Pike-Montgomery-Walker County AlArchives History .....WWII Servicemen And Their Assignments, Most From Pike Co., AL ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/al/alfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Alice F Kelley http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00033.html#0008183 November 24, 2015, 4:24 pm WWII SERVICEMEN AND THEIR ASSIGNMENTS, MOST FROM PIKE COUNTY, ALABAMA Most of these listings are abstracts of items in a scrapbook maintained in the 1940’s by Kathlyn Johnson Folmar of Goshen, Ala., whose husband served in the Navy during WWII. Other information is from family documentations. Included here in alphabetical order: BENNETT, Ennis R. BRYAN, James Lorenzo CARLISLE, Leon J. (L.J.) CARTER, Elkin Bragg CARTER, Walter Cullen FAULKNER, Marcus A. FLOWERS, Benny Merwyn FOLMAR, Edwin Owen FOLMAR, Edwin Owen and William Erastus (Bill) FOLMAR, Gerald L. FOLMAR, Gerald L. and SMITH, Juston C. FOLMAR, Henry Wilbert (Bert) FOLMAR, Ned Flowers FOLMAR, William Erastus (Bill) – Also see FOLMAR, Edwin Owen FURLOW, John Robert – Also see FURLOW, Martin C. FURLOW, Martin C., Glen M., Gerald K., John Robert, Raford B., William P., Reynolds – Also see FURLOW, John Robert GILMORE, Clyde Eugene HEAD, Thomas Duncan – Also see HEAD, W. Elton HEAD, W. Elton, Amos F., Thomas Duncan – Also see HEAD, Thomas Duncan HINTON, George W. HUGHES, Wilson H. JOHNSON, John Irvin, Jr. JOHNSON, John Monroe KELLEY, James Harris MCKINNEY, Beauford Lamar MCNEILL, Benjamin S, Jr., Waverly R., and Herman L. – and SUNDAY, James H. MCNEILL, Waverly R. – Also see MCNEILL, Benjamin S., Jr. RALEY, Zollie Conrad RICHBURG, Joe Coston ROSS, Aubrey Clement SANDERS, Wiley Hollis, Jr. SCHOFIELD, Mack SMITH, Juston C. – SEE Folmar, Gerald L. SNIDER, John Robert STINSON, John W. SUNDAY, James H. – See MCNEILL, Benjamin S., Jr. TATE, Travis TYLER, James WARCRAFT ASSIGNED 1945 to Bring Servicemen Home from War BENNETT, Ennis R. – Killed in Kwajalein Invasion Pfc. Ennis R. Bennett, 28, son of Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Bennett of McKenzie [current Butler County] has been officially reported by the War Department as killed in action. Private Bennett was reported killed February 2 while in combat at Kwajalein in the Marshall Islands. He was married on December 26, 1941, to Margaret King of Henderson, Ala., who is now a member of the Lockhart School faculty. BRYAN, James Lorenzo – Killed in Action Age 19 1943: The following telegram was received by Mr. and Mrs. J. Felder Bryan from Rear Admiral Randall Jacobs: “The Navy Department deeply regrets to inform you that your son, James Lorenzo Bryan, aviation machinist’s mate third class, U.S.N., was killed in the performance of his duty and in the service of his country. The Department extends to you its sincerest sympathy in your great loss. On account of existing conditions, the body, if recovered, cannot be returned at present. If further details are received, you will be informed. To prevent possible aid to our enemies, please do not divulge the name of his ship or station.” James L. Bryan joined the Navy on February 17, 1941, and completed boot training in Norfolk, Va. He was an aviation machinist’s mate with 3-C rating. He had been stationed in New York, San Diego, San Francisco, Norfolk a second time, and then was sent to an undisclosed place via New York. His 20th birthday would have been January 5. CARLISLE, Leon J. (L.J.) – In African Hospital Pvt. L. J. Carlisle, husband of Nona Lou McLeod Carlisle of Glenwood, is recovering in a North African hospital from wounds received in Italy. Private Carlisle, who hopes to return to the States soon, wrote that he certainly will be glad to see his wife and family again. He has served in the Army for three years, his first assignment being at Camp Blanding, Fla. He was then sent to a camp in Louisiana and from there to Fort Jackson, S.C. He was stationed at camps Bowie and Barkley, both in Texas, and then at Camp Gruber, Okla., before being sent to N.Y. to embark for overseas duty. Private Carlisle first arrived in North Africa and was later transferred to Italy. CARTER, Elkin Bragg – Pilot Training / Commissioned 1943: Aviation Cadet Elkin Bragg Carter, 21, of Troy, who is now taking his pre-flight pilot training at Maxwell Field, Montgomery, Ala., is the grandson of J. A. Davison, 99, who is the only veteran of the War Between the States in Pike County and one of the few surviving Confederate soldiers in Alabama. Oct. 1944: Lieut. Elkin Bragg Carter, son of Mr. and Mrs. William Josiah Carter of the Rodgers Community near Goshen, Ala., was commissioned in the United States Air Corps at Stuttgart, Ark., on Sept. 8. He visited homefolks and friends after his graduation and was then sent to Hendricks Field at Sebring, Fla., for a new assignment. CARTER, Walter Cullen – Missing Over France 1944: A telegram was received by Mr. and Mrs. Cullen Bryant Carter of the Rodgers Community near Goshen, Ala., notifying them that their son, Lieut. Walter Cullen Carter, was reported as missing over France since July 8. The last letter they received from Cullen was written on July 3. At that time, he had completed 13 missions as a navigator. FAULKNER, Marcus A. – POW of Japanese in Philippine Islands Mar. 14 (year unknown): The War Department made public the names of 257 U.S. Army personnel held as prisoners of war by the Japanese in the Philippines and notified the next of kin of each. Among those held was Pvt. Marcus A. Faulkner, son of W. G. Faulkner of Rt. 1, Midland City, AL. FLOWERS, Benny Merwyn Special Recognition May 1943 Lieut. B. M. Flowers of class 43-E, Turner Field, Albany, Ga., received special recognition for his outstanding record as an aviation cadet. Although coming under the Pilot Officer Act of Congress, Lieutenant Flowers was commissioned in recognition of his record as a cadet officer. He was first appointed a cadet lieutenant in primary, then a cadet captain in his basic training, and then a flight commander at his advanced school. He visited his mother, Mrs. John Van Der Hooning of Troy, Ala., and other relatives before going to his new post. Awarded Oak Leaf Cluster First Lieut. Benny Merwyn Flowers, a pilot of a B-17 Flying Fortress, was awarded the Oak Leaf Cluster for wearing with the Air Medal previously awarded. He is with the Eighth AAF Bomber Station in England. (Announcement of his promotion to the rank of First Lieut. was made on April 27, 1944.) The citation which accompanied the award of the Oak Leaf Cluster read: “For exceptionally meritorious achievement, while participating in sustained bomber combat missions over enemy-occupied Continental Europe. The courage, coolness, and skill displayed by 1st Lt. Flowers upon these occasions reflect great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of the United States.” Lieutenant Flowers is the son of Mrs. Gladys Folmar Van Der Hooning of Troy, Ala. His wife, Mary Dorothy Richburg Flowers, lives in Goshen. He graduated from Murphy High School, Mobile, Ala., with the Class of 1935 and was employed by the Coffee Construction Co., Atlanta, Ga. Promoted to Captain, Awarded Distinguished Flying Cross First Lieut. Benny Merwyn Flowers, assigned to Eighth AAF Bomber Station in England, was promoted to the rank of Captain, according to an announcement by the commanding general, Eighth Air Force. At the same time, it was announced that Captain Flowers was decorated with the Distinguished Flying Cross, citation as follows: “For extraordinary achievement while serving as a pilot of a B-17 Flying Fortress on a number of missions over enemy-occupied Continental Europe. Displaying great courage and skill, Captain Flowers has materially aided in the success of each of these missions and his actions are an inspiring example for his fellow flyers.” Captain Flowers entered the Army Air Forces on June 26, 1940. At the time of his promotion to Captain, he had already participated in missions to Berlin, Schweinfurt, and Hamburg and hadbeen awarded the Air Medal and three Oak Leaf Clusters. FOLMAR, Edwin Owen Graduated Naval Training 1942: Edwin Owen Folmar, 28, son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Leroy Folmar of Goshen, Ala., has graduated with a petty officer’s rating from the U.S. Naval training school for aviation machinist’s mates at the Navy Pier, Chicago, Ill. He made one of the highest records of his class. He is now in “B” school in Chicago for advanced aviation work. On Furlough Nov. 1944: AM 1-c Edwin O. Folmar, U.S.N., has been spending a furlough with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Leroy Folmar of Goshen. Located at Vineyard Haven, Miss., an island about 80 miles from Boston, Folmar was in the thick of the recent storm that swept up the coast. The island on which he is stationed is just above sea level and was heavily swept by the high waters in the wake of the winds. FOLMAR, Edwin Owen and William Erastus (Bill) – Brothers in Navy / Air Force Edwin Owen and William Erastus (Bill) Folmar, sons of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Leroy Folmar of Goshen, Ala., are in the service. William E. volunteered with the air corps in January 1942 and has been stationed at Maxwell Field, Montgomery, Ala. Owen enlisted in March of this year and is at Norfolk, Va. Both were with the State Highway Department before induction. June 1943: Edwin Owen Folmar enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve in April 1943 and took his boot training at Norfolk, Va. Then he transferred to Chicago, Ill., for training in “B” school and was promoted there to fireman, third class. He graduated with the petty officer rating of machinist’s mate, third class. While in that training, he went home on furlough and married Laurice McLeod of Glenwood on May 27, 1943, who went back to Chicago with him. His younger brother, Lieut. William E. Folmar, enlisted in the Army Air Forces as a cadet in January 1942. Lieutenant Folmar received his training at Maxwell Field; Arcadia, Fla.; and Augusta, Ga. – and at Napier Field, Dothan, where he received his wings and his commission as second lieutenant on January 14, 1943. He was then assigned to the Air Transport Command at Miami, Fla., and is now stationed at the O.T.U. Army Air Base at Homestead, Fla., awaiting orders. FOLMAR, Gerald L. and SMITH, Juston C. – Brothers-In-Law in Army Corp. Technician Gerald L. Folmar, son of Mr. and Mrs. Tommie Folmar of Goshen, Ala., is serving in North Africa. He was inducted into the Army in January 1942 and sent to Fort Bragg, N.C., for basic training. He was subsequently assigned to the First Division at Camp Blanding, Fla., to Fort Benning, Ga., for a few weeks of training, and at Indiantown Gap, Pa. He sailed for England in August 1942 and was in Scotland before going to North Africa. Prior to his induction into the Army, Folmar was head electrician for the Tennessee Coal, Iron, and Railway Co. at Birmingham, Ala. His brother-in-law, Sgt. Juston C. Smith, was called back into the Army in March 1939 after having previously served four years in the Army at Fort Benning, Ga. While at Fort Benning, he spent two years in the dental clinic. Upon being called back into service, he was assigned to the Medical Department, first serving in the Station Hospital at Camp Wheeler, Ga. In March 1941, he was sent to Hot Springs National Park, Ark. In June 1941, he completed the Dental Technician’s course at the General Army and Navy Hospital School there and was sent back to Camp Wheeler. In May 1942, Sergeant Smith was transferred to Camp Rucker, Ozark, Ala., to help open the Detachment Medical Station Hospital. In May 1943, he was sent to Fort McClellan, Anniston, Ala., for six weeks of special training and was then transferred to Fort Custer, Mich. His parents are Mr. and Mrs. E. M. Smith of Columbus, Ga. Folmar, Gerald L. – Receives Citation Dec. 1944: Sgt. Gerald L. Folmar, son of Mr. and Mrs. Tommie Folmar of Goshen, is on the battle front in France. His commanding officer has announced that Sergeant Folmar was cited for the Bronze Star Medal in addition to other awards that have been given to this Pike County soldier. Sergeant Folmar had previously been awarded the Good Conduct Ribbon, E.T.O., together with campaign ribbons for the North African, Tunisian and Sicilian campaigns and also the Driver’s Medal and the Mechanics’ Medal. Following is a copy of his most recent citation: Citation for Bronze Star Medal “Gerald L. Folmar, 34166530, Technician Grade 4, Service Battery, 32nd Field Artillery Battalion. For heroic achievement in connection with military operations against the enemy in the vicinity of St. LaurentsurMer, Normandy, France, 6 June 1944. Despite heavy enemy machine-gun and mortar fire directed from strongly fortified positions, Sgt. Folmar courageously remained on exposed beach and, at great personal risk, assisted in removal of submerged vehicles from the perilous surf and skillfully repaired disabled vehicles on shore. Sgt. Folmar’s heroic actions and unselfish devotion to duty contributed materially to the success of the invasion. Residence at enlistment: Goshen, Alabama.” FOLMAR, Henry Wilbert – Served in Navy in Asiatic Pacific Henry Wilbert Folmar (Bert) of Goshen, Ala., was drafted into the U.S. Navy in 1944 and left for training at Great Lakes, Ill., on January 13, 1945. After eight weeks of training, he was given leave in March. He spent the 10-day leave with his wife, Kathlyn Johnson Folmar, his five-month old daughter Dorothy Ann, and his parents and other family at Goshen, Route. 2 – telling them the Navy was alright except for being away from home. After leave, Seaman First Class Folmar returned to Great Lakes and went by ship to Shoemaker, Calif. He was assigned to the U.S.S. “Chester” CA27, a heavy cruiser and a flagship, which left the States at San Diego on May 28, 1945, for Pearl Harbor. His ship was part of the 3rd Fleet and moved around in the Asiatic Pacific to various islands including Marshall, Wake, and Marcus and the Aleutians. The “Chester” was also part of a Task Force that charged through heavily-mined waters of the Tsugaru Strait, behind destroyers and minesweepers, taking part in the Navy’s occupation of Northern Japan and then enforcement of surrender terms between Japan and the Allies. Although the “Chester” was one of the cruisers assigned to transport servicemen home at end of the War and was to leave Tokyo for the U.S. about November 1, 1945, Seaman Folmar was transferred on October 28 to the U.S.S. “Tippecanoe,” a tanker carrying cargo oil. While on the “Tippecanoe,” he was transferred from 2nd Division to S Division with the rating of Storekeeper Striker. The tanker left Tokyo November 28 bound for San Francisco and arrived on December 18, 1945. Seaman Folmar wrote the following in his War diary: “Monday nite, just before we reached Frisco, we came mighty close to running into a mine. The lookout saw it, & we barely missed it. Tuesday morning (Dec. 18th) at 9:00 o’clock we pulled under the Golden Gate Bridge. A tug with a U.S.O. band aboard came out to greet us & a couple of other ships that were entering from overseas. There are “Welcome Home” signs, “Thanks V,” “Well Done” & others along the Bay for returning ships to see. A mail boat was alongside as soon as we dropped anchor, bringing our mail to us. I rec’d 49 letters, one being from Kitty from Oakland. [Kitty was wife Kathlyn, who wrote to tell him she and daughter Ann were in Oakland to meet him.] Also received letters from home for discharge.” Mrs. Folmar, with one-year-old Ann, and her brother John Johnson on leave from military assignment in California, had travelled by Model A Ford across the U.S. from Alabama. Folmar remained in the Navy another three months before his discharge was final on March 6, 1946. He gave Mrs. Folmar an onboard tour of the “Tippecanoe.” Officers were onboard, and everything was being taken off the ship. Much was being thrown overboard, and many usable items were being packed up by officers to carry to their homes. One officer told Folmar to fix a box for self and wife, so they selected two long white tablecloths; twin-sized, striped bed covers; and large boxes of black pepper. They began the drive to Alabama on March 6, 1946, stopped for a brief view of the Grand Canyon, and arrived home the night of March 15. FOLMAR, Ned Flowers – Graduation, Aviation Machinist’s Mate School Mobile, Ala., Sept. 25, 1944: Ned Folmar, seaman first class, U.S.N.R., son of Mr. and Mrs. Wilson Duncan Folmar of Goshen, Ala., was recently graduated from aviation machinist’s mate school at the Naval Air Technical Training Center, Norman, Okla. Seaman Folmar is a graduate of Goshen High School and attended Georgia Tech. He enlisted in the Navy at Birmingham June 28, 1943. He will now be transferred to a naval unit afloat or to another shore station for further instruction and work. FOLMAR, William Erastus (Bill) [Also SEE Folmar, Edwin Owen] Receives Silver Wings of Pilot Jan. 14, 1943: Aviation Cadet William Erastus Folmar, Napier Field, Dothan, Ala., son of Joseph Leroy and Mary Jackson Folmar of Goshen, today received the silver wings of a pilot, U.S. Army Air Forces, the Public Relations Office of Napier Field announced. Immediately prior to the presentation of the wings, the graduating cadets were sworn in as second lieutenants in the Army Air Forces. Lieutenant Folmar, a graduate of Goshen High School, attended Troy State Teachers College and then received his BS degree at University of Alabama in 1940. He was employed by the Alabama Highway Department in Birmingham until he was accepted for aviation cadet training January 24, 1942. He has completed the primary flying schools at Arcadia, Fla., and the basic school at Augusta, Ga. Post War – Commands at Fort Knox. Feb. 1953: Captain William E. Folmar, stationed at Godman Air Force Base, Ft. Knox, Ky., has been named Commanding Officer of the 405th Installations Squadron. The 405th Installations Squadron is part of the 405th Fighter-Bomber Wing, commanded by Col. Robert L. Delashaw, which is a subordinate unit of the 9th Air Force Tactical Air Command. Captain Folmar, with the aero rating of a Senior Pilot, has a long and distinguished service record with the Air Force. During WWII, he flew 600 combat hours in the China-Burma-India theater of operations. He flew the C-87 aircraft, which is a transport version of the B-24 bomber, over the hump between India and China. Among his awards and decorations are the Distinguished Flying Cross with one Oak Leaf Cluster and the Air Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster. He was originally discharged from service in December 1946. He was recalled to active duty March 12, 1955, with the Alabama Air National Guard, Birmingham. Captain Folmar is married to the former Mary Emma Sanders, and they have two children, William Alan, 6, and Susan, 3. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Leroy Folmar of Goshen and the son-in-law of J. Gilbert Sanders of Goshen. FURLOW, Martin C.; Leo; Glen M.; Gerald K.; John Robert; Raford B.; William P., Reynolds The Furlow Family has eight family members in the armed forces. First Sgt. Martin C. Furlow, son of Mr. and Mrs. Clem C. Furlow of Troy, joined the army at Fort Benning, Ga., on September 6, 1933, and was under the command of General Patton while Patton was at Fort Benning. On June 3, 1942, Sergeant Furlow was sent to Fort Knox and later to Camp Campbell, both in Ky. He was on maneuvers in Middle Tennessee in September 1943. A-C Leo Furlow, also a son of Mr. and Mrs. Clem C. Furlow, joined the Air Corps Reserve at Montgomery on July 6, 1942. He reported for active service at Baca Raton, Fla., on July 19, 1942. On September 1, he was transferred to Seymour Jackson Field, N.C. He is a graduate of State Teachers College at Troy. Seaman 1st Class Glen M. Furlow, son of Mr. and Mrs. G. C. Furlow of Goshen Route 1, joined the Navy on February 1, 1943, and was in boot training in San Diego, Calif.. He went to sea in early June without a leave home. He wrote his family that he is getting along fine but is looking forward to the day when he can eat some more of his mother’s good cooking. Pvt. Gerald K. Furlow, also a son of Mr. and Mrs. G. C. Furlow, was in the Alabama National Guard when it was mobilized on November 25, 1940. He was first sent to Camp Blanding, Fla., and then, on February 16, 1942, to Camp Bowie, Tex. After being stationed at Camp Barkley, Tex., and Camp Gruber, Okla., he volunteered for umpire duty in the Louisiana maneuvers on February 16, 1943, and served there for several months. Late in August 1943, Private Furlow sailed for North Africa. Corp. John Robert Furlow, son of Mr. and Mrs. H. C. Furlow of Henderson (Glenwood Route 1), joined the Alabama National Guard at Troy on November 25, 1940. He had the same assignments as his cousin Gerald Furlow and is also somewhere in North Africa. He wrote that he is well and would like lots of letters from the good old U.S.A. Ensign Raford B. Furlow, son of Mr. and Mrs. T. A. Furlow of Henderson, was inducted into the service in January 1941. His preliminary training was at Atlanta, Ga., and his basic training at Jacksonville, Fla., where he was commissioned an ensign in January 1943. He is now piloting a bomber at an undisclosed location. Technical Sgt. William P. Furlow of Troy entered the army at Fort Benning in 1936. His record there earned him the interest of Colonel White, and he was transferred to the Air Corps and sent to Maxwell Field, Montgomery, Ala. From there, he went to school at Chenute Field, Ill., and was sent back to Maxwell in July 1940. In June 1943, he was sent to Smyrna, Tenn. After three weeks in ground school there, he was transferred back to Maxwell, where he was on duty with the four-engine school. Reynolds Furlow, son of Mr. and Mrs. Fox Furlow of Montgomery, was a Naval Engineer on the destroyer “Rowan,” which went down on September 11, 1943. Engineer Furlow was reported missing in action. FURLOW, John Robert – Parents Notified of Death / Soldier Friend Writes Tribute Jan. 29, 1944: Mr. and Mrs. H. C. Furlow of the Henderson community received a telegram from the War Department advising that their son, Corp. John Robert Furlow, was killed January 4 in Italy. He was a member of the National Guard and left Troy in November 1940. He was stationed at Camp Blanding, Fla., Camp Bowie, Tex., and then went overseas. He was with the Fifth Army Field Artillery. Corporal Furlow was accidentally killed by an explosion of a shell from the gun that he was helping fire during the battle for North Africa. The shell exploded soon after leaving the gun, killing Furlow and injuring others. Another soldier, Elton Wiggins of Troy, wrote to a friend about his “buddy,” John Robert Furlow, as follows: “If you don’t mind, I’d like to mention something about John Robert Furlow since he was your cousin. I’d like for you to know just what we boys thought about him. He had the reputation of being the best, most honest and hardest working boy in the battery. We were on the same gun section and I know for a fact that he was one of the finest boys I’d ever known. They don’t make soldiers that are more faithful to their jobs and outfits than he was. He loved his gun with a passion and did his job well. To some his death is just another horror of war, but to us it was a great loss. I look forward to the time when I can tell his folks and loved ones back home just what a fine man he was.” WIG (1944) GILMORE, Clyde Eugene – POW of Japanes. March 14 (probably 1942?), the War Department made public the names of 257 U.S. Army personnel held as prisoners of war by the Japanese in the Philippines and notified next of kin of each. Among those held was Pvt. Clyde E. Gilmore, son of Mrs. Mary Jane Hobson Gilmore of Cordova, Ala., Walker County, and R. E. Gilmore. (Mrs. Gilmore died in 1942, and Mr. Gilmore in 1943.) Private Gilmore was in the Army Air Corps, serving in the Southwest Pacific Theatre. He was captured by the Japanese, report date May 7, 1942, and imprisoned at Hoten POW Camp (Mukden) Manchuria 42-123. In October 1945, he was listed as liberated and returned to military control of the United States HEAD, Thomas Duncan – [Also, SEE Head, W. Elton] Enters Marine War School 1942: Duncan Head, son of William Edmund Head and the late Frances Orlena Folmar Head, is attending a school of modern warfare and is rated as a hospital apprentice first class. In March, he resigned from Alabama Polytechnic Institute to enter the Medical Corps of the U.S. Navy, and after four months of service there, he was transferred to the medical personnel of the U.S. Marine Corps, thence to the warfare school. He was well known in his home area as a taxidermist. Assigned to Navy College Training Program Rochester, N.Y., July 15: Thomas Duncan Head, 23, of Montgomery, Ala., who has served in the Navy for over 15 months, has been assigned to the Navy V-12 College Training Program at University of Rochester for pre-medical studies as a prospective Navy officer. The son of William E. Head of Rt. 1, Montgomery, he is a graduate of Sidney Lanier High School, where he was president of the science club and a member of the cadet officers club. Before entering the service, he attended Hobart College for one semester. He has been in active service in areas of the South Pacific. HEAD, W. Elton; Amos F.; Thomas Duncan (Brothers) [Also, SEE Head, Thomas Duncan] 1943: Three sons of William E. Head are serving in the military. W. Elton Head, seaman 2-c is serving overseas. He took boot training in Norfolk, Va., and was sent to New London, Conn., for a six-week course to prepare him for overseas duty. Pvt. Amos F. Head joined the Army sometime last fall and is now stationed at Camp McCoy, Wis., in the Ninth Infantry. Duncan Head, pharmacist’s mate 2-c, has been overseas since October. He enlisted in March 1942 and took most of his training at San Diego, Calif. HINTON, George W. – Wounded in Italy July 24, 1944: News was received by relatives at Little Oak in Pike County, Ala., that George W. Hinton, formerly of that community, was wounded in action June 27 in Italy. The nature of his wounds was not revealed by the War Department. HUGHES, Wilson H. – In Motorized Cavalry 1943: Pvt. Wilson H. Hughes, son of Mr. and Mrs. Fox Hughes of Goshen, Ala., was inducted into the Army at Fort McClellan, Anniston, Ala., in February 1943. He was then sent to Fort McPherson, Ga., and from there to Camp Howze, Tex., where he was assigned to the 86th Rcn. Troop. At Camp Howze, Private Hughes is engaged in an experimental troop in Motorized Cavalry. He received a 10-day furlough in June and visited his family at Goshen and friends in Montgomery. He is a graduate of Goshen High School, where he was active in sports. JOHNSON, John Irvin, Jr. – In Navy – Ship Transported Ammunition Bombs John Irvin Johnson, Jr., enlisted age 17 in the U.S. Navy on December 31, 1943, had basic training at Great Lakes, Ill., and went to gunnery school in Biloxi, Miss. At Charleston, S.C., he boarded the merchant ship “Janet Lord Roper,” which carried a load of ammunition bombs to Anzio Beachhead, Naples, Italy. The ship was attacked by German bombers off the coast of Northern Algiers, and Seaman 1-c Johnson received a Bronze Star from that campaign. On his second trip out, from Norfolk, Va., his ship carried munitions to Morlay, France. The third trip, also transporting ammunition bombs, was from Ceris Port, Mass., to Cherbourg, France. In less than one-and-a-half years in the Navy, he had already visited ports in Africa, Sicily, Italy, England, France and other countries. Prior to his fourth trip out, Seaman Johnson was granted a 21-day leave, which he spent with his mother, Mrs. Ruby Myers Johnson (Hardy) – and his brothers – at Henderson, Ala., and his sister Kathlyn Johnson Folmar and family at Goshen, Ala. When his leave was up, he returned to Brooklyn, N.Y., for new assignment. He was sent to Los Angeles, Calif., and assigned to the U.S.S. “Christopher Greenup,” which made three trips to Honolulu, Hawaii, bearing cargo and troops. He was later on shore duty at Shoemaker, Calif., until his discharge from the Navy on January 18, 1946. In addition to the Bronze Star, he had received a WWII Victory Medal, American Campaign Medal, medals for Asiatic-Pacific Campaign and European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign, and a Good Conduct Medal. JOHNSON, John Monroe – Troy Soldier in Egypt 1943: Staff Sgt. John Monroe Johnson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Lucious Noel Johnson of N. Three Notch St., Troy, Ala., enlisted in the Army Air Forces on January 9, 1941. He received his basic training at McDill Field, Tampa, Fla., and went to Casey Jones School of Aeronautics in Newark, N.J., where he graduated August 1941 with the rating of airplane mechanic. On returning to McDill Field, he was made crew chief. In June 1942, he was transferred to Brookley Field, Mobile, Ala., and in September, was sent to Fort Dix, N.J. Staff Sergeant Johnson sailed for Egypt October 1. He wrote home that he had a good trip across and that he had seen many interesting things and places, including Cairo and Palestine. KELLEY, James Harris – Dies in Naval Hospital AMM 1-C James Harris, 27, who died in the Naval Hospital at Oakland, Calif., on February 21, will be buried at 3 p.m. Wednesday from Elam Church north of Goshen, Ala., with Elder F. A. Collins officiating. Surviving are the widow, Mrs. Helen Sahadie Kelley of Corpus Christi, Tex.; father James Zacharia Kelley of Goshen; a brother, Edward Lamar Kelley, U.S. Navy, Pensacola, Fla., three sisters, Mrs. C. C. Anderson of Amarillo, Tex., Mrs. A. S. Ramsay of Fairfax, and Mrs. T. H. Youngblood of Troy. McGehee Funeral Home is in charge. MCKINNEY, Beauford Lamar– POW in Philippines / Dies as POW March 14, 1943: The War Department made public the names of 257 U.S. Army personnel held as prisoners of war by the Japanese in the Philippines and notified the next of kin of each. Among those held was Private Beauford L. McKinney, son of Mrs. Ida Lee McKinney, Rt. 2, Banks, Ala. Troy, AL, 1943: Mr. and Mrs. Marvin McKinney of Route 2 Banks were notified that their son Lamar died in a Japanese prison camp June 16. The following message was received from Adjutant General Ulio: “Report now received from the Japanese Government through the International Red Cross that your son, Private First Class Beauford L. McKinney, who was previously reported a prisoner of war, died on the 16th of June in Japan. The Secretary of War shares your grief and extends his deep sympathy.” [It was several years later that Private Lamar McKinney’s remains were sent home and were buried in Loflin Cemetery, Josie, Pike County, Ala. At the time of his death, he was with the 17th Bomb Squadron, Army Air Forces. He was born September 8, 1919, the second child of John Marvin and Ida Lee Harrison McKinney of Josie. His siblings were Annie Lois McKinney, Mary McKinney Bullard, Nell Katherine McKinney Hickman, Helen Marie McKinney Thomas, Anita McKinney Phillips, and John Walter McKinney.] MCNEILL, Benjamin S, Jr., Waverly R., and Herman L., SUNDAY, James H. – In Army [Also See MCNeill, Waverly R.] Mrs. Annie L. McNeill of Henderson community, Goshen Route 1, has three sons and a son-in-law in the U.S. Army. Pvt. Benjamin S. McNeill, Jr., entered the Army Air Forces on July 11, 1942, at Fort McPherson, Ga. He was sent to Miami Beach, Fla., for basic training and then to Jefferson Barracks, Mo., for about a month before being sent overseas. He is now stationed in India, where he has been in a hospital since May 10. He wrote that he is much better and is homesick to see his wife and children and the rest of his family. Sergeant Waverly McNeill entered the Army on January 9, 1940, and was first stationed at Fort Benning, Ga. After going on maneuvers in Louisiana and Kentucky, he was transferred to Fort Bragg, N.C. He sailed from New York to his first overseas assignment in England. He participated in the North African campaign and is presently stationed in Italy. Sgt. Herman L. McNeill entered the Army in August 1940. He was sent to Fort Benning, later to Fort Bragg, and is now at Camp Hood, Tex., in a medical detachment. Sgt. James H. Sunday, a brother-in-law of the McNeill brothers, entered the Army Air Forces on July 11, 1942, at Fort McPherson, Ga. He was sent from there to Fort Bragg, N.C., and then to Fort Slocum, N.Y., where he was in a post casual detachment. Sergeant Sunday is now stationed in North Africa. MCNEILL, Waverly R. – Letter to his Mother from N. Africa [Also SEE McNeill, Benjamin S.] Sgt. Waverly R. McNeill and his unit were in the thick of the fight against the Germans and Italians at Kasserine Pass in West Central Tunisia, one of the first major operations of U.S. forces during WWII. Kasserine Pass is a two-mile wide gap in the Grand Dorsal chain of Atlas Mountains. McNeill was in command of a half-track. Widely used by the Allies, a half-track was a personnel carrier mounted with anti-tank guns which, in addition to carrying soldiers, had accommodations for rifles, mines and other ammunition, rations, and supplies for the unit. These had regular front wheels for steering and continuous tracks at the back to propel the vehicle and carry the load. Sergeant McNeill wrote the following letter to his mother, Mrs. B. S. McNeill of Henderson, Pike County, Ala., while he was stationed in North Africa: N. Africa, Sept. 9th, 1943 My Dearest Mother, Here is the letter you wanted me to write. I will begin from the time I left the States. On August 6th, 1942, we left New York not knowing where we were going or when we would get there. I was filled with excitement because it was going to be my first long ship ride and too, I knew that we were taking the war to Hitler. I hated very much to leave America but I understood that someone had to go and it just as well be me as some other mother’s son. It was a very long trip but I didn’t get sea-sick at all. I got a little hungry though because I wasn’t used to the food the British eat as I was aboard a British ship. I cannot tell the name of the ship because of censorship regulations. Oh, yes, and by the way, I know now what one means when they write, “Oceans of Love.” That is a real good case of love. We arrived in England Aug. 17th, 1942. In was dark when we unloaded and there were no lights to be seen except a few very dim ones for official use. At first I didn’t think there was a town near but soon I found out that we were at Liverpool. We spent two nights there in a small camp and then moved to another place. I went to many towns while in England but I liked Liverpool and London the best of all. The people there were all very nice, even though the language was pronounced a little different from ours. The country was beautiful but I can’t say so much for the weather because it rained most ALL the time we were there. We were in England for five months training very hard to come over here and get part of Hitler. Finally after we were tough enough to almost go through hell, we got aboard another ship on Jan. 6th, 1943 and began to sail again, not knowing where we were going. The food was a little better this time because I had gotten used to the British rations. On Jan. 17th, 1943, we arrived in North Africa. I can’t tell you the place because I’m still in N. Africa. We moved out about 15 miles from the place we landed and set up camp. We ate two meals a day of “C” rations for about a week and then we began eating well. By this time our equipment had arrived and we began training again to get used to this terrain and climate. On Jan. 18th, the day after we arrived in N. Africa, as you will remember, was my birthday. I’ll never forget that day when I became a man of my own. It was a very miserable birthday for anyone to be in my place. We had trained almost a month when we were ordered to move to the front. We went to a town by the name of Iebessa only 15 miles from the front where at that time the fighting was hard and fierce. The first night we were there, our company commander, Capt. Ramsey L. Oakes, assembled all the N.C.O.’s and told us to prepare our ammunition, guns and vehicles and be ready to begin slinging lead by morning because we were moving on to meet the enemy. There was a little excitement at first among the men but we got everything in first class condition very quickly. The next morning, Feb 20, we began moving. It was well before daylight and by daylight we were well on our way. All that day we moved across fields and wastelands in beautiful wedge formation which formed a perfect V for the enemy to look upon. About 3:00 that afternoon I saw my first enemy artillery fall. Not any of us were excited though, because it was falling about 1,000 yards away. We continued moving looking for tanks or enemy infantry, now we were in Kasserine Pass. That evening late we went into position along a road to spend the night. The first platoon, which was a light platoon, lined up in front for protection from enemy infantry. The second platoon and the third platoon lined up behind the first platoon because these platoons are heavy and used against tanks. Now I think I should tell the names of the men in my squad. Myself, section leader, Alabama; Roscoe J. Pollard, driver, Florida; “Tanker” Robert Mays, gunner, Florida; “Crooning” Jack Glenn, asst. gunner, Durham, N.C.; Grover Wilson, radio operator, Missouri, the man you have to sight things to. We put on guards that night to wake us in case of an attack. Jack Glenn was on guard the first tour and at 10:00 he awakened us. I looked forward and could see bullets going in every direction. The reason I said I could “see bullets” is because it was at night and at night, tracer bullets are used which you really can see. I knew that our first platoon had been attacked by the enemy. I had a very peculiar feeling then and I guess all the other boys did also. I can’t explain just how I felt but it is something similar to the first night I was married. Ha. It can’t be put in words. The first platoon had a small battle while the second and third platoons waited for a chance to fire at the enemy. Finally the first platoon was so out-numbered they had to withdraw behind us to take up a new position. Meanwhile, six of our M-4 tanks had accidently come up from somewhere to spend the night with us. They were lined up alongside the third platoon. After the second platoon had withdrawn the firing ceased for about two hours. I guess the enemy was reinforcing and digging in. About 3:00 in the morning we could see something that looked like a tank coming toward us. Then behind it were more. In a minute or two we could see lots of them. We did not fire because we didn’t know whether it was some of our troops on patrol or the enemy. It was too dark to see plain enough. The leading enemy tank came on toward us until he was only about 75 yards in front of us. He stopped, a man got out, and came walking toward us. He came on up and took a good look at one of our tanks on my right. Still it was too dark to tell who was who. When he started back we got suspicious and tried to halt him but he only kept walking at the same pace and didn’t look back. When he got to the leading enemy tank we heard him jabber something to the other men in the tank. We knew then it was the Germans (only 75 yards away). A soldier on the tank to my right said, “Captain, can we fire?” The captain said, “Hell yes Give them hell.” The tank roared off a round and then my half-track began bellowing with “Tanker” Mays’ sighting and firing, Jack Glenn putting in ammunition. G. C. Wilson was at the machine gun while I was receiving instructions on the radio and directing my men what to do and how to fire. We fired at least a dozen rounds of ammunition before the enemy could get started. When they began shooting back, there were really some thrills and excitement. The two sides were so close to one another that both had to begin backing. We backed and fired until one of our own tanks cut in front of me and I had to stop firing completely. Both sides withdrew and prepared for defense. As we were going into a defensive position, a battalion of M-4 tanks pulled up with us. The rest of the night we slept without disturbance. The next morning the officers told us that we were going to make a dawn attack. Each of our platoons were attached to a company of tanks. We went forward for about three miles and went into a wadi (a wadi is a large ditch). Then began to patrol for enemy tanks. We made contact but our tank destroyers could not fire from that position. We did not withdraw, but we did dig fox-holes and got in them for protection. I dug my fox-hole on a high spot and only about a foot deep. The enemy began to put artillery fire down upon us. I mean they were really throwing the shells in on us and we couldn’t do a thing but stay there and take it. I lay there in that little shallow fox-hole wondering if the next shell was going to hit me. I was really nearly scared to death because they were coming so close and it was my first time to experience anything like that. I’ll admit to anyone that I really put up a prayer and I wasn’t by myself. I can’t tell the number that got killed and shell-shocked. The artillery lasted most all day. Our tanks knocked out three enemy tanks and one of our tanks got a shell through the oil pan. Nothing serious. When darkness came we all assembled again about a mile back to prepare for the next day’s operation. The next morning at dawn, we went out again and moved up to the same wadi we were in the day before, only we were about a mile farther down the wadi. I was instructed to protect the right flank of the tanks with my section. I asked my commander what was on my right and he told me, one company of friendly infantry and a company of friendly tanks but he never told me how far away they were. I walked in front of my section and started leading them into some good positions about 100 yards to the right of the tanks around a curve – when I got around the curve and halted my section to place them in position, what did I see but a machine gun set right between my eyes and five men in a hole behind it. I didn’t think so much about it because I had never seen any soldiers like them. They were only about 15 yards away from me. I asked the boys did they know who they were and they said “No.” They never fired a shot but instead they acted as if they wanted to raise their hands. They must have been in doubt as to who I was, anyway I motioned them to come out, which they did with their hands up. I asked the one that came toward me, “Parley vous Francais?” which means “do you speak French?” and he said, “No! No! Sicily Island.” I knew then they were Italians. I had one of my boys come help me carry them back to the tanks as prisoners, but as we started moving off, some Italians started firing at us with machine guns, rifles and anti-tank guns. Of course I got my prisoners on the run and started my half-tracks backing up as fast as possible. The reason for this was because we didn’t know exactly where the bullets were coming from. I took my prisoners back as fast as possible and was coming up to one half-track that was waiting behind and a boy got excited and thought these prisoners were coming to throw hand grenades in the vehicle. He grabbed his tommy-gun and began blasting away at them. There I was between his fire and the enemies’ fire. I couldn’t do a thing but run to the side as fast as my legs could carry me. I hit the ground and began shouting to this boy to cease firing because those men were prisoners. He finally heard me and stopped firing. He killed one, wounded three and the other wasn’t hurt, only scared to death nearly. After I fell down on the ground behind a little ridge, the Italians stopped shooting at me, letting everything go at my half-tracks. One got hit, one a gas tank knocked out, and the other, a bullet went through under the running board of the half- track. It didn’t hurt that half-track at all but it went through a boy’s ankle and now he is back in the States. My section moved on back out of sight of the enemy and the firing stopped. I lay in my position for a few minutes and then I got up and ran to my half-tracks. I believe I would have won any track race. When I got back there, my officer asked me if I knew where the enemy was and I told him “yes.” He put me on my half-track and told me to lead two tanks around there. As I went leading the tanks around where the enemy was, we were firing at everything that looked suspicious. The Italians began to come out of the hole by the dozens. The tanks took over then and I moved back where the other tanks were. I got out of my vehicle, stretched and lit a cigarette to settle my nerves a bit. The Italians were still coming past us with their hands up. I noticed one coming toward me with his hands up and smiling very friendly. He walked up to me and held out his hand and said, “Commarade.” This might sound crazy to you and I guess it is, but I shook hands with him, even after they had been shooting at me so much. Of course if it had been a German, I would have probably shot him. Most all that day the bullets sang to us and we let ours sing for them. We were in the Kasserine Pass for about two weeks and every day was similar to the ones I’ve explained. In fact most all my five months of action were like those days. Some days though, we would only have artillery to put up with. From Kasserine, we went to Sbeitla, from Sbeitla we went to Feriana, from Feriana to Gafsa, from Gafsa to El Guettar. At El Guettar we had lots of fun with the German airplanes. They would come over to bomb our artillery and when they would dive down, they couldn’t get high again very quickly and we would really let them have it. We knocked down many of them. Mom, do you remember the time we went to Troy when I was a little boy and that airplane dived down at us? I was scared then, but now, I can get behind a .50 caliber machine gun and say, “let ‘em come.” That is the way they come down to bomb. We had several men wounded by enemy airplanes strafing [repeated attack] but the planes were sorry they came over in the finish. From El Guettar, we went on toward Gabes and met the British Eighth Army. We let the Eighth Army take the move northward and we went from there around up to Sedjenane. That is north of Medjea El Bab, near Mateur. From Sedjenane to Mateur and from Mateur to Bizerte. We were the first company in Bizerte and we found plenty of action in the streets there. Then the North African campaign ended for us. I visited Tunis while I was in Bizerte. Tunis is a very beautiful town, but Bizerte was completely torn down by bombing. I was in Bizerte when I wrote Sue about the flowers and going swimming. Now it is entirely different. I have also been to Algiers and Oran. I haven’t been to Casablanca yet though. The country over here is a good place to fight wars but not a place for scenery. Some spots are very beautiful, though, and most all the people are very friendly. There are very many Arabs over here. They dress and act exactly as the people did in the Old Testament. I cannot say anything about the weather over here or about the place I’m in now because of censorship regulations, but I can say this much: I prefer the U.S. two to one! I wish I could have gone to Sicily and Italy but I guess I was just too unlucky. Maybe one of these days I will go to Italy, France or Germany and have another chance at the Germans. The Italians are with us now and I believe this war will end within a year at least. I really hope so because I want us all to soon return to our loved ones. Keep smiling, praying and have faith in God. He will bring us through. Remember, I love you, Mom, and I’m longing to be back home with all of you very soon. Tell all hello for me. Oh, yes, I got a letter from Jean today. I’ll answer it tomorrow. I also got a long letter from B.S. It took only a few days for it to get here. I must close this letter now because it is getting late and I’m a little sleepy. Answer soon, be sweet, pray lots and may God bless you. Love forever and ever, WAVERLY P.S. – Excuse all mistakes, because this was written in a hurry. THANKS. - End Letter - RALEY, Zollie Conrad – Training as Pre-Aviation Cadet Pfc. Zollie Conrad Raley, son of Zollie R. Raley of Goshen, has reported at Keesler Field, Miss., a unit of the Army Air Forces Training Command, to begin training as a pre-aviation cadet. While at Keesler Field, he will be instructed in military fundamentals, drill and marksmanship, first aid, military sanitation, camouflage, and defense against air attack. RICHBURG, Joe Coston – Letter to Family / Advanced to Corporal 1943: Joe Coston Richburg, somewhere in the Southwest Pacific, has recently been made a corporal. He was drafted January 22, 1942, and – without being granted a furlough home – was sent overseas. While overseas, he was appointed as a battery clerk. Corporal Richburg is a son of Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Coston Richburg of Goshen Route 1. He sent the following letter to his family: Dear Mama, Daddy and All: Will write you a few lines today. Oh, wouldn’t it be fine if we could all be together today, but we will have to be patient and trust the Lord for everything. I am in excellent health and sure hope you all are fine. Well, they have modified the strict rules in connection with the censorship a little, so I will try to write you all a few things about this place. We are south of the equator on a South Sea island in the Southwest Pacific. The white people are mostly British subjects. I sure like to hear them talk. They use such funny expressions as “bloody” when referring to anything good or bad. They call a car “lorrie.” It was a little hard at first to get accustomed to the English money but I have learned the rates of exchange. We drive on the left side of the road instead of the right. I would like this island fine if it wasn’t so far from home. It is really a beautiful place. The island is surrounded with coral reefs and it is a beautiful sight to see the waves breaking on the coral reefs. In some places, you can hear them pounding a long way off. There are a lot of mountains here, and some of them are pretty high. The weather is very hot and the rainy season has started. We take our baths in the river nearby. The natives are dark-skinned. We send our laundry to them. Most of them can speak a little English. The tropical vegetation here is very pretty. Bananas grow wild in lots of places. Coconuts grow everywhere. A lot of tapioca is grown here, also lots of sugar cane. They make crude sugar here, and on the higher terrain there are big pineapple plantations. I have eaten so many of these tropical fruits that they are no rarity anymore. The mosquitoes are bad but they don’t bother us so much now since we have nets to cover us. We live in pyramidal tents, six to a tent. Although it is not like barracks, we have plenty of room. The mess hall is very picturesque, made of grass. The natives also live in grass huts. I have recently been appointed battery clerk and like it just fine. I am losing some of my sun tan since all my work is office work. Lots of boys bought horses. They are cheap, about $20.00. We play baseball and other games. We also go to a show once or twice a week for ten cents, but the pictures are old. We can go to church every Sunday. I always go and enjoy it so much. We have a radio that we get news and music from the States every night. We get New York and San Francisco good. I have heard the “Grand Ole Opry” on Sunday nights a good many times. Life is not so bad over here but I sure would like to be at home. Well, we can pretend I’m on a short vacation and that I will soon be at home. Don’t you all worry about me. We boys have a job to do and I’m glad to do my part. Let’s keep on trusting God that the war will be over soon. I enjoy “The Troy Herald.” I read everything in it. Please don’t let my subscription expire. Now please don’t worry about me. I’m trying to live a good Christian life and trusting God for everything. I love you all very much. – Joe Richburg ROSS, Aubrey Clement – Lead Navigator / POW in Germany Aubrey Clement Ross served in the Air Corps of the Army. A college graduate, he had been in Federal employment with the IRS in several locations including Montgomery, Ala. His parents, Clem and Rosalie Myers Ross, had lived for some years at Perote, Pike County, Ala., and at County Line, Coffee County – and many of his Myers and Ross-Green connections were in those counties. Ross enlisted as an Aviation Cadet in the Army Air Forces’ Navigation School at Selman Field, Monroe, La., and was there for one year, until he was discharged to accept a commission as 2nd Lieutenant in the Army Air Corps, beginning April 22, 1944. He left for foreign service that July and was stationed at Foggia, Italy Air Base on the Adriatic Sea. Being a top navigator, he flew as Lead Navigator with various crews including his own group. He was involved in the following battles or campaigns: Rome, Arno, Southern France, Rhineland, Northern Apennines – and was in Air Combat in the Balkins. He was with the 726th Bomb Squadron, 451st Bomb Group Heavy. At some time, he was promoted from 2nd to 1st Lieutenant. On December 11, 1944, Aubrey’s plane suffered damage from enemy fire and went down over Hungary. Two from the plane did not survive, one being 1st Lieutenant George T. Lupton, a navigator from Delaware. In 1994, in a letter to his first cousin, Kathlyn Johnson Folmar, and her husband Wilbert at Goshen, Ala., Aubrey gave this account: “Exactly 50 years ago today, I parachuted out of a B-24 after a very successful bombing of the freight yards in Vienna, Austria. Hitler was trying to ship his tanks, guns, etc., out of the Balkins. All but two on our plane survived. We had been to Sarajevo [German-held Yugoslavia] about a week earlier for the same reason. I was lead pilotage navigator for the 451st Bomb Group and flew both of these missions with the crew that was flying lead. I believe, but am not sure, that the pilot on the Sarajevo mission was George McGovern.” Aubrey’s wife Margaret received a Western Union Telegram that Aubrey had been reported “Missing in Action,” and later, also in December, received a confirmation letter from the Adjutant General. February 1945, another letter detailed circumstances of the plane’s loss and named crew members and contact information for all their families. The bomber had been damaged by enemy antiaircraft fire, lost altitude, and was last seen southeast of Gyor, Hungary, heading in a direction toward the Russian lines. After the plane went down in Hungary, Aubrey surrendered to a shotgun- armed farmer and was forced to walk much of the distance from Hungary to Barth, Germany, near the Baltic Sea. He stole coal daily to keep the barracks warm. Near the end of winter, he was caught taking coal and was brutally kicked by German guards. The POW’s had little to eat, except did have rats and stray cats. At that late time in the War, even the Germans had insufficient food. The Germans vacated the place the day before the Russians moved in. Aubrey’s family had been notified through the International Red Cross on Valentine’s Day 1945 that he was a POW, and in May 1945 were advised that he was back in U.S. military control. He had been a prisoner for five-and-a-half months until May 1, when the Americans/Russians took over the prison camp. He was deported to the United States June 12, 1945, arriving June 20 at the Army Air Force Convalescent Hospital, Cochran Field, Macon, Ga. He was discharged from military service there on November 11, 1945, due to demobilization of forces. Aubrey Ross’s military awards include an Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters – for distinguished service in flight – and a European-African-Middle Eastern Service Medal with four stars, as well as a POW Medal and Victory Medal. SANDERS, Wiley Hollis, Jr. – At Great Lakes 1943: A new recruit at the U.S. Naval Training Station, Great Lakes, Ill., is Wiley Hollis Sanders, Jr., 18, son of Mr. and Mrs. Wiley Hollis Sanders, Rt. 1, Goshen, Ala. Now undergoing boot training, he is being indoctrinated into Navy life and is being instructed in seamanship, military drill, and naval procedure. Soon he will be given a series of aptitude tests to determine whether he will be selected to attend one of the Navy’s service schools or will be assigned to active duty at sea. Upon completion of his recruit training, he will be granted a nine-day leave. SCHOFIELD, Mack – In England 1942: Sgt. Mack Schofield, son of Mr. and Mrs. J. N. Schofield of Henderson, Ala., is somewhere in the British Isles, according to a telegram received by his parents. Prior to leaving the States, he was stationed at Ft. Benning, Ga., with the 29th Infantry. While at Fort Benning, he graduated from the technical school of combat fighting. Sailing from New York on July 3, Sergeant Schofield said he hoped to be back “just as soon as the Allies finish up Hitlerism.” SEAY, Buck – 16-Year-Old Joins Navy Buck Seay, S2-c U.S.N.R., son of Mrs. Ethel Ennis, enlisted in the U.S. Navy January 2, 1945, and received his boot training at Great Lakes, Ill., and later was transferred to Shoemaker and San Francisco, and he is now on USS “Chester.” Buck is only 16 years of age, according to his family, but said he joined the Navy to see the world. He was assistant clerk at the Hotel Covington for two years before entering the service. SMITH, Juston C. – SEE Listing for Folmar, Gerald L. SNIDER, John Robert – Missing Seaman Reported Dead Washington, Oct. 11, 1942: John Robert Snider, previously reported missing, is now reported as dead. Troy, AL, Oct. 1942: Mrs. Thelma Mae Snider of Goshen, mother of John Robert Snider, received a letter from the Navy Department, also one from John Robert’s ship Commander, sending sincere sympathy from himself and the officers and crew on board. John Robert Snider was reported missing on the night of Sept. 6, 1942. His Commander said that the only consolation he could offer is that he gave up his life for his country. Young Snider had the reputation of being an excellent worker and was highly thought of by all who knew him. STINSON, John W. – In Navy / Visiting Home John W. Stinson, seaman second class, enlisted in the Navy Reserve July 20, 1942. He went to Portsmouth and to the Salmon Islands off the coast of Maryland, took a six-week cruise, returned to the Salmon Islands, and went back to Norfolk before sailing for North Africa. He wrote home that the trip over was nice except for the first two or three days when he was a little seasick. He said, too, that he was surprised to find pretty towns with modern buildings in Africa … said he still preferred the Unites States. June 1943: John W. Stinson, Q.M. 2-C, United States Navy, was home visiting his parents, Mr. and Mrs. G. L. Stinson of Glenwood, Ala., and other relatives. He had wanted to join the Navy to see the world and has now been in for two years and two months. He has spent 18 months of that time overseas, including in Italy and England and also in North Africa, Sicily, and France where he participated in action. Before entering the Navy, he was employed by a large grocery concern in Columbus, Ga. TATE, Travis – National Guardsman in North Africa 1943: Corp. Travis Tate, son of Mrs. Mollie Tate of Goshen Route 1, is now serving in North Africa. Corporal Tate was in the Alabama National Guard when it was mobilized on November 25, 1940, and was first sent to Camp Blanding, Fla. On February 16, 1942, he was sent to Camp Bowie, Tex., and from there to Camp Barkley, Tex. He received his last 13 months of training at Camp Gruber, Okla., before being sent overseas. Corporal Tate wrote that he is fine and would like for his friends to write. He gave his address, which indicated he was in Battery C, 933rd F.A. Bn. TYLER, James – Army Air Forces Sgt. James Tyler, son of Mrs. B. M. Tyler, formerly of Troy, is serving in the Army Air Forces. Upon entering military service in October 1942, Sergeant Tyler was assigned to the Air Corps Technical Training Command. He graduated from technical schools in Gulfport, Miss., and Willow Run, Mich. After completing Ford’s B-24 School at Willow Run, he was sent to Laredo, Tex., where he went to an Aerial Gunnery School. Sergeant Tyler will be assigned to a permanent Bombardment Squadron for further training. He has a brother, Sgt. Jack Tyler, serving in the Infantry. WARCRAFT ASSIGNED 1945 to Bring Servicemen Home from War The Navy announced October 18, 1945, that 42 more warcraft had been assigned to transport American servicemen home to the States from the Atlantic and Pacific. The warcraft consisted of 26 cruisers, six battleships, and 10 aircraft carriers. Ten carriers had been assigned at an earlier time. Cruisers assigned in the Pacific: the San Diego, San Juan, Oakland, Flint, Nashville, St. Louis, Santa Fe, Birmingham, Mobile, Biloxi, Vincennes, Louisville, Wichita, Chester, Pensacola, Salt Lake City, Minneapolis, New Orleans, San Francisco, and Tuscaloosa. Cruisers assigned in the Atlantic: the Philadelphia, Savannah, Bose, Reno, Augusta, and Portland. Battleships, all assigned to the Pacific: the Arkansas, Texas, Nevada, West Virginia, Colorado, and Maryland. Carriers assigned in the Pacific: the Independence, Belleau Wood, Cowpens, and San Jaciento; and to the Atlantic: Randolph, Enterprise, Wasp, Bataan, Monterey, and Langley. 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