Thursday, March 1, 1945
Our Army and Navy Boys
Here is a letter from Sergeant Ira Lee Jeffries, of the United States Army. He writes from the Philippines to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. M. F. Jeffries, of Marlinton. He was taken prisoner at the Battle of Bataan three years ago. He is one of five hundred American prisoners liberated from a Japanese military prison camp by General MacArthur’s Army:
Dear Mother and all;
I hope these few lines find you well and as happy as I am. It was the happiest time of my life the night we were recaptured. We are sure being taking good care of now. The Red Cross is treating us like kings. Everything seems too good to be true. These people seem like angels to me, after the ones I have been with for so long. I will never be able to thank these people as much as I would like for their help.
I hope to see you soon. Will tell you the whole story when I get there.
With love always,
Your son, Ira
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Mrs. Ruth Gilmore Elliott received a card on Saturday from her husband, Ralph Elliott, saying that he is a prisoner of war of the Germans. He had been reported missing in action since November 22, 1944.
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Tech-5 Gerald R. McNeill, son of Mr. and Mrs. Arnot McNeill has been awarded the Purple Heart for wounds received while serving his country in Belgium.
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Mr. and Mrs. E. E. Hill, of Lobelia, have received a letter from their son, Pvt. Murl V. Hill, of the Army, saying he has landed in the Philippines. He was in the invasion of the Philippines. Besides this son, they have five others in the service: PFC. Joel, in England; PFC. Ward, a patient at Wakeman General Hospital; Pvt. Melbern, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina; Pvt. Paul, of Camp Blanding, Florida; and their son-in-law, Staff Sgt. Laverne Smith, somewhere in Belgium.
Corporal Hubert N. Rose, of Hillsboro, has been cited by the 350th “Battle Mountain” Regiment of the 88th Blue Devil Division and awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge for actual participation in combat in Italy…
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Private First Class Alvon R. Dean, of Marlinton, is returning home on a 30-day furlough from the Fifth Army Front in Italy.
Dean, a wireman, serves in a field artillery observation battalion under II Corps in the Apennine Mountains.
Overseas since August 1943, he wears the Bronze Star, Good Conduct Medal and the European Theatre Ribbon with two battle stars.
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Julian M. Hamed, of Greenbank, was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Army February 17, upon successful completion of the officer candidate course at the Infantry School at Fort Benning, Georgia.
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Mrs. W. A. Gallaher has received word that her husband, Sergeant William A. Gallaher, of the Infantry, has landed safely somewhere in France.
WEDDING
Colaw-Mullenax
Durbin – June Vaughan Colaw and Miss Barbara Mullenax were united in marriage at the Methodist parsonage on Thursday, February 8, 1945. The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. H. N. Mullenax and the groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. James Colaw.
Anniversary
In last week’s paper, mention was made of the fact that Mr. and Mrs. James M. Cassell, of near Greenbank, had been married for better than sixty-three years. It now turns out that Mr. and Mrs. George McComb, of Watoga, had been married sixty-six years on December 28, 1944. Mrs. McComb was Miss Lydia McClure.
BIRTH
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Anderson, of Marlinton, a daughter, named Sandra Joy.
