Henderson County TX

 

Old Military Newspaper Extracts

information provided by Laura Gregory Roberts



Newspaper stories regarding men in the service with ties to Henderson County, Texas. I believe all of these 
appeared in the Athens Review. No dates are on them.

Enoch Harris Wounded In Okinawa

Pfc. Enoch N. Harris USMCR of Athens has been wounded in action on Okinawa, according to a letter received 
by his aunt, Mrs. Laura Harris, of Athens.
 Pfc. Harris has been in the service (?) seventeen months, twelve of them overseas.
 He was employed by the Lone Star Gas Company before entering the service on November 10, 1943 and received 
his training in San Diego, Ca.
**Note** Enoch was discharged in the Winter of 1946.
Enoch was born Aug 25, 1925 and died Jan 10, 1993. He is buried in the Athens City Cemetery. Enoch was my 
cousin. (LGC)

Wallace Tapley Prisoner War In Germany

Sgt. Wallace Neal Tapley of San Antonio, was captured by the enemy on May 27 and is now a prisoner of the 
Germans according to a letter received by his mother and forwarded to Mr. and Mrs. L. B. Strickland of Martins Mill. 
Sgt. Tapley was reared in the Ark Ridge community, near Martins Mill, and attended school there.
 Sgt. Tapley went overseas in February of this year ad was a crew chief and tail gunner on a bomber. He was on 
his 46th mission when his plane went down on or near Corsica when it ran out of fuel. Sgt. Tapley did not receive a 
scratch in all of his flights, nor was he or any of his crew injured when the plane was forced down.
 “We received a notice from the War Department saying that Wallace is a German prisoner, and that the department 
was sending us a number to put on his mail so that we could write to him and he would get it. We man send him packages,
 too,” said Mrs. Tapley, adding: “ Some of the boys from his company are here at Fort Sam Houston, and they told of a lot of 
wonderful things Wallace did. He would never mention what he did”.
 Sgt. Tapley, 24, entered the Air Corps August 24, 1940, and was stationed at Kelly field; Perrin Field; Atlanta Georgia; at 
Perrin Field again; Independence, Kansas; Las Vegas, Nevada, where he attended gunnery school; Pocatello, Idaho; 
Boise Idaho; Topeka, Kansas; Palm Beach Florida. He then went to West Africa, North Africa and Italy. He has flown 
over very state in the United States.
 He attended an airplane mechanics school at Atlanta and in the course of his training received six months of flying, 
studied code and stayed as an instructor in code and a mapmaker.
*There are a couple of spelling errors but I typed the article the way it was written. 

Nephew of Sheriff on Island Of Saipan-1,300 Miles from Tojo

Sgt. Leonard Bennett, son of Mrs. Calvin Bennett of Dallas and nephew of Sheriff Jess Sweeten, is in action on 
the Island of Saipan, according to a letter received by the sheriff Wednesday.
 Sgt. Bennett, a tank operator, said: “ Here I am about 1,300 miles from Tojo. There was a lot of target practice here, 
but it is about over. Not much I can write, but I can tell you a lot when I get back- if I get back.
 I got a good Jap rifle and I will send it home if I can for you to look over”.
 Sgt. Bennett has visited in Athens frequently.
** Notes wrote on paper by Mrs. Athlean Youndblood* I wish the nephew of our Sheriff best of luck and when he returns 
tell a lot as he wishes. And I bet he can do that.

Mr. and Mrs. W. W. Foster have received word from their son, Weldon, who is somewhere in the pacific, that he has 
been promoted to Seaman 1/c.
Notes written by Athlean Youngblood* weldon Foster is a very swell kid and a son to be proud of. He is now overseas 
in U. S. Navy yards. Want to express my desire for his safety and happiness in the days to come.

Raymond Bevel, First Missing Prisoner War

Pfc. Raymond Bevel, reported missing in action December 16, in the Battle of the Belgian Bulge, is a prisoner of war 
of the German government.
 The information was contained in cards received from him by Miss Audrey Miller and his parents, Mr. and Mrs. John 
Bevel. At the time the cards were written on Jan 25, he was at Stalag 4 B.
 Pfc. Bevel attended school at Pottowattomie and Cross Roads and was engaged in farming at Cross Roads when he 
entered the service in 1942.

Pfc. Bevel of Malakoff Freed

Two men from this section of East Texas are among Army-Navy was casualties and liberated prisoners of war 
announced Friday by the office of the Office of war Information. The men are:
 Pfc. Raymond B. Bevel, son of Mrs. Lillie R. Bevel route 1, Malakoff, prisoner of war of the Germans, liberated.
 Pfc. Herbert L. Sloan, son of Mrs. Clara Sloan, route 5, Wills Point, Army, wounded, Pacific region.

Perkins Promoted To Seaman First Class; In Pacific Theatre

Seaman Second Class Travis Lee Perkins, having completed the required Navy training course, was promoted to 
petty officer, seaman first class, on May 18. His Navy training course certificate has just been received by his 
mother, Mrs. Essie Perkins, Athens route 4.
 Seaman Perkins has been in the service for thirty-four months, thirty of them in the Pacific area. He attended 
school at Baxter and prior to entering the Navy was employed in Dallas.
Note wrote by Athlean Youngblood* March 11, 1946 Travis out of service married Shino(?) Knox a very good 
friend of mine. Good luck kids.

Cpl. Mayfield, With Hospital In West Africa Visits Holy Land

Cpl. Elmer Mayfield, stationed at a general hospital somewhere in West Africa, took advantage of a recent 
opportunity to visit the Holy Land, and tells of the trip in a letter received by his father, B. F. Mayfield.
 “ I have been on furlough and am pretty well rested up. I spent my furlough in Palestine, and visited all of the 
old Bible places, Jerusalem, Moyerath, Jerico and Bethlehem. I saw the manager where Christ was born, the 
place of the crucifixion and His tomb, the Dead Sea, the River Jordan and the Sea of Galilee.
 “ I went swimming in the Dead Sea. There is nothing alive in the water.
 “ Everything was furnished by the Red Cross, and I had a swell time. I stayed in the Red Cross quarters in 
Tel-Avin, a modern town inhabited mostly by Jews. A lot of the people there have been in the United States.
 “ I could tell you more about this trip, but if I tell it all now, I won't have anything to tell you later”.
 Cpl. Mayfield also sent his father a leaf from a tree in the Garden of Gethsemane.
 The soldier, engaged in farming in the Walton community before entering the service, has been overseas for 
twenty-nine months.
**Notes on paper** No doubt Cpl. Mayfield would enjoy home for a change. Cheer up you no doubt will in a short while.    

Cpl. Pickle Likes Saipan So Well He Would Like To Leave There At Once

Cpl. Clarence Pickle, son of Mr. and Mrs. F.B. pickle, is now in action on the island of Saipan, according to word 
received by his parents. It is the first letter they have received from him in six weeks.
 “ Just a few lines to say hello and to let you know where I am, and I can tell you now. I am on the Island of Saipan. 
You have probably been reading quite a bit about it lately.
 “ Things were not so good when we got here, but there have been lots of changes and things are not so bad now. 
Betty asked me in her letter if there was anything I wanted. You may tell her that I would like to have a real bomb 
proof shelter. It would come in rather handy some nights around here.
 “ I lost several nights sleep in a fox hole, sweating out raids when we first landed, but I think the enemy has about 
given up. The first thing I saw when I got to Saipan was a dead Jap. Mother, you never in your life smelled anything
 that smells as bad as a dead Jap.
 “ I went to what is left of the city of Barapan. It is just a small place but it was built up mostly of concrete houses. 
The island is mostly hills and mountains, but about seventy per cent of the island is in sugar cane with a few 
pineapples and bananas.
 “ To end with, I like it so well that I would like to get the hell off this island”.
 Pfc. Pickle entered the service in October of 1942, and received his training in California and Massachusetts. 
He was sent to Hawaii in December and then to Saipan.
 Mr. and Mrs. Pickle have another son in the service, in France, Cpl. Floyd Edwin Pickle. He also entered the 
service in October 1942. He received his training in California and was sent to England last January and from 
there to France after the invasion started. His wife is making her home with her parents in Palestine, Mr. and 
Mrs. Johnny Williams.

Soldier Believes Home Soon;

Almost every serviceman, in letters to friends and relatives, express the belief that they will be home soon - 
and a recent letter sent from Pvt. Lynn Davis, somewhere in England, is no exception. The 22-year old, 175 
pound soldier also said that he has been too tired to write, that he goes to bed as soon as he gets off duty, 
further testiomony that even husky men, used to hard work, are finding the great effort to bring the war to an 
early end a strenuous one.
 “ The war news is excellent now, and I know it can't be long before I'll be coming home to the dear old 
United States and you,” he told his parents, County Judge and Mrs. Frank R. Davis.
 “ I had a day off  day before yesterday and went to the beach and went swimming. I had a nice time while I was 
there and I thought of all the water between us and what a grand day it will be when I'm crossing it going west
 instead of east.
 “ There are some kind of tiny bugs in the air that are about to drive us GI's crazy. The English call them “midget bugs.” 
They get all over us and feel like fleas. They say they have them every year at this time.
 “ I am getting plenty to eat. I have an orange almost every morning but, of course, the dehydrated eggs are nothing 
to brag about. But that is the best they can do, I suppose.”
 Pvt. Davis, with the supply department of the Air Corps, went overseas last March.

“ Was Nothing” But Army Thinks It's Worth Star

Sgt. Lunda E. Brown of Athens was a corporal when he arrived at McCloskey General Hospital, Temple, but 
shortly afterwards he was advised that he had been made a sergeant two days before he was wounded near 
Sezza, Italy, according to a news story from the hospital's public relations office. The story, received by the 
Review Saturday, continues:
 Today he was even more pleasantly surprised when he was told that he will soon be presented with the Bronze 
Star in recognition of his demonstration of courage under fire.
 “ I guess it's for that nasty time we had near Mignano, Italy,” the Texan explained quietly, adding: “It was only the 
third day of combat for our artillery unit.”
 “We had moved up into position to lay down a barrage to cover a infantry attack. Soon after started firing enemy 
spotters located us, and enemy shells began exploding around our guns.”
 “It was our first time under fire,” Brown said, “and almost immediately our section sergeant was out of action. I was 
only a private first class cannoneer, but the corporal and I took over and directed the firing until the job was done. 
I don't know why they make such a fuss over it. Somebody had to carry on. We just couldn't run off and leave our 
boys who were attacking the enemy exposed without artillery support. It was tough there for a number of our men 
were out of action. By the time we attacked “Million Dollar Mountain” a few days later, I had been promoted to corporal.
 “The longest stretch of solid fighting my unit had was the 65 days we spent at Cassino,” Brown declared.
 “Near the town of Sezza.” He continued, “the enemy retreated so fast that we lost contact. Our unit was sent on 
ahead to re-establish contact. When we made contact immediately began shelling German infantry. The same thing 
happened here that occurred at Gignano. We were subjected to counter-artillery almost immediately.”
 “One of the enemy shells cut our telephone wires. Just after I had left my gun to repair the the break, shell fragments 
broke both my legs. Cpl. Robbins of Corsicana, who also got the Bronze Star for our hot time at Mignana; Lt. Bedsoe, 
another Texan; Sgt. Kurioz of Milwaukee,Wis.; and Pvt. Carter of Alabama risked their lives in that intense shellfire to 
carry me away from the scene of the sheling to an air station.”
“If I ever meet up with those boys again,' said Brown with a peculiar light in his eyes,” we are sure gonna have us a time.”
 Sgt. Brown's wife, Mrs. Hazel Brown, and his mother, Mrs. J.B. Brown reside in Athens.

Sp/4 Sylvin Whitehead, son of Atheleen Youngblood Whitehead of Athens, is now serving in the Field Artillery in the 
U.S. Army in Korea.
Whitehead began his basic training at Fort Polk, La., later completing the remainder of his training at Fort Still, Okla. He 
will be returning shortly from Korea after completing his duties there.

Airman Thomas G. Burch, son of Mr. and Mrs. H. W. Burch of 703 Ruth St., Athens, has graduated at Sheppard AFB, 
Tex., from the U.S. Air Force electrical power specialist course. The airman, who learned to operate and repair diesel 
engine generators, is being assigned to Perrin AFB, Tex., for duty with Aerospace Defense Command which protects 
the U.S. against hostile aircraft and missiles.
Airman Burch, a 1966 graduate of Athens High School, attended Henderson County Junior College.

Pvt. Knox Finishes Training At Parachute School, Fort Benning

Pvt. Haynes C. Knox, son of Mr. and Mrs. Willie Knox of Athens, route 4, has won the right to wear the Wings and 
Boots of the United States Army Paratroops at the Parachute School, Ft. Benning, Georgia. He has completed four 
weeks of jump training, during which time he made five jumps, the last a tactical jump at night involving a combat 
problem on landing. Jumping at the Parachute School has been steadily developed to a recognized war science. 
American Paratroopers have been recognized throughout the world for their meritorious actions against the enemy, 
the announcement stated. In addition to producing jumpers, Parachute Specialist Training is giving to qualified men 
in communication, demolition, riggers and parachute maintenance, vital skills for Airborne troops.

Soldier Overseas Now For 33 Months; Nicked On Nose by Bullet

Pvt. Frank Lewis Whitehead, Jr. son of the late Frank Whitehead of Athens, has just completed thirty-three months 
of overseas service with the infantry.
“Everything is going fine, but home was never like this. I had a close shave the other day, but was lucky. They only 
nicked me on the nose,” he said in a recent letter. Pvt. Whitehead served a year or more in the States before going 
overseas.

Sgt. Graham in Rest Home in England; At Half Mark on Missions

Technical Sergeant Ralph C. Graham, son of Mr. and Mrs. E. E. Graham, Athens, route 5, is in a rest home in 
southern England. Sgt. Graham, overseas since last October, has completed half of his combat missions. He is a 
radio man and has been operating from a base in England. Graham, graduate of Athens High School, volunteered 
for service in 1940.

Prisoner of War Writes Parents From Germany

After several months of anxious waiting, Mr. and Mrs. J. T. Allen, from Athens, have received a card from their son,
 Cpl. Oran Allen, prisoner of war of the Germans, stating that he is well. The card, all mailing directions and return 
address in German, contained an attached card for reply, and was postmarked 
 “Stalag II-B.” Stalag II-B is a prison camp for non-coms and privates and is about 100 miles northeast of Berlin.
“I am a prisoner of war in Germany. I know you are worried about me, but I am well and safe. So cheer up when you 
get this. I am glad to be alive. Tell all of the kids I can't write to all. I will write soon. Write as soon as you can, and 
don't worry. All my love,' Cpl. Allen said. The card, dated October 10, 1943, is the first message Mr. and Mrs. Allen 
have received from their son since September 5 of last year. They have been writing to him regularly, however and 
sending him packages. Mr. and Mrs. Allen were notified on October 25 that Cpl. Allen was missing in action, but they 
received a communication later stating that he was taken prisoner on September 19, at Salerno. The fact that he was 
a prisoner of was was verified on December 1. Cpl. Allen went overseas last April.

Pvt. Morgan Finds Even Working Men In Australia Bum A Yank For Money

Letters from servicemen stationed in foreign countries oftentimes reveal that one of the principal attractions they hold 
for the natives is their possession of such luxuries as gum and candy-and money. No exception in this letter from 
Pvt. Roy E. Morgan to his wife.
“Sydney, Australia, is a nice city, but the people here are just the same as those in any other place in Australia. You 
can't walk more then eight or ten block without someone begging you for something- anything from a chew of gum 
to two shillings. And it is not just the kids. Even able bodied men who are working and drawing big pay bum a Yank 
for money,"he said.
“ I've seen the most of Sydney in the last two weeks, but I still go down every morning to get away from 
camp,” he continued. “I have looked all over town for something nice to send home for Christmas, but haven't  
been able to find much. I did find a set of lovely spoons, and a set of forks. The spoons are new, but the forks 
are second-hand. I have a box almost full of junk. I may be able to find a few more things before I leave Sydney. “ 
When we leave here we will go back to Brisbane, but we don't know where we will go from here. I will bet it is 
somewhere we have never been.” Pvt. Morgan sent his wife a picture of himself and Pvt. Troy Napps of Chandler, 
taken on one of the main streets of Sydney. He is with Bose Hubbard, Harold Page and Bartley Wallace, among 
others from Henderson County.
He entered the service on March 8, 1942, and went overseas in December of that year. He had not been permitted 
to reveal his location until he wrote the last letter to his wife. Pvt. Morgan, son of W. A. Morgan of Vernon, is with a 
Medical Depot Company. He was engaged in farming before entering the service. Mrs. Morgan is making her home 
with her mother, Mrs. Lizzie Buskner, at Bethel.

Whitehead Is Winner of Bronze Star Medal

Pfc. Frank L. Whitehead, 10th infantry regiment, United States Army, son of Mrs. Eula Mae Whitehead of Athens, 
has been awarded the Bronze Star Medal for gallantry in action on August 24, 1944, near Montereau, France.
The announcement was received by the Review Thursday from Maj. Gen. Albert E. Brown, United States army, 
commanding. The citation stated:
“The enemy, with excellent observation from high ground, was subjecting a mortar column of our troops to extremely 
heavy and accurate artillery fire and several vehicles became mired down in deep mud. Enemy observers directed 
the full force of the artillery upon the stalled vehicles.
“Whitehead (then private), an ammunition bearer, realizing that the destruction of mortar equipment in these vehicles 
would leave the battalion without necessary element of support and jeopardize its mission, left his place of comparative 
safety and removed his mortar to safety , returning under heavy fire and attempting in his task which contributed 
greatly to the success of the subsequent attack.”
The citation is among those released by the headquarters, Fifth infantry division, with awards for heroism and meritorious 
service to members of the “Red Diamond” division who served in the long and arduous European campaign.
** Notes ** My husband Frank L Whitehead was in many interesting places as well as those not so amusing. Spent 
two years in Iceland, three months stay in England, nine months in in North Ireland, Germany eight months, 
Luyinburg(?) two months, Holland, Belgium fifteen days each. Austria four months. Later to France where he remained 
at rest camp until he left for States on the first of August 1945. Landed in Miami, Florida by plane August 2, 1945. On 
the 3rf arrived at Fort Sam Houston by plane given Discharge. Arrived home August 6, 1945 at Athens, Texas. 
Athleen Whitehead Youngblood. Copied as written( LGC)

John Bevel Wears Unit Commendation Ribbon

John H. Bevel, Jr., route 1, Malakoff, ship's cook second class, USN, now serving aboard USS HarryF. Bauer, a 
destroyer-mine sweeper, has been authorized to wear the Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon. The ribbon is for service 
aboard the vessel in the Okinawa campaign.

Former Eustace Boy Receives Paratrooper Wings At Ft. Benning

Pvt. Edward C. Weaver, son of Mr. and Mrs. J. J. Weaver of Odessa, formerly of Eustace, has won the right to wear
 the wings and boots of the United States Army Paratroops, having completed four weeks of jump training at Ft. Benning, 
Georgia. He made five jumps, the last a tactical jump at night involving a combat problem on landing. He recently spent 
fifteen days with his parents. The paratrooper, who was born five miles north of Athens and attended school at Eustace, 
was called into service in October 1943 shortly before his parents moved to Odessa. After reporting to Fort Bliss on 
November 19, 1943, he received training at two camps in Texas, and at camps in Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina 
and Georgia, all in one year. He is a grandson of C. C. Weaver and a nephew of Mr. and Mrs. Alvy Weaver of Athens. 
He has one brother in the service, Alvey weaver, who was called in February of last year.

Staff Sgt. Raymond L. Thornton, Henderson County's hitch-hiking paratrooper, was slightly wounded in action some 
where in Holland September 20, according to a telegram received from the War Department by his parents, Mr. and 
Mrs. T. J. Thornton of Murchison, Route 1. Sgt. Thornton already is the holder of the Purple Heart for wounds 
received in action in Italy February 8, 1943. He received a bullet wound in the hand on the Anzio beachhead, 
the third wound, between February 8 and September 20. He also participated in the invasion of Sicily. Sgt. Thornton, 
now 22 entered the service when he was seventeen years of age and completed his training on July 18, 1942. He 
became known as the county's hitch-hiking paratrooper after he was given a ride by the author of Our Daily Bread 
column of the Hope Star of Hope, Arkansas, while he was thumbing his way home from Ft. Bragg, North Carolina, 
and made the subject of an interesting article.
“Raymond has save enough to buy a farm and plans to do so as soon as one can be found,” his mother told the Review.

Herndon Youngblood Arrives Overseas

Pvt. Herndon T. Youngblood, son of P. H. Youngblood of Athens, has arrived safely in England. He served twenty-three 
months in the Field Artillery in Texas and Louisiana before going overseas, and while in Louisiana attended a baking 
and cooking school and received a diploma.
**Note :Herndon Youngblood is a friend of my family. I rode his school bus that he drove  for the Bethel school north of 
Athens. Herndon lives in the New Walton community. (LGC)**

My Star Of Hope
I looked from out my window,
And in the sky afar
A tiny ship at anchor,
There shone a Golden Star
“Tis a lamp in his window,
A light unto my feet,
Both he and I are waiting
Until we two meet again.
My “Star of Hope” so previous,
I call this Golden Star.
It shineth in my sorrow,
My love one lost in war.
(Anyone wishing a copy of this poem suitable for framing may write Mrs. Marie Gillert 414 East Tyler or call 319. Her 
husband, Sgt. Henry Gillert lost his life in November 1943, in the European theatre of Operations.

Youngblood Awarded Purple Heart, Bronze Star, Two Battle Stars

Sgt. Herndon T. Youngblood, son of Mr. and Mrs. H. P. Youngblood of Athens, has ben awarded the Purple Heart, 
Bronze Star and two battle stars during the six months he has been overseas. He is a cook in an artillery division
 and is stationed in Germany. Sgt. Herndon T. Youngblood. Somewhere in Germany, recently sent his parents quite 
a collection of captured souvenirs including two guns, a pocket knife, a bayonet, a sword, a dagger, a linen scarf, 
and an American cook book.

Sidney Shaw Is Home After Two Years Overseas.

Warrant Officer Sidney Shaw of the United States Navy has returned to the States after two and a half years of 
service at a lend lease destroyer station in the North Atlantic, and is spending a thirty day leave with his parents, 
Mr. and Mrs. F. D. Shaw, at Eustace. His wife resides in New York City. Mr. Shaw, radio electrician, has been 
doing installation and maintenance work at the station, and says that the base has been transformed from the 
mud hole it was when he first arrived into a first class station. The men have all modern conveniences, the only 
disagreeable thing being the weather. There is lots fog in the summer the temperature reached a high of 68 
degrees one day and lots of snow in the winter. The temperature seldom drops below zero, but Mr. Shaw 
remembers when it was five below on one occasion. He was chief petty officer when he went to the base, 
receiving a promotion to warrant officer after his arrival. He entered the service in February 1942, in New York, 
where he had been employed by Western Union. He went to New York in 1930, and has resided there since. 
The visit is the second since he went to the North Atlantic. At the expiration of his leave, he will go to San 
Francisco, California, for re-assignment.

Mother Submits Poem On second Anniversary Airman Son's Death

The following poem was submitted by Mrs. J. H, Lancaster, 414 East Tyler, in memory of her 19 year-old son, 
Aubra Talmadge Patterson, aviation radioman, who lost his life in the service of his country on November 8, 1942. 
It is entitled 
“Lost Flight” and was written by Joseph S. Lovett Sr., who also gave a son for his county.
Oh, his wings were bright and shining
As he soared into the skies-
On his lips the song of freedom
And God's beauty in his eyes.
Brave and loyal in the service
Of the Flag he bore on high-
He gave his life to keep it flying,
And such heroes never die.
So, another name is graven
On  the Shield of Freedom's Light,
There to live and shine forever.
Showing us the the truth and right.
Time may dim our grief and sorrow
But our love for him will stay
Bright through all the years before us,
And we'll miss him everyday.
Yes, he knows we will remember,
And he smiles with love and pride
When to Heaven comes our whisper,
“Thank you son, for us you died.”
Oh, his wings are bright and shining
And no clouds are in the skies,
As he hears the songs of angels
And God's beauty fills his eyes.

One of the many letters Mrs. Lancaster has received stated: Your grief will be assauaged somewhat for you to 
know what a courageous lad he was and how anxious he was to do his part. He was not regulary assigned to 
any of the squadrons we took with us, but due to his outstanding ability.( The end part is missing)

DOUGHBOY   (A poem that was wrote by a soldier)
In the cold of winter
Ice everywhere,
I dig a fox hole;
Live solitaire
In the cold of winter
In my soggy home
I sit and shiver
But I'm not alone.
I know my dear mother,
All my loves ones, too,
They share my sorrows,
Try to squelch my blues.
Then comes an order,
My men, you'll advance.
We then say a prayer,
Maybe our last chance.
The attack is over.
We dig another hole.
Attack, dig in, then again.
Our life's like that of a mole.
We see the sunny outside,
Which we would enjoy
But nix, my lad, you don't do that
You're a soldier boy.
As days go by, so sunny,
And golden bells do ring,
Church doors are opened wide
But we can not attend.
We lie within this soggy den
Even we'd like to sing,
But no, not a word
For danger that would bring.
Yes, there's not a man alive,
But who would always give
A prayer a day; a prayer always
To go back home and live.
I'll tell you all, but not so fast.
You'd never understand.
Someday, my prayer will take me back
To Old America Grand.
We're going to say, and be sincere,
“We've only done a bit.”
We aren't going to spread it on
As if we are fully lit.
We'll let the past be bygone days,
And ne'er be brough to mind.
We'll never mention days gone by,
We don't hand out that line.
Then, will we all forget
Our past troubles and strife
Yes, Everything's Okay.
“We've won. Wonderful Life.”
Submitted by Pvt. Wade W. Moon Sr. Somewhere in France
Note: Typed as printed in the paper. LGC

Eustace Fighter Pilot Home From Pacific Theater

Sandy-headed Capt. Billie K. Shaw, Corsair fighter pilot of the U. S. Marines, Friday paid tribute to the art of 
the Japanese in camouflage, but the story he told of the strafing he gave a Nip supply boat shows that is at 
least this one instance the attempted deception failed. The captain has just arrived for a thirty day leave with 
his parents, Mr. and Mrs. F. D. Shaw of Eustace, after eight-teen months in Hawaii, Midway and the 
Solomons. “We received a report that the Jap supply boat was off Gizo Island and we later found it uner the 
trees nearthe shore with branches all over it. It was well camouflaged, all right, but I recognized it as the boat 
I was after and I came in fast, about forty feet over the water, and let it have a burst. I made four more runs 
over it and it evidently was filled with gasoline as it burst into flames all over. Smoke was seen to rise from it 
five hundred feet into the air,” said Captain Shaw. That occurred on one of Shaw's sixty-five missions as a 
member of a squadron of fighting Corsairs. Capt. Shaw, who wears the Air Medal, said that he has covered 
U-24's to Kahili on the southern tip of Bougainville and the landing at Empress Augusta Bay on Bougainville 
and also covered the Munda campaign. His last station was with the fighter command general staff during
the Rabaul campaign.

Pvt. Edward C Weaver Killed by shell fragment. He is buried on Luzon.

Note: I believe most of these stories appeared in the Athens Review newspaper.
Athlean Youngblood had these newspaper clippings in a old scrap book and she was 
kind enough to allow me to make copies.(LGC)

 

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