Alfred Abraham "Al" Carroll
 1941 LHS football squad |
 1942 LHS junior class |
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The following excerpt from a Lowell Tribune article, found in the February 10, 1944, issue (page 1, column 5) mentions Lowell citizens who were inducted into service from Local Board No. 1, Crown Point:
- Lowell boys in the list were Alfred A Carroll, son of the Charles Carrolls; Robert W. Ewer, son of the Fred Ewers; and Norman Ketelaar, son of the Jacob Ketelaars.
This March 2, 1944, Lowell Tribune article was found on page 2, column 2:
- The Charles Carrolls recently received letters from their two sons, A/C Joseph Carroll and Pvt. Alfred Carroll, both of whom are getting along fine and enjoying the rigors of life in the armed service.
- Joe, who recently transferred from the naval air station at Dallas, Texas, to Pensacola, Fla., will receive his wings upon completion of the final stages of his training at this field. A/C Donald E. Bailey, also stationed there, visited Joe after reading in The Tribune that he had been transferred to Pensacola.
- Pvt. Alfred, still stationed at Fort Benjamin Harrison, writes that he is getting along O.K. in spite of having to do K.P. duty which consisted of helping prepare 750 pounds of navy beans and 150 pounds of turnips. Although he liked a little kitchen duty at home once in a while, Al said this wholesale scale was out of his line.
The following June 29, 1944, Lowell Tribune article was found on page 2, column 2:
- Pvt. Alfred Carroll is home this week from Ft. McClennan, Ala., for a visit with his parents, the Charles Carrolls.
The following August 17, 1944, Lowell Tribune article was found on page 4, column 2:
Bitten by Poisonous Insect
A letter received by the Charles Carrolls from their son, Pvt. Alfred Carroll informs them that he has been bitten by a poisonous insect while in camp at Camp VanBuren, Miss. Alfred said he was receiving medical care for the wound which was quite deep in his leg between the knee and ankle. He said he was going to the hospital last Sunday if the treatment he was taking did not improve the condition of the wound.This Lowell Tribune article was found in the January 25, 1945, issue (page 3, column 1):
- Pfc. Alfred Carroll, stationed with the First Army in Belgium, wrote the following in a V-mail letter to his parents, the Charles Carrolls of Lowell:
- " It has been quite some time since I last wrote so I thought I'd better write a few lines. Times and situations have changed too much to suit me--I am now with the First Army fighting in Belgium, and right now things are getting plenty hot for the Jerrys here. I got my first letters from you since I left England. I also got the second bunch of pictures you sent and am waiting for the rest.
- "I am feeling fine and hope to stay that way. Christmas day we spent in a town surrounded by Jerrys and it was plenty bad for us, but the situation cleared up in a few days.
- "Joe sure looked nice in his uniform in that picture. He will do all right for himself.
- Love to all,
Al"
- In another letter, written from "somewhere in France," Al said he finally had gotten time to answer all the letters he had received and that he was still feeling well, except for a cold "as usual." He requested his mother to send him some wool socks and warm mittens because they were sometimes hard to get there. In closing, Al said he was going to send his money home because there was nothing to buy there and he had no use for it, adding that money was the least of their worries.
This February 1, 1945, Lowell Tribune article was found on page 1, column 4:
PFC. AL CARROLL LATEST CASUALTY
WAR DEPT. NOTIFIES PARENTS THAT HE WAS WOUNDED IN BELGIUM
- Official notificatoin that their son, Pfc. Alfred Carroll, was "slightly wounded" in action in Belgium on January 8th, was received by the Charles Carrolls, Lowell, this week. According to the War Department message, further details would be sent at a later date.
- Arriving the same day as the telegram was a V-mail letter from Al saying he was recuperating at a hospital in England. His letter in part follows:
- "I am now at a place where I can give my new address--I'm back in England for a while at least, until I am able to take off again. Everything is O.K., so don't worry if you get a telegram about me--just forget it mother."
- Pfc. Carroll, 19, was graduated from Lowell high school with the class of 1943 and entered the service Feb. 21, 1944. He received basic training at Ft. Harrison and was assigned to the infantry at Ft. McClellan, Ala., later serving at Camp Dorn, Miss. and Camp Breckenridge, Ky., then was shipped overseas to England a few months ago. He had been in action but a short time before he was wounded.
- One brother, Ensign Joseph Carroll, is serving in the navy air corps, just recently leaving for the Pacific theatre.
This March 22, 1945, Lowell Tribune article was found on page 6, column 1:
- The following letter was received this week by the Charles Carrolls of Lowell, from their son, Pfc. Alfred Carroll, who is recovering from a wound in a hospital in England:
- Dear Mother and All:
- Well, I guess it is about time I take a few minutes off to write to you, don't you think? I am feeling fine to a certain extent, and I hope that is over soon. Well from the looks of things now my combat days are over and I'm going to spend a quiet, peaceful war.
- How is everyone at home? Tell everyone in Lowell I said hello and give them my best regards.
- I had some things to send home but they reminded me of the war, so I gave them away. When you find out what they were, mother, you will probably "kill" me. I wrote to the whole family just before I got my furlough except Junior and I intend to write him now.
- Love to the whole family--and especially you.
- Al
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