Sgt Hiram Wolf RCAF

[Paul Squires]

Hi All,

There is a question regarding this airman, Sgt Hiram Wolf R77476, 96 Squadron RAF, killed January 1, 1942 ferrying a Defiant N3432, which flew into high ground in poor weather in the Lake District of England.

All seems normal, but according to Richard Allenby in his site on crashes 'Hiram Wolf' was an alias for Julius V. Greenberg who was rejected by the USAAC for pilot training as he did not have the (then) required 2 years college required to be an Officer. This may come from the book Hell on High Ground by David Earl.

https://www.yorkshire-aircraft.co.uk/ai ... n3432.html

I accepted this originally on the face of it, but now that I have accessed this airman's file at the Library and Archives Canada and the Canadian Virtual War Memorial website it seems very unlikely.

https://recherche-collection-search.bac ... 0771-00493

https://www.veterans.gc.ca/en/remembran ... ial/659316

Can anyone shed some light on this?

Many Thanks,

Paul
Wetaskiwin, Alberta

[Temujin]

Paul, I’ve found a lot of information……..but when you look at it all, I think I’ve sorted it out………then again I’m still confused

Right now this site isn’t working well for me, keeps kicking me out so I can’t post you info. I’ll try and get it to you

[Temujin]

Hiram Wolf

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[Temujin]

OK got some records posted, now I’ll see if can get Greenberg’s info posted

[Temujin]

Julius V Greenberg

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The article below indicated the RCAF sent a telegram under the name of Julius V Greenberg…….how would they know to do that if he enlisted as Hiram Wolf?????

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[Temujin]

From the above, I see anomalies, Greenbergs draft records are signed AFTER he joined the RCAF (if he did join)

And other items that don’t match.

If I could find the plane that possibly Greenbergs was in that may help


And of course, I can’t find ANY RCAF records for Greenberg.


And this record has Wolf’s name but info from Greenberg

https://www.veterans.gc.ca/en/remembran ... ial/659316

[Temujin]

My final comment, if Wolf was Greenberg………..why do ‘both’ men show up in newspaper articles……doesn’t seem like he was ‘hidding’ very well, location of death are different, place of internment are different, DOB are different etc……..I think we have two different men…….but not positive

My gut says Greenberg was NOT Wolf……but others may find more info that may help

[Temujin]

Well, now I’m starting to think the story is true. The more I research the more information comes to light that Greenberg actually used Hiram Wolf’s name to Join the RCAF

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Hiram and his brother (Hiram on right)

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[Paul Squires]

Hi Temujin,

Well I'm stumped. I initially agreed with you as well, that the airman was Hiram Wolf, but with the further information and news articles you provided I also have to agree that this information seems to be incorrect, and Julius Greenberg seems to have used his identity. I could not, and do not understand, how the Commonwealth War Graves Collection could miss this, they are very thorough, as you know.

The date and location of birth match that given for Hiram Wolf, for both.

But why would Julius Greenberg need to use such an elaborate deception to enlist in the RCAF? Many US citizens were turned down by the USAAC pre-Pearl Harbour, for good reasons in training, or for lack of college education, and many as you know went on to have careers in the RCAF and RAF under their own name. And the real Hiram Wolf certainly did have the education required by the USAAC, so citing that for washing him out is suspicious. Perhaps that 'Hiram Wolf' was Julius Greenberg as well, and the deception began earlier than we know? And having trained under that name in the US he needed or wanted to use that background when he approached the RCAF?

And who is Julius V. Greenberg?

I can't think he must have some other reason to mask his identity. There are cases of using a nom de guerre for volunteers with family ties in occupied Europe, but not to this extent, and the Air Force accomodated the practice.

And it included his marriage, to Dorothy Frances Clough (September 1941), who continued to use the married name 'Wolf' and collected funds for his loss after his death under that name.

The key to the matter seems to be George Allen Gordon, who was present at Hiram Wolf's wedding in 1946, and is in the Library and Archives Canada files as next of kin (cousin) of 'Hiram Wolf'. Why would 'Hiram Wolf' not cite his brother when he was interviewed in September 1940, and enlisted in December, 1940? So Julius Greenberg must be related to Hiram Wolf, given the presence of George Gordon in both their lives.

So, I was waivering, but with the additional material you discovered on the real Hiram Wolf, I too believe it was actually Julius V. Greenberg, using an elaborate fake identity for reasons we will probably never discover. And it must have been supported by his family, despite having Mr. Gordon giving the name of Greenberg at the time of his loss. To 'protect' his widow?

BTW, I am getting messages that the Wartimes.ca site is 'not secure', and I can proceed to it 'at my own risk'. I don't know what that means, either.

Many Thanks for your aid on this. I'll just have to summarize it and go on.

Paul Squires
Wetaskiwin

[Paul Squires]

On a lighter note, just as I sent the message I noticed a checked box, below:

"Attach a signature (signatures can be altered via the UCP)"

And I am shocked that the Alberta United Conservative Party has such power!!!!!

(OK, I'll leave.)

Paul
Wetaskiwin, Alberta, CANADA