Obituary for Earl Arthur Landra, Harbor Beach, Huron County, Michigan Copyright © 1998 by Amy Parker. This copy contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives. USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. ___________________________________________________________________ Tribute Paid Earl Landra Who Lost His Life Christmas Day Earl Arhtur Landra Harbor Beach, Jan 14 -- An inpressive tribute to Earl Arthur Landra, 20, drowned while on watch Christmas day at an overseas uS submarine base, was paid by his commanding officer, Lieut. Commander R. C. Johnson, in a letter to his parents, Mr and Mrs Benjamin Landra. Lieutenany Commander Johnson wrote "Mere words are a hollow tribute at a time such as this but you may take personal pride and comfort in the assurance that your son was performing an essential duty here and that he died just as gallantly as if he had been on the field of battle. Landra apparently slipped and fell in the bay during a heavy shower while on watch duty at the waterfront. His disappearance was discovered by his relief and a search revealed his rifle and flashlight on a pier. His body was recovered three days later. Funeral services were conducted at his station and the remains interred there for the duration of the war. A memorial mass was solemnized recently by Rev. George Flanagan in St Anthony’s Cath ch, Helena, which he attended as a boy. Frank Grates, Harbor Beach, Killed July 22 That the war is still going on was brought home forcebly to Harbor Beach this week when Mrs. Frances Grates received a telegram from the War Dept informing her that her son, Frank A. Grates, Motor Machinist Mate 3-c, was killed in the South Pacific on Sunday, Julyy 22. Grates graduated from Out Lady of Lake Huron Cath High School in June, 1942. He was active in all sports while in high school. He entered the armed forces in October, 1943. Survivign besides his mother are six brothers, Stanley, a warrant officer in US Navy at Chicago, Clarence, Detroit; Arthur, James, Earl and Raymond all of Harbor Beach; and three sisters, mrs Frank Klebba, Lillian and Marion Grates all of Harbor Beach. This latest Huron County war victim will be honored at a memorial Mass in Our Lady of Lake Huron Cath Ch in Harbor Beach at 9 a.m. on Saturday. dz