Seventy-Five Years Ago

Thursday, August 16, 1945

Our Army and Navy Boys

Private First Class Hilbert S. Dameron, son of Mrs. Annie Dameron, of Lobelia, is home from Europe on a 30-day furlough. He has been in the Army more than three years and served with the Quartermaster Force in England, France, Belgium and Germany.

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Lieutenant Richard F. Currence, is home on leave from the Navy for a week while his ship is being repaired. He has seen much service in the South Pacific.

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Sergeant John William Warren, son of Mr. and Mrs. H. M. Warren is home from long service in the European area. He has recovered from severe wounds and received an honorable discharge.

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Sgt. Ranson Clark has returned to Camp Shelby, Mississippi, after spending 32 days with his wife and baby here. Sgt. Clark is just back from England, France and Germany. He has been awarded the Expert Infantryman’s Badge and the Bronze Star Medal.

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St. Sgt. Herbert Clark, of Fort Benning, Georgia, came home to visit his brother, Sgt. Ranson Clark. It was the first time the brothers had been together for five years.

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Edward Wagner, MaM 2-c, of the Navy, is home on a 25-day leave. He has had ten months’ service in Africa, Italy and England.

LETTER

Corporal Walter L. Smith writes from Europe under date of July 15, 1945:

Dear Mr. Price;

How are things around Marlinton these days?

Well, Mr. Price, I sure have covered a lot of territory since my outfit left Corsica. I have seen practically all of Germany and it sure is a torn up country. The cities aren’t any more than a pile of rubble, but aside from that, the country is beautiful.

My company helped build the first Treadway bridge across the Rhine at Worms, on March 26th, and they sure tried their best to tear it down, but didn’t quite make the grade. After we did get on the eastern side of the Rhine, it was a difficult job to keep up with them. They sure took off across Germany. They have a beautiful highway. The call it the super highway, four lane drive. They blew most all the bridges out. I have a lot of pictures I’ll show you when I get back home… I have 98 points and expect to get out of the Army real soon. I’m sweating out a plan for home now, but don’t know how long it will be yet. Hope to get back in time to go squirrel hunting with Uncle Clete Kelley this fall.

Right now I’m within twelve miles of Marseilles, France…

The weather sure is hot here. Hotter than it gets back home. When the wind blows it is awful dusty, almost like Africa…

Well, I have been over here in Europe almost 32 months, and I’m ready to come home any day. I’m sure homesick for the good old W. Va. Mountains again, and I guess a lot more of the boys feel the same way.

I almost forgot to tell you that I was at Hitler’s home in the Alpine Mountains while in Germany, and the place sure is a mess. The heavy bombers dropped several 12 thousand pound bombs on the place. I have a lot more to tell you when I get back.

Keep The Times coming, for I sure enjoy reading it. That is about the only way I can keep up on the news.

Sincerely Walter Smith

ARBOVALE NEWS

The hum of the threshing machine is now to be heard throughout the land, and farmers are taking advantage of the dry weather to finish their hay making.

Misses Irene and Peggy Lee Crist, who spent a few days here with their parents, Mr. and Mrs. E. F. Crist, left Tuesday for Baltimore where they are employed in the offices of the Glenn L. Martin Plant.

Mr. and Mrs. Estes Crist and daughter, June, and sons, Gene Allen and Jerry, left Friday to visit relatives at Anstead.

Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Orndorff are planning to move into their new home which is nearing completion.

Several persons have been attending the meeting at Bethel on Back Mountain which is being conducted by Rev. H. T. Heironomus.

Moro Beard, who is working in Huntington is here a few days to look after his farm and other business.

Mrs. Jewel Orndorff who has been spending some time with her sister, Mrs. Marie Liest, has returned home.

Neil Hevener is completing a large barn and silo on his farm.

BIRTHS

Born to Mr. and Mrs. John D. Perren, a daughter, named Lola Jean.

Born to Mr. and Mrs. P. B. Mason, a daughter, named Martha Ellen.

DEATHS

Frank Baxter, aged fifty-nine years, died at his home near Edray, on Friday night, August 11, 1945, following a lingering illness.

On Monday afternoon his body was laid to rest in the family plot in the Edray cemetery. The funeral was held from the residence…

Mr. Baxter is survived by his wife, Mrs. Bessie Moore Baxter, also by his brother, Adam O. Baxter; his sisters, Mrs. Birdie Slear, Mrs. E. C. Smith, Mrs. Elmer Duncan, Mrs. Fred Pritchard and Mrs. Charles Knox.

The deceased was a son of the late George and Margaret Cassell Baxter.

Thus is noted the passing of one of the outstanding citizens of Pocahontas county. Following in the footsteps of his father, he became a civil engineer. For the past twelve years he had been connected with the State Road Department. For the past several years he had been an engineer for Road District No. 8, with headquarters at Elkins.

In his time, Mr. Baxter had also served the public as county surveyor, road engineer and road superintendent of Pocahontas county.

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Mrs. Mamie Townsend Ratliff, aged thirty years, wife of Alfred Ratliff, died August 11, 1945, following a lingering illness.

On Tuesday afternoon her body was laid to rest in the Cochran cemetery on Stony Creek, the funeral being held from the Edray church…

The deceased is survived by her husband and their four children.

She was a daughter of Mr. Jacob Townsend, who also survives.