updated 09/30/2020

My father, Earl E. Harrington was the son of Ruth Harrington and step-son of George Harrington. Earl and his siblings took the last name of Harrington by "mutual consent" after the marriage of Ruth Enders (nee Knoebel) to George V. Harrington. They were never legally adopted by George V. Harrington as stated in two notarized statements - one to the military by Ruth (see affidavit below) and one by George to the Rail Road retirement board when dad retired - that Earl E. Enders and Earl E. Harrington were one and the same person and how they came to take the name Harrington.  In later life my Dad referred to George V. Harrington as his father.  This explains to future generations of genealogists researching the family, why there is a death certificate for Earl E. Harrington but no birth record under that name. ....... Lisa Woiwood

Note: Lisa's scans have been resized, cropped and compressed for web display. For larger & sharper images please contact Lisa Woiwood directly. Her contact info. is at the bottom of this page.

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Earl E. Harrington (1915-1999) in his World War II Army uniform and his wife, Elsie Harrington nee Lawrence (1920-1997) in her Auxiliary Territorial Service (A.T.S) uniform. Elsie was a British war bride of E.E. Harrington.

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Auxiliary Territorial Service - Notice to report for duty November 7, 1941

Elsie's release from service from the British A.T.S.,August 9, 1945. Elsie Lawrence was part of an ATS unit attached to a British Anti-Aircraft Artillery gunnery.  "The vast majority of women in the ATS served in anti-aircraft command, on searchlights. They also worked in mixed batteries on anti-aircraft guns, but were not officially allowed to fire them." ~BBC-History WWII, women in War

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	Registration Certificate Earl Esten Harrington Marquette, Iowa registered October 16, 1940 registrar: L.E. Schott
	top image is front of card bottom image is the back

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Enlisted Man's Identification Card European Theater of Operations, U.S. Army S/Sgt Earl E. Harrington Home: Marquette, Iowa Birthplace McGregor, Iowa Birthdate: December 27, 1915 ID issued January 21, 1944
top image is front of card bottom image is the back

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Signal Corps Radar School Certificate 1942

Certificate of Promotion to Technician 5th Grade Btry A, 413th Sep CA Battalion, 1942

Certificate of Merit
413th Anti Aircraft Artillery Gun Battalion, 1944

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Earl E. Harrington's Discharge Papers

Army of the United States Honorable Discharge This is to certify that Earl E. Harrington, 37 111 254, Technician Third Grade, Company "B", 442nd Infantry, Army of the United States is hereby Honorably Discharged from the military service of the United States of America. Date: 9 October 1945 Separation Qualification Record

Enlisted Record and Report of Separation Honorable Discharge Military Education Award of Disability Compensation April 19, 1946 Awarded a pension of $11.50 monthly for Defective hearing incurred or aggravated during your World War II service.

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Elsie Lawrence's Request to the Commanding Officer for permission to marry

Sir,
The above-named soldier and I wish to be married. I understand it is required that I forward to you my wishes and desires to do so, to be considered in the soldier's requestion for permission.

This letter is to so advise that we have made plans for marriage and that I most certainly wish to marry the above soldier. I am elegible for marriage, over 21 and am now a member of the British IS. There is no reason at this end why I cannot be married.

I shall appreciate you (sic) help in making our marriage possible.

Yours very truly
(signed) Elsie Lawrence

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Affidavit, 1945 Above is the affidavite of Ruth Knoebel Harrington, certifying that her son Tech. Sgt. 3 Earl E. Enders and Earl E. Harrington were one in the same person; and that George Harrington never legally adopted her children but that Earl took the Harrington name. Ruth's surname is misspelled as Knaebel throughout the document.

Request for transportation of Dependents from England, 1945 In the above document, Earl E. Harrington (aka Andy Harrington), requests transport for Elsie Harrington (nee Lawrence), his British War Bride from England to the United States. Dated 9 October 1945, Separation Center #33, Camp McCoy, Wisconsin.

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~source: original records
~contributed by Lisa Woiwood, daughter of E.E. Harrington & Elsie Lawrence Harrington. Lisa's email contact info. can be found in the Clayton co. IAGenWeb surname registry for Knoebel and Harrington. See also, Lisa's Knoebel & Harrington Family Album.

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