OBIT: Guy Lawrence KEIM, 1945, Addison, Somerset County, PA

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Meyersdale Library.
Transcribed and proofread by: Richard Boyer.

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GUY LAWRENCE KEIM

Ironical Fate of Cpl. Guy L. Keim
Safely Braved Death Many Times in War to Be Killed by His Own Gun While Hunting

  ADDISON, Nov. 12 - Cpl. Guy Lawrence Keim, who flew the "Hump" on the Burma-
India front at least a hundred times, and had received his honorable discharge 
on Oct. 25, met death by accidental discharge of his own gun while hunting on 
Monday afternoon, Nov. 5.
  Young Keim was alone when the accident occurred.  He was found dead in an open 
field near the Addison reservoir by Mark E. Leslie late in the afternoon.
  Deputy Coroner C. S. Beck who made an investigation reported that Keim's gun 
apparently was accidently discharged as he was walking across the field.  The 
charge penetrated his heart.
  He was 25 years old and was inducted into the Army in September, 1942, and 
spent two and a half years overseas with the Army Air Corps in the China-Burma-
India theater.  He flew 283 missions.  His work was dropping food, clothing and 
medical supplies to isolated troops as a traffic clerk on a C-47.  For his 
excellent work he was awarded the Army Air medal with four oak leaf clusters, 
and the Distinguished Flying Cross with three oak leaf clusters, the Good 
Conduct medal and the C-B-I ribbon.  He had chalked up 1000 hours of combat 
flying.
  Keim returned to the States in June, 1945, and on June 27, in the First 
Methodist Church of Frostburg, Md., he was united in marriage with Miss Betty 
Louise Romesburg, only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Romesburg of Harnedsville.  
After a brief honeymoon he reported to an Army Air Field at Greensboro, N.C., 
and from there was transferred to Hamilton Field, California and later to Truax 
Field, Wis., where he received his discharge on Oct. 26.  He then joined his 
wife in Harnedsville and intended in the future to resume his pre-war job with 
the Paul Glover Transportation Co. of Somerset.  His wife has been employed in 
the office of Selective Service Board 2, in Somerset.
  Besides his wife, he leaves his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Scott Keim, former 
residents of Addison, now living in Hagerstown, Md.; one brother, Scott Keim, 
Jr., who is in the service in Italy; three sisters, Mrs. Irene Shaw, Mrs. 
Kathryn Burkett of Hagerstown, and Mrs. Eleanor Edith Whetsell of Addison. 
  He was a grandson of the late Jacob Keim of Addison, and great-grandson of the 
late Bishop David Keim of the Mennonite Church at Springs.
  Funeral services were conducted by Rev. Mrs. Mary Richie, former Methodist 
pastor in Addison, now of Cabot, Pa., on Thursday, Nov. 8.  He was laid to rest 
in the Addison Cemetery, where military rites were conducted by a guard of honor 
composed of servicemen.  Taps were sounded by A. Griffith, James Greaves and 
Jackie Roberts.  Pall-bearers were World War II veterans.

Meyersdale Republican, November 15, 1945