Thursday, February 10, 1944
Our Army and Navy Boys
The public relations department of the Fifth Air Force, operating in the Pacific area, sends in the following about the record of Major Zed S. Smith, III, son of Mr. and Mrs. Zed S. Smith, Jr., of Marlinton.
Among the many pilots of the Fifth Air Force who struck at New Britain in the recent invasion was Major Zed S. Smith, of Marlinton. Flying a B-24, “The Liberator” played a prominent part in the severe bombings dealt to land targets prior to the strike by ground forces.
In the past eight months, Major Smith has covered many thousands of miles and on one mission of 2,700 miles, sixteen hours in duration to Balikpapan, Borneo, established the record for the longest combat mission of the war. To date with his crews, he has bombed enemy bases from Rabaul to Soeraja, for a total to date of 50,0000 miles.
In a skip bombing attack some months ago, Major Smith sank a cruiser, and for his part in the aerial war in the Southwest Pacific theatre has been decorated with the air medal and the distinguished flying cross.
Enlisting in the army in March 1941, Major Smith, 23, received his flight training at Mather Field, California.
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Paul D. Malcomb, of Marlinton, with the Fleet somewhere in the South Pacific, has been promoted to Pharmacist Mate First Class. About the place Paul was at, in his last letter, all he could say was he was going swimming every day – something we are not doing this time of year in West Virginia.
Sergeant Dock J. Varner, son of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Varner, is now serving with the U. S. Army Glider Infantry somewhere in England.
Edward Wagner, of the Navy, stationed at Jacksonville, Florida, is home on leave this week.
Alfred Dilley, of Camp Stewart, Georgia, is home on furlough with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Arvil Dilley.
Ralph Nottingham, of the Navy now stationed at Providence, Rhode Island, is home on leave this week with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Carl Nottingham.
Corporal James W. Howard, of the Army Air Base Charleston, South Carolina, spent four days last week with home folks at Buckeye.
Gerald H. Nottingham spent the weekend with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Austin Nottingham, of Durbin. He had a five-day leave from the Navy. He had just returned from Africa and had spent 50 days on the water. On it return trip, his ship picked up 43 German prisoners, who were adrift in life boats, their submarine having been destroyed by the British.
Luther M. Beverage, S 2-c, of the Navy, visited his brothers and sisters, Mr. and Mrs. Willard Greathouse, Mr. and Mrs. Dock Sharp, Miss Anna Lee and Reba, at Baltimore, last week.
Mr. and Mrs. Howard Burner have received word that their son, Private LeRoy Burner, has arrived safely in Africa.
LETTER
Dear Cal;
I will drop you a few lines tonight, as I haven’t anything else to do. I want to be sure that you get my new address, for I sure love The Times. I hope you keep it coming. It is almost like meeting somebody from Pocahontas county and having a nice talk with them. The rest of the boys get a big kick out it, especially the field notes and the letters from soldiers, which you publish weekly.
Do you have any snow there yet? I hope you get enough to catch a nice panther story from anyway.
I suppose things around there are pretty dead now that all the boys are in the army. I am planning on a furlough before long, maybe I can tell you a few things that I have had to happen to me, that I don’t dare write about.
I sure miss “Wib’s” hot dogs, and the movies I used to enjoy there. I can go ice skating here. We sure can have fun, for the lakes are nice.
It has been over a year since I left for the army. During this time I have been in several different states, but I’ll take the good old West Virginia hills anytime.
My Captain is from Wheeling, so he knows something about those W. Va. hills, I suppose.
Well, I’ll have to close, as it is bed time. So, be sure and send The Times to my new address.
Cpl. Minter C. Moore
WEDDING
Simpson-Spitzer
Mr. and Mrs. H. P. Spitzer, of Marlinton, announce the marriage of their daughter, Helen Faye, to John Raymond Simpson, of Anderson, South Carolina, on Saturday, January 1, 1944…
DEATHS
Mrs. Sarah Alice Burr Buzzard, aged 82, widow of the late Jackson J. Buzzard, died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Elmer Benson, in Davenport, Iowa, January 4, 1944.
The deceased was a native of Pocahontas county, a sister of the late Henry Burr.
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Frank Buzzard, aged 83 years, died at his home in Spearman, Texas… The deceased was a native of Pocahontas County, a brother of the late J. H. Buzzard… He was a man of large affairs and a leader in his community.
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Mrs. Sarah Jefferson, aged 42 years, wife of Houston Jefferson, suffered a paralytic stroke last Thursday afternoon, February 3, and died a few hours later. On Sunday afternoon, her body was laid to rest in the cemetery at Pleasant Green church, near Hillsboro.
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Mrs. Charlotte Truss Wheeler, aged 73 years, died at her home near Hillsboro Wednesday morning, February 2, 1944. On Friday, her body was laid to rest in the family plot of the Brownsburg Cemetery.
The deceased was a most excellent, useful woman. She was a daughter of the late Edward and Mary Wilson Truss. Her husband, Lewis Wheeler, has been dead many years. They are survived by six daughters: Willie Ann Boggs, Emma Lacy, Lucille Smith, Hattie Evans, Eva Church and Ruby Wheeler.
NOTICE
Relative to the Quarantining of Cases of Tuberculosis
Attention is called to the fact that the Public Health Council of the State of West Virginia has promulgated rules and regulations relating to the investigation, isolation and quarantining of cases of tuberculosis, to become effective March 1, 1944. A copy of said regulations will be posted on the front door of the courthouse and may be obtained from the local health officer or from the State Commissioner of Health.