right,
holding Mary Elizabeth Dixon,
Wallace A. Dixon in front.

This third photo is the one that gives me another clue to help me identify the people in other photos.

That's my grandmother standing on the right. The photo is dated 1928. My uncle, Wallace A. Dixon was born in July of 1926, and my mother was born in October of 1927. I believe that the child my grandmother is holding is my Mom, Mary Elizabeth Dixon, and the toddler standing in front of her is my Uncle Wally. Here are some close-ups from the photo.

Mary Elizabeth Dixon, born 1927,
with her mother, Sophie (Karvoius) Dixon

Wallace Andrew Dixon, born 1926.
Son of Wallace B. and Sophie Dixon.

You've seen my Uncle Wally in a previous post, The Mystery of the Boy With the Boutonierre. He's the toddler standing in front of the group.

Little Wally Dixon,
as seen here.

I was only guessing that it was him, based on family resemblance. But this photo gives me more evidence that it is him. It also helps with an estimated date for that photo.
 
There are only a few mysteries related to these photos. Who are the unidentified women, and where in Elizabeth Port was the picture taken? If you have any clues for me, please get in touch!