By Natalie Bazinet
Staff Writer
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| Corp. Aleck C. Ouellette |
It’s been years since Madeline Martin has lived in Caribou, but one piece of paper in particular kept drawing her mind back to the region — a program for a Medal Presentation to the wife of the late Corporal Aleck C. Ouellette, a Caribou native.
Though Ouellette and his wife, Jeannette, have both passed away, Madeline has a story of Aleck that she feels the people of Caribou ought to know.
Madeline was good friends with Jeannette; they worked the night shift together at the telephone office in Presque Isle.
“It was just the two of us for a year and a half in Presque Isle,” said Madeline, who currently lives in Connecticut.
Long after Madeline and Jeannette’s work ended at the telephone office, Aleck passed away in 2002.
Preparing for the funeral at the Massachusetts Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery, the funeral director asked Jeannette if Aleck had any medals.
Jeannette replied “yes,” and provided the man with the awards for Aleck to be buried with.
But the funeral director looked at the awards Jeannette gave him, and said “if he has these, he must certainly have more,” Madeline described.
The funeral director researched Aleck’s military history and found that the former soldier indeed had others.
On March 8, 2002 Jeannette was ceremoniously presented with Aleck’s military medals — by Massachusetts Congressman Richard E. Neal and Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Veterans’ Services Thomas Kelley, a Medal of Honor Recipient.
Madeline was shocked to learn that the soft spoken Aleck Ouellette that she knew was a recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross.
“You had to know this guy,” she explained, “He was just so quiet! He didn’t even say he’d went to war — he never talked! Jeannette was the talker — I don’t think she ever gave him the chance, really,” Madeline qualified; even over the phone you could hear the smile on her face as she spoke about her friends.
Aleck served in the United states Army Infantry from 1941-45, with Headquarters Company, Third Battalion, 103rd Infantry Regiment during World War II. During that time, he participated in battles and campaigns in Guadalcanal, Northern Solomons, New Guinea and Luzon.
As the program for the Presentation of Medals states, Aleck was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross “for extraordinary heroism in action near Binalonan, Luzon, Philippine Islands on 16 January 1945.
“Corporal Ouellette manned a machine gun in the perimeter defense of a battalion position. About midnight, six enemy tanks suddenly attacked the nearest anti-tank gun, offered a serious threat to the battalion.
“The tank opened fire at point-blank range as it approached Corporal Ouellette’s position, but disregarding his own danger he remained at his weapon and held fire until the advancing tank was within 40 yards. He then opened fire and expended two belts of ammunition into the tank.
“As it burst into flames he was clearly illuminated by the fire, but remained at his gun and held his position throughout the rest of the night. By his outstanding heroism in maintaining fire alone against an advancing enemy tank, Corporal Ouellette averted a threat of imminent danger to a battalion of infantry.”
Ouellette also was awarded the Bronze Star Medal, awarded for exemplary conduct in ground combat, the Purple Heart, for wounds received in action against the enemy on 17 January 1945 at Pot Pot, Luzon, Philippine Islands; the Good Conduct Medal; the American Defense Service Medal; Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with Four Bronze Service Stars; Combat Infantryman Badge; Philippine Liberation Ribbon with One Bronze Service Star; Honorable Service Lapel Button WWII and the Marksman Rifle Badge.
For Madeline, finding out her quiet friend had such a history is still a surprise.
“I guess he had a job to do, and he did it,” she said.
Ten years after Aleck’s passing, Madeline wondered if the people of Caribou knew what a great soldier was born and raised in their city.
“I look at [the program] all the time,” Madeline said. “Every time I looked at the paper I would think that ‘gee, the people in Caribou didn’t know — and he lived there!’”
Whether or not Caribou’s citizens readily remember the quiet Aleck Ouellette, his accomplishments are documented in past issues of the Aroostook Republican that can be found at the Caribou Public Library.
