Since May is the month we celebrate Memorial Day, I been looking through old newspapers for lists of casualties of service members from World War II. These lists usually include only the name and hometown of the listed person. I have tried to add some content to the stories of these young men whose bodies were returned to the area in July 1948. These folks are all heroes, who left their homes either through the draft, or just a desire to help defeat the Axis Powers. They were so young and many died in some of the very first combat they experienced. Over the decades, I think some have begun to forget the sacrifices these folks made, and the void their absence left in their loved ones at home.
Below are names from only one newspaper article. There are many, many, more. All heroes.
Article from Pensacola Journal, 8 July 1948:
Area War Dead Returned in July 1948
Killed in Action in Italy
Returned on the US Army Transport, SS
Carroll Victory
Alabama:
Pvt.
Willie S. Cook, Evergreen
SN 1st
Ernest Kelley, Atmore
Pvt.
William L. Money, Andalusia
FN 1st
William E Stone, Phenix City
Florida:
Pfc.
Albert Bryant, Ponce DeLeon
Pfc.
Arthur L. Carmichael, Graceville
Pvt.
Francis H. Davis, Pensacola
Pvt.
James N. Hayes, Caryville
Pvt.
Curtis Kelly, DeFuniak Springs
Ssgt
Allen Lundy, Baker
Pfc. Omer
W. Page, Panama City
Pfc.
Wiley M. Taylor, Quincy
SS
Carroll Victory,
(hull V-27), was the 27th Victory ship built during WW2 under the
Emergency Shipbuilding program. It was named after Carroll, Iowa, and operated
by the Lykes Brothers SS Company. Built by the California Shipbuilding Company
in Los Angeles, the keel was laid on March 28, 1944; launched June 13th,
and completed August 31, 1944. (Five months to completely build a ship this
size is amazing.)
It was
10,500-ton, 455 ft long, beam of 62 ft, and draft of 28 ft. It had a speed of
16.5 knots.
After the
war, 1945-47 the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration and
Church of the Brethren sent livestock to war torn countries. These “Seagoing
Cowboys” made 360 trips on 73 different vessels. In 1949, the SS Carroll Victory arrived in
Mobile, Alabama and served with the U.S. Coast Guard. It was later sent to the
James River in Virginia as part of the National Defense Reserve Fleet. In the
Korean War it was used to bring supplies to the troops serving there. It was
scrapped in India in 1994.
Born: 4 Feb 1924 in Evergreen, Ala.
Died: 2 Jun 1944 in Italy
Burial: 12 Aug 1948, Magnolia Cemetery, Evergreen, Alabama
According to his draft card, before joining the Army
he was employed by the L.D. King Lumber Co., and lived on Pecan St., in
Evergreen, Ala. He was 5’11” and weighed
135lbs.
Died during the battle to take Rome.
Seaman 1st Class, Ernest Kelly
Article stated his body was being returned to Atmore,
Ala., but I cannot find any further information about him.
Pvt. William L. Money
Born: 9 Dec 1919 in Alabama, (possibly Andalusia)
Died: 11 Jul 1943 in Sicily.
Buried: 1948, Magnolia Cemetery, Andalusia, Covington
Co., Alabama
William Money enlisted in the U.S. Army 25 Nov 1940,
and was trained in Field Artillery.
At the time of his death, he was assigned to C
Battery, 376th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion, 82nd
Airborne Division.
Gen. Patton wanted to reinforce his battle-weary force
with 2,000 additional paratroopers from the reserves located in North Africa.
He ordered that the 1st, and 2nd Battalions, 504th
Parachute Infantry Regiment, (PIR), the 376th PFAB, and Company C
from the 307th Airborne Engineer Battalion be dropped near Gela on
the night of 11 July 1943. On that night, the above-mentioned units were
ordered to jump on Farello Airstrip, which was held by Americans. When the C-47
Transport aircraft over the beaches in the wake of a German air raid, nervous
anti-aircraft gunners ashore and afloat opened fire with devastating effect.
The anti-aircraft guns shot down 23, and damaged 37 of the 144 aircraft. The
airborne force suffered 10% casualties, and was badly disorganized. Investigation
revealed that not everyone was informed of the impending drop despite the
Seventh Army’s best efforts.
The aircraft that Money was on, crashed in a swamp at
Pantano D’Arcia in southern Sicily. All onboard were killed. The dead were
buried at the Gela Cemetery.
Fireman 1st Class, William Earl Stone
Born: 29 July 1922 in Phenix City, Alabama
Died: 5 Aug 1943, Sicily
Buried: 1948, Philadelphia Church, Lee Co., Ala.
His draft card from 30 Jun 1942 shows William at 5’10”
tall and 155lbs.
He enlisted 4 Aug 1942.
At the time of his death, he was assigned to the USS
Shubrick, (DD-639).
The Shubrick was escorting the cruiser USS Savanah, to
Palermo. On the night of 4 August, during an air attack, the Shubrick was hit
amidships by a 500 lb. bomb which caused flooding of two main machinery spaces
and left the ship without power. Nine were killed and twenty wounded during the
attack. The ship was returned to the U.S. for extensive repairs.
Pfc. Albert Bryant
Born: 8 Mar 1924 in Holmes County, Florida
Died: 1 Feb 1944 in Italy
Buried: New Ponce DeLeon Cemetery, Holmes Co., Florida
Albert enlisted 1 Mar 1943 and Camp Blanding, Florida.
He was 5’5” and 124 pounds.
At the time of his death, he was part of the 15th
Infantry Regiment, 3rd Inf. Division. The 15th Inf.
Division was where Audie Murphy later established his bravery to become the
most decorated soldier of WW2. During
the war the 15th had 1,633 killed, 5812 wounded, and 419 missing.
They also had 16 Medals of Honor.
Pfc. Bryant was killed during operation Shingle, the
landing, and battle at Anzio.
Pfc. Arthur L. Carmichael
Born: 17 Sept 1923 in Chipley, Florida
Died: 7 June 1944 near Rome, Italy
Buried: Damascus Baptist Church, Graceville, Jackson
Co., Florida
Draft Card from 5 May 1942, 5’11”, 154lbs.
Employed at J. Roy Camp Plumbing Co., Dothan, Alabama
Member of 339th Inf. Regt., 85th
Inf. Division
Unit was pursuing the Herman Goering Panzer Division
towards Rome, on 2 June the 339th had seized Mount Fiore.
Pvt. Francis Harry Davis
Born: 22 Nov 1922
Died: 1 June 1944 in Italy
Buried: Ft. Barrancus National Cemetery, Pensacola,
Escambia Co., Florida
141st Infantry Regt./ 36th
Infantry Division
The “Alamo Regiment”
Killed in Action during Anzio operation, assault on
Velletri, 1 June 1944.
Davis was previously wounded on 11 February, but had
returned to duty recently. He had two brothers also in military service.
Pvt. James Norman Hayes
Born: 14 Sept 1915 (Draft card states 1913),
Washington Co., Florida
Died: 2 Feb 1944, Anzio, Italy
Buried: Pleasant Grove United Methodist Church,
Hinson’s Crossroads, Washington, Florida.
Married Marie Hendricks in Holmes Co., Florida on 29
June 1940
Registered for draft 16 Oct 1940, 5’10”, 140 lbs.
Enlisted 20 May 1943 at Camp Blanding, Florida
Co. G/ 157th Inf. Regt./ 45th
Infantry Division
KIA during Anzio operation.
Pvt. Curtis Kelley
Born: 14 June 1916 in Okaloosa Co., Florida
Died: 6 June 1944 near Rome, Italy
Buried: Magnolia Cemetery, DeFuniak Springs, Walton
Co., Florida
Reg. for draft on 16 Oct 1940
Married Annie Rushing 31 Dec 1940 in Walton Co.,
Florida
Enlisted: 10 July 1943 at Camp Blanding, Florida
Co. A/ 135th Inf. Regt./ 34th
Inf. Division
Killed in Action near Rome, Italy
SSgt Allen William Lundy
Born: 13 Sept 1920 in Laurel Hill, Okaloosa Co.,
Florida
Died: 23 May 1944 in Lazio, Italy
Buried: Almarante Cemetery, Laurel Hill, Okaloosa Co.,
Florida
Could not find a draft card.
Enlisted 5 Sept 1940
36th Engineer Regt.
KIA during landing support, Operation Shingle, Anzio.
Note: His grandfather was Bill Lundy, one of the last
few surviving veterans of the Army of the Confederacy who died at 109 years of
age in 1957.
Pfc. Omer Wilson Page
Born: 9 Dec 1912 in Bay Co., Florida
Died: 31 May 1944 in Italy
Buried: Bayou George Cemetery, Bay Co., Florida
Enlisted: 24 Apr 1943 at Camp Blanding, Florida
Co. K/ 135th Inf. Regt./ 34th
Inf. Division
Received a (posthumous) Distinguished Service Cross for action occurring on 3 Feb 1944.
PAGE,
OMER (KIA)
Synopsis:
The President of the United States takes pride
in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Omer Page
(34783289), Private First Class, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in
connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving with
Company K, 135th Infantry Regiment, 34th Infantry Division, in action against
enemy forces on 3 February 1944. Private First C
lass
Page's intrepid actions, personal bravery and zealous devotion to duty at the
cost of his life, exemplify the highest traditions of the military forces of
the United States and reflect great credit upon himself, the 34th Infantry
Division, and the United States Army.
Headquarters, Fifth U.S. Army, General Orders
No. 155 (1944)
Home Town: Bay County, Florida
Pfc. Wiley
M. Taylor
Born: 1
May 1922
Died: 26
March 1944 at Anzio
Buried:
Attapulgus Methodist Church, Attapulgus, Decatur Co., Georgia
Enlisted:
10 Oct 1942
Battery
C./ 451 AAA/ AW Battalion
Coast
Artillery; Anti-Aircraft unit
Killed in
Action by bomb fragments during action at Anzio.
Since most
of the young men mentioned here enlisted at Camp Blanding, in Starke, Florida,
I thought I would add the Wikipedia entry.
Camp Blanding was established in 1939 on 30,000 acres (12,000 ha) as a training facility for the Florida National Guard after its previous training base (Camp Foster) on the St. Johns River near Jacksonville had been taken over by the Navy for Naval Air Station Jacksonville. The new camp was named for Albert H. Blanding, who had been commissioned in the Florida National Guard in 1899, and was then a Major General and Chief of the National Guard Bureau. In 1940, as the threat of war increased and the United States Army was built up, Camp Blanding became a Federal facility housing two infantry divisions plus auxiliary units. Between 1940 and 1943, nine US Army infantry divisions trained at Camp Blanding, including: 1st Infantry Division, 29th Infantry Division, 30th Infantry Division, 31st Infantry Division, 36th Infantry Division, 43rd Infantry Division, 63rd Infantry Division, 66th Infantry Division, and 79th Infantry Division. In 1943, Camp Blanding became an Infantry Replacement Center, training soldiers to be sent to existing infantry divisions as replacements, providing a high percentage of the replacements sent to Army combat units.[2][3]
The base was a holding center for 343 Japanese, German, and Italian immigrant residents of the United States.[4] A small cemetery is located on the
grounds of the former POW camp.[5] In 1946 the actual bodies were removed
to the Ft. Benning however the grave markers remaine.[6] Additionally five settler era cemeteries
are located on Camp Blanding property. Most are not maintained and are heavily
overgrown.[7]
At one point during the war, the camp contained the population
of the fourth-largest city in Florida. It had 10,000 buildings, 125 miles
(201 km) of paved roads, and the largest hospital in the state. It was one
of the largest training bases in the country.[8]
An expeditionary airfield consisting of two gravel runways
capable of accommodating C-130 Hercules aircraft has been added.
From 2001 until 2008, Camp Blanding was used by the Southeast
Region of the Civil Air Patrol to host their Southeast Region Encampment for cadets. The
Florida Wing of Civil Air Patrol continues to use Camp Blanding for their wing-level
summer cadet encampments.
From
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camp_Blanding
Since
these brave young men died during intense fighting in Italy, here is the Wikipedia
entry for Anzio.
Battle of Anzio
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Battle of
Anzio was a battle of the Italian
Campaign of World War II that took place
from January 22, 1944 (beginning with the Allied amphibious landing
known as Operation Shingle) to June 5, 1944 (ending with the
capture of Rome). The operation was opposed by German forces in the area
of Anzio and Nettuno.[a][4]
The operation was initially
commanded by Major General John P. Lucas, of the U.S. Army, commanding U.S.
VI Corps with the intention being to outflank German forces
at the Winter Line and enable an
attack on Rome.
The success of an
amphibious landing at that location, in a basin consisting substantially of
reclaimed marshland and surrounded by mountains, depended
on the element of surprise and the swiftness with which the invaders could
build up strength and move inland relative to the reaction time and strength of
the defenders. Any delay could result in the occupation of the mountains by the
defenders and the consequent entrapment of the invaders. Lieutenant
General Mark W. Clark, commander of the U.S.
Fifth Army, understood that risk, but he did not pass on his
appreciation of the situation to his subordinate,[citation
needed] Lucas, who
preferred to take time to entrench against an expected counterattack. The
initial landing achieved complete surprise with no opposition and a jeep patrol
even made it as far as the outskirts of Rome. However, Lucas, who had little
confidence in the operation as planned, failed to capitalize on the element of
surprise and delayed his advance until he judged his position was sufficiently
consolidated and he had sufficient strength.
While Lucas consolidated,
Field Marshal Albert Kesselring, the German commander in
the Italian theatre, moved every unit he could spare into a defensive ring
around the beachhead. His artillery units had a clear view of
every Allied position. The Germans also stopped the drainage pumps and flooded
the reclaimed marsh with salt water, planning to entrap the Allies and destroy
them by epidemic. For weeks a rain of shells fell on the
beach, the marsh, the harbour, and on anything else observable from the hills,
with little distinction between forward and rear positions.
After a month of heavy
but inconclusive fighting, Lucas was relieved and sent home. His replacement
was Major General Lucian Truscott, who had previously
commanded the U.S. 3rd Infantry Division. The Allies broke out in May. But,
instead of striking inland to cut lines of communication of the German Tenth
Army's
units fighting
at Monte Cassino, Truscott, on Clark's orders, reluctantly
turned his forces north-west towards Rome, which was captured on June 4, 1944.
As a result, the forces of the German Tenth Army fighting at Cassino were able
to withdraw and rejoin the rest of Kesselring's forces north of Rome, regroup,
and make a fighting withdrawal to his next major prepared defensive position on
the Gothic Line.
This
is just an overview. Wikipedia has the in-depth account of the whole operation.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Anzio
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