Ball, Billingsley, Bird, Caywood, Gaston, Ham, Hawkins, Hedges, James, Mead,
Porter, Quickel, Riggs, Riggs, Schaeffler, Tedrowe, Thomas, Trotter, White, Others

BALL, Eugene W. Pfc.
 Eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Willard J. Ball of Sharon, was killed in action on the Anzio beach-head in Italy, May 29, 1944. Inducted into service January 9, 1942, took his Field Artillery training, and in November that year was transferred to paratroop division; was in invasion of Kiska in 1943; left States in October 1943 for North Africa and Italy. He was engaged in farming and employed at Long-Bell Lumber Company when inducted.

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BILLINGSLEY, Leonard, Capt.
  Son of Mr. and Mrs. E. L. Billingsley of Mutual, killed in action in the mid-East theater, August 7, 1943, at the age of 26 years. He graduated from Oklahoma University, Norman, and was commissioned a second lieutenant in Field Artillery. He entered the air corps in July, 1941, and on March 6, 1942, was commissioned a first lieutenant, and assigned to air patrol duty on the West Coast. In August, 1942, he was made first pilot and sent to North Africa.

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BIRD, Claude, Cpl.
 Son of Mrs. N. E. Bird of Mooreland, was killed in action on the German front, December 21, 1944

 

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CAYWOOD, Everet A., RDM 3/c
Was killed in action aboard his ship in the Pacific war zone, the government notified his wife, Mrs. Alma Caywood in a telegram June 3, 1945. Everet, only son of Rev. and Mrs. E. A. Caywood, was inducted into the Navy May 3, 1944; took boot training at San Diego, radar at Point Loma, Calif., and Seattle, Wash., before being assigned to his ship at Portland, Ore., in November, 1944 and immediately sent to Pacific, for two and a half months at Pearl Harbor and had served as radarman in the combat zone since February, 1945. His wife and son Arlen live in their home, 1019 Webster. In civil life was a fireman at Woodward Air Base, and conducted an orchestra.

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GASTON, Hershel, Plt./Sgt.
Platoon Sergeant Hershel Laverne Gaston, son of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Gaston of Mutual, died July 25, 1944 in line of duty with the U. S. Marines on the Island of Guam. Funeral services were held July 25, 1944 by a U. S. Chaplain and he was buried in Grave No. 29, Row 2, Plot 2, U. S. Cemetery No. 2, on the Island of Guam. He enlisted in the Marines, March 28, 1941, and sent to the Pacific in July, 1942. He participated in the invasion of the Marshalls prior to Guam. He has one brother, Kenneth, and sisters, Mrs. Juanita Kay of Bremerton, Wash., and Mrs. Dorine LaMont, Alva.

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HAM, Earl Eugene "Jimmy", Pfc.
Was killed in action on Luzon in the Philippines, January 24, 1945, and was buried the same day in a beautiful spot, which was visited the next week by a brother, Cpl. Gerald Ham, also stationed on Philippines. "Jimmy" 21-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Ham, 1224 Oklahoma Ave, served one year in the National Guard, and enlisted and served two years, one in the Pacific, in the Infantry. Other than Gerald, he has two brothers in the service, T/5 Devere in Iran, and Seaman 1/c Billy Lee, serving on a carrier in the Pacific. Pfc. Ham's wife, Bobby Sue and two-year old son lives in Ridgefield, Wash.

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HAWKINS, Arthur Dale, Pvt.
Lost his life April 10, 1945 on Okinawa, while serving with Co. F. 32nd Infantry. He was inducted into service June 28, 1944, and left the States, December 18, 1944 for the Pacific theater of war, and was stationed in the Philippines before going to Okinawa. He is the 25-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. L. F. Hawkins of Quinlan. His wife lives in Monterey, Calif. He has three brothers in service.

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HEDGES, Leonard, Cpl.
27-year-old son of Mrs. Robert Hedges of Vici. died June 7, 1945 in Austria, while serving as a guard of S. S. prisoners. Details of his death have not been receivcd by relatives. In service since February, 1941, he served four months in the Aleutians, before he was sent in January, 1944 to the European theater, serving in Italy, France and Germany. In a letter dated June 1, he wrote, "You might think the war is over, over here, but if you were where I am, you would think differently

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JAMES, John W. "Bill", 2nd Lt.
Twenty-eight year old son of Mr. and Mrs. J. F. James of Curtis, entered the service January 23, 1941, transferred to air bombers, July 4, 1941, and in December, 1942, was sent to the Pacific; saw service in Australia and New Guinea. He was first reported to be missing in action, March 3, 1943, and later reported lost.

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MEAD, Leroy, Lt.
Second son of Mr. and Mrs. C. N. Mead of Sharon, Bombardier-navigator, 34th Bombing Group was killed in action June 7, 1944, when his bomber was shot down by German fighters as his ship was preparing to land in England after supporting groung forces in the invasion of Normandy. He was buried in England. Lt. Meat entered service in September, 1942 and was 24 years of age. He has three brothers in service, T/5 Burton, Fort Sam Huston, Texas; Pfc. Dale and Pfc. Stanley, serving in the Pacific

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PORTER, Eugene, Pfc.
20-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. R. R. Porter, west of Woodward, was killed in action in Germany, March 17, 1945, while serving with a rifle platoon, Co., E. 47th Regiment, and was buried beside his comrades in a military cemetery in Eastern Belgium. He was stationed in England and saw service in France, Belgium, and Germany. Other than his parents he is survived by his wife and small daughter Norma Jean, seven brothers and a sister.

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QUICKEL, Harley Barnes, W. T. 3/C
Was killed October 27, 1944 while serving as water tender aboard the USS Mount Hood, ammunition ship, in the Pacific war zone. He was inducted into the Navy in August, 1942, while he was employed with a seismograph engineering crew. His twin brother, Harold "Brownie" just recently returned from the European theater. His mother Mrs. Lula Quickel, lives in Woodward. Following his graduation from Woodward Highschool, he attended Oklahoma University 18 months.

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RIGGS, Marvin D., Cpl.
Was killed in action in France, November 25, 1944, while serving as gunner on an A-20, with the 9th Bombardment Division. The grandson of Mrs. Bertha Allison of Woodward, with whom he lived, he had been in service for two years and overseas three months. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. W. C. Riggs, live in Limon, Colo.

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RIGGS, Wenzel C., S/Sgt.
Grandson of Mrs. Bertha Allison, with whom he lived, died March 4, 1945 in Holland of wounds received in action Fepuary 26, while serving with the 744th light tank battalion in Germany. He entered service in 1941 and had been overseas 14 months. He was awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in actin between October 2 and 4, 1944 in Germany. A brother, Cpl. Marvin Riggs was killed in action in France, November 25, 1944. His wife and baby daughter live in Dallas, Texas.

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SCHAEFFLER, Albert C., S/Sgt.
Son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Schaeffler of Tangier, serving as gunner on a B-17 Liberator, Eighth Air Forces. was killed when his plane was shot down over enemy territory, January 11, 1944. He had been in service since July, 1942 and had been overseas five months; was born near Tangier educated in Tangier school, and was farming with his father when inducted into service. A brother Bill, recently inducted into service and six sisters survive.

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TEDROWE, James L., AOM 3/c
Son of Dr. and Mrs. C. W. Tedrowe, lost his life in December 1944 when the B-24 Search plane on which he was serving as a crew member, was shot down in a second attack by Jap fighters, while on a mission in the Philippines area. Jimmy enlisted in September, 1942, and was sent overseas in August, 1944, and was in Hawaii for a two months special training. He was reared and educated in Woodward, and at the time of enlistment, was employed at the Northup jewelry as watch repaiman.

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THOMAS, Perry Jim, T/Sgt.
Son of Mr. and Mrs. P. J. Thomas, Sharon,met death June 26, 1944, while serving as a crew member of a B-24, 15th Air Force, based in Italy, which was shot down over Austria. He was awarded Citations of Honor from H. H. Arnold, and President Roosevelt; Purple Heart, Air Medal and two Oak Leaf Clusters, and two additional awards of same decoration awarded posthumously for meritorious acheivement in aerial flight for sustained operational activities against the enemy from April 15, 1944 to May 24, 1944. He entered service December 10, 1942, and went across April 1, 1944.

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TROTTER, Wade, T/Sgt.
Twenty-three year old son of Dave C. Trotter, Long Beach, Calif., was born and reared in Sharon and graduated from school there; enlisted and inducted into service October 8, 1940, and when training was completed was assigned to the 37th Infantry, sent to Dutch Harbor in the Aleutians and helped establish Fort Mears, first army base. After 30 months he returned to the States in February, 1944. He was sent to Fort Benning, Ga., as a paratrooper and sent to Europe in December, 1944 and was killed when his company attacked an enemy held fortification at Thesimont, Belgium on January 15, 1945. He was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously. Burial was in Henri Chapelle cemetery, Belgium.

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WHITE, Eldon R., Pvt.
Only son of Mr. and Mrs. George F. White, 108 Main street, died March 22, 1945 on Luzon of wounds received March 17, while serving with the 169th Infantry. He had been in the Philippines since October, 1944. Before entering service he was a carpenter in the construction of the Clinton Naval Base. His wife and three daughters, Barbara, Darlene and Betty Ray live with his parents.

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