Sgt Hiram Wolf RCAF

[Paul Squires]

Hi Temujin, and readers,

This is what I have come up with for the entry in They Shall Grow Not Old errata:

First a note in the entry for WOLF, HIRAM, to see GREENBERG, JULIUS V.

Then, with < > representing strike-outs:

GREENBERG, JULIUS V. (serving as WOLF, HIRAM) SGT(P) R77476. From <Peaks Island> Brookline, Massachusetts, USA [bac-lac.gc.ca]. Killed Jan. 1/42 age <21> 24 [CVWM]. #96 Squadron (Nocturni Obam Bulamus). Sgt 'Wolf' was killed when he flew his Defiant aircraft <#M3432> N3432 into a hillside in mist two miles north-east of the Appelthwaite Quarry, Windermere, England, on a delivery flight to #60 Operational Training Unit [R. Allenby]. Sergeant Pilot 'Wolf' is buried in the Rainsough Jewish Cemetery, Prestwick Prestwich, Lancashire, England. Husband of Dorothy Frances Wolf, née Clough, of Worcester, Massachusetts, later West Los Angeles, California, USA [CVWM; bac-lac.gc.ca]. According to R. Allenby (English Lake District project pages), Sgt Greenberg apparently adopted this identity of his cousin with the assistance of others, possibly (my speculation) when he applied to the USAAC, as all pilots were then officers at this time, and two years college was required for entrance as an officer, a restriction which prevented many otherwise qualified citizens from training as pilots until this was later changed. This is also speculation, but having had flight training using this name, Greenberg might have wanted recognition of this when he enlisted in the RCAF, and maintained the false identity, and further used it when he married in 1941. At the time of his loss he was referenced in news releases in the USA under the name of Greenberg, but this later changed, possibly to avoid complications in financial support to his wife (again, speculation). The real Hiram Wolf served in the US Army in Europe during the war, and was promoted to Captain, married in 1946 after demobilization, and made his home in Virginia where died in 2010 [wartimes.ca].


I hope this covers this matter as well as can be done without deeper reserach, but I am open to suggestions and changes if referenced.

All the Best,

Paul
Wetaskiwin