While there is a page dedicated to all of Oil City's veterans, this is dedicated to those who paid the ultimate sacrifice, losing their lives in foreign lands, on the battlefield, or at sea in service to our country.
WORLD WAR I:
Estess, John
D., (????-1918), Private, U.S. Army;
reported died
of disease 26-Nov-1918.
John D. Estes (sic) of Texas (d. October 2, 1918) is buried
in the Brookwood American Cemetery and Memorial
in Surrey, England. His headstone is shown below.
Censuses
from 1900 and 1910 list John David Estess as living in Texas, but
born in Louisiana. His parents, Madison and Fannie Estess, are also
listed as being born in Louisiana. Two separate records disclosing
his death list Private Estess as being from Oil City.
Here
is a listing of wartime casualties from the Galveston
Daily News 26-Nov-1918, page 3:
If
you choose to go to the link, he is the 17th
name under the left candlestick on the Brush Electric Company
advertisement.
Fortson, Howard Leslie (1893-1918) Private, USA, WWI
Private Fortson served in the U.S. Army during World War I and was killed in action 21-Jul-1918 during the Battle of Soissons (France), in which more than 7,000 men died ore were or wounded. As a member of the 1st Expeditionary Force, he was involved in the four-day conflict, where allied American and French troops battled German forces from the 18th to 22nd of July, that is considered a turning point in the war.
He was born in 1893 to to Elijah Marion and Carrie Gibson Fortson in Bethany, LA. Census records from 1900 and 1910 list him as living in rural Panola County, TX and Texarkana, TX respectively. At the time he registered for the draft (in Oil City), he was a resident of Lewis, a small community a few miles north, with occupation listed as "Tool Dresser" employed by Caddo Oil and Refining Company. In the days of cable-tool rigs, that person was responsible for periodically sharpening and gauging bits during the drilling process. He had requested an exemption (which obviously he didn't receive) because he was the sole support of his mother and sister.
Source: Members of the A.E.F. Reported as Missing In Action to the War Department. Camp Funston, Kansas Military Records 1914-1919
News of Pvt. Fortson's missing-in-action status, reported to his mother living in Texarkana, Texas.
Shreveport Times 05-Sep-1918, Page 2
Sadly, Mrs. Fortson died only a few weeks after being notified of his status.
Also listed among casualties in newspapers around the country.
News of Pvt. Fortson's missing-in-action status, reported to his mother living in Texarkana, Texas.
Shreveport Times 05-Sep-1918, Page 2
Sadly, Mrs. Fortson died only a few weeks after being notified of his status.
Also listed among casualties in newspapers around the country.
.jpg)
In 1921, his remains were returned stateside and buried at Mt. Zion Cemetery in DeBerry, TX; a few miles southwest of his birthplace.
His military grave marker was requested in 1934 by then Oil City High School Principal Roy Evans, himself a veteran, on behalf of the local American Legion Post No. 138, which had been named for the Private. In addition to his being honored by the post, Private Fortson's name is also recorded on a memorial to Texarkana's World War I dead located in Sheppard Park in that city, where his mother resided at the time.
 |
| Pvt. Harold L. Fortson Headstone in Mt. Zion Cemetery, DeBerry, TX |
American Legion Post No. 138 is named in his honor.
Williams, Ernest (~1889-1919), Pvt, USA
Died 25-Jan-1919
Per the 1910 U. S. Census, he was single, a resident of Ward 2, Caddo Parish (southwest half), a boarder with John and Docie Wright, and laborer in the oil section.
Wilson, Jennings
B. (????-1918), Private, U.S. Army of Oil City, LA; was killed-in-action
13-Oct-1918, and is buried
in the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery in
Romagne, France.
Private Wilson shipped out to Europe on board the HMHS. Nevasa in June 1918.
.jpg)
Note
on the marker, Private Wilson belonged to the 39th
Infantry Regiment,
known as the “Fighting Falcons”, which was part of the 4th
Infantry Division.
At the time of his death, it was involved in the Meuse-Argonne
Offensive
also
known as the “Battle
of the Argonne Forest”.
Linked
is a history
of the 4th Infantry Division
that includes a description of activities of the 39th
on the day Private Wilson was killed.
Allborty, Jake (1921-1944), Corporal,
Company L 354th Infantry (?, see later); son of William James and
Rosella Taylor Allborty.
He
enlisted
08-Jul-1942,
was
initially based at Camp
Livingston,
Louisiana, and killed-in-action
(KIA)
on 28-Jul-1944,
per this 134th
Infantry Battlefield Casualty Report
shown below.
 |
| Jake Allborty (Photo Courtesy of Paul Skipper) |
The
134th
landed at Omaha Beach July 5-6, approximately one month after D-Day.
This July
1944 progress report
describes
where the regiment was on the 28th.
“On
19 July 1944 the Regiment was ordered to occupy and defend a line
running generally east and west from St. Georges Montcoco to La
Rocque. The 1st Battalion advanced into and occupied the city of St.
Lo. The Regiment remained in defense of the city until 27 July 1944
when an attack was launched to seize the high ground south and west
of St. Lo. The attack was made at 1500 and by 2230 the 1st Battalion
had seized the Regimental objective. At 2300 on this date the
Regiment was assigned to V Corps.
The
attack southward was continued on 28 July 1944 through 31 July 1944.
The advance was steady and was met with heavy opposition at all
times. By 2400, 31 July 1944, the Regiment had advanced to within
1,000 yards of Torigini Sur Vire, France and was continuing the
attack.”
Though
the precise location is not known, per the information above one can
surmise Jake died somewhere in the general area between Saint-Lô
and Torigni-Sur-Vire.
On the modern map above,
for reference the top marker is the site of the Omaha Beach Monument.
Straight-away (“as the crow flies”), Saint-Lô
is approximately 22 miles southwest with distance from there to
Torigni-Sur-Vire being eight miles.
Below
is a copy of the application
to place a military headstone
on his grave 21-Jun-1961 by his sister, Mrs. Mary Lou (Allborty)
Divine:
Note
this application shows him having a different rank (corporal) than
the casualty report (private). He is also shown to belong to a
different unit on the application (Company L, 354th
Infantry (Regiment), 89th
Division) vs the casualty report (134th
Infantry Regiment, 35th
infantry Division). The monument is possibly incorrect as, per this
history
of the 354th
that unit arrived by ship to Le Have, France 24-Jan-1945, several
months after his reported death. Without additional information, this
discrepancy can't be resolved. However it is possible he was
reassigned and/or promoted at some point that wasn't reflected in the
available information.
He
is buried in Evans Field Cemetery, in Oil City, LA near
his mother and father.
Denton, Varnie James, Jr. (1926-1945) Hospital Apprentice 1st Class (HA1C). USNR
Though Shreveport was his home of record when joining the military, HA1C Denton was born in Oil City and lived there at least through 1940..
Source: Hospital Corps Quarterly Jan-1946, Page 33
Per the 1930 census, he along with his mother Minnie and siblings lived on Ferry Lake Road, with grandmother Ida Carter. By 1940, his mother had married B. H. Harrelson and per listed neighbors, continued to live in that area.
Shreveport Times 17-Jun-1945, Page 5
Below he's listed on a Jan-1945 muster roll, showing to be a member of Company D of the Sixth Medical Battalion, Sixth Marine Division.
He is buried in Forest Park East Cemetery, Shreveport, LA.
Denton, Varnie James, Jr. (1926-1945) Hospital Apprentice 1st Class (HA1C). USNR
Though Shreveport was his home of record when joining the military, HA1C Denton was born in Oil City and lived there at least through 1940..
Per the 1930 census, he along with his mother Minnie and siblings lived on Ferry Lake Road, with grandmother Ida Carter. By 1940, his mother had married B. H. Harrelson and per listed neighbors, continued to live in that area.
Shreveport Times 17-Jun-1945, Page 5
Below he's listed on a Jan-1945 muster roll, showing to be a member of Company D of the Sixth Medical Battalion, Sixth Marine Division.
He is buried in Forest Park East Cemetery, Shreveport, LA.
Greer, William Arthur
"Billy", Jr. (1924?-1944), Pharmacist's Mate 2nd
Class, U.S. Navy; son of Mr. and Mrs. William Arthur Greer, Sr.
+3.jpg) |
| William A. Greer, Jr., 1942 Centenary College Yoncopin (yearbook) |
Source:
State
Summary of War Casualties from World War II for Navy, Marine Corps,
and Coast Guard Personnel from:Louisiana (State Summary),
page
7.
Per Ron
Newton, while serving as a medical corpsman,
PhM2C Greer was shot by a Japanese sniper on Palau Island October 2,
1944 and died October 4.
This link
chronicles the Palau Island campaign from which the following
describes the conditions when PhM2C Greer was killed:
On
28 Sep 1944, American Marines boarded amtracs and traveled 500 to 700
yards of shallow water to the nearby Ngesebus Island, where Japanese
artillery were based. The landing operation at Ngesebus was support
exclusively by Marine aircraft. The Corsair of marine Fighter
Squadron 114 unloaded their bombs and rockets on the Japanese
positions, then strafed everything that moved. Meanwhile, one
battleship supported by cruisers and destroyers bombarded areas
inland to soften the defenses further. The fighting was tough in the
ridges and caves of the island, but the Marines were able to keep
casualties to a minimum. When the island was secured several days
later, the Americans suffered 15 killed and 33 wounded. The Japanese,
however, suffered 470 casualties in the face of superior firepower.
On
3 Oct, the Marines attacked the Five Sisters, a group of coral hills
with five tall peaks. The Marines advanced steadily, but the Japanese
sniper fire was so intense that casualty rate was extremely high for
the Americans. Very soon, the Japanese
realized that it was advantageous to shoot the stretcher bearers,
for that it would force the Americans to set aside at least two men
as stretcher bearers to bring the downed man back. Again, the
Japanese practiced extremely good fire discipline, firing only when
they could inflict maximum casualties. "When they shot, someone
usually got hit."
At this link
is film (beginning at 1:13) of medics administering first aid on
Palau Island in mid-September 1944. Without a picture of PhM2C Greer
with which to compare, it can't be confirmed, but is it possible he
is in this film.
He is buried in the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial (also known as Fort William McKinley Cemetery) in Manila, the Philippines.
Guess, Teddy O'Brien (1919-1944) SFI, USNR, WWII, Pacific Theater
The son of Marvin and Louise Guess, Teddy was a grade school honor student and 1937 graduate of Oil City High School. At the time he registered for the draft in 1940, he was living in Oil City and working for Dunlap Construction Company of Shreveport.
Shreveport Times 21-Apr-1944, Page 5
He could not be found on any Naval muster rolls, however one website links his name to the 01-Feb-1944 collision of two American battleships, the USS Indiana and USS Washington.
He is buried at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl), Honolulu, HI
Land, Garland Victor (1921-1944) Sgt, USAAC, WWI
Sgt. Land was one of 11 crew members of the B-29 Superfortress Dixie Darlin', lost 18-Dec-1944 while on a mission from Saipan to bomb Mitsubishi Heavy Industries facilities near Nagoya, Japan. One of 89 planes in the formation, it broke from the group inexplicably approximately 80 nautical miles west of Iwo Jima and was presumed to have ditched. The plane and crew were never found. He is honored in the "Courts of the Missing" in the Honolulu Memorial, located within the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, HI as well as in his hometown of Homer, LA.
 |
| Sgt. Garland Victor Land, USAAC |
Just seven months earlier, Sgt. Land had married Oil City resident Anita Gaynell Cantley. Gaynell remained in town after his departure and gave birth to a son, Garland, Jr. the following year. She eventually moved to Shreveport to work as a secretary and later remarried.
.jpg)
Source: Baton Rouge State Times 27-Mar-1945, Page 3
Profile is under development.
PFC Maloney is buried in Luxembourg American Cemetery and Memorial.
Roger is listed with his parents in Oil City in the 1920 census . His father died in 1928 and he is further listed as living with his mother in both the 1930 and 1940 censuses. Before the war he was a member of the Journeymen Plumbers and Steam Fitters (Union).
Shreveport Times 14-Feb-1943, Page 24 (Roger Milford MIA)
Records show he belonged to the 427th Bomber Squadron, 303rd Bomber Group; and was lost 23-Jan-1943 while serving on the crew of the B-17 bomber "Jerry Jinx" as waist gunner. He only flew a handful of missions before his death, previously aboard bombers "Kali" and Joe Btfsplk II before serving as a substitute crewman on the fateful flight. The crew's mission was to bomb the port and submarine pens at Loriant, France. Afterward the plane was shot down by two German aircraft. The plane ditched in the Bay of Biscay and the crew was never found.
.jpg)
Sgt. Milford posthumously received the Purple Heart and Air Medal, is memorialized on the "Tablets of the Missing" at the Brittany American Cemetery and Memorial in Saint-James, France .
Moore, Noah (1907-1943), PFC, USA
Noah was an Oil City resident who entered the U. S. Army in 1942 and was assigned to the 466th Anti-Aircraft Artillery AW (Automatic Weapons) Battalion, an all-black battalion located on Espiritu Santo.
At the time, blacks had limited exposure to direct combat, and where he was stationed the risks were not considered high. However, available records list him as missing in action on 12-Dec-1943. While no positive confirmation is available based in information found online, it is possible he was one of 45 men from that unit killed when their boat capsized while traveling to the island.
Noah was an Oil City resident who entered the U. S. Army in 1942 and was assigned to the 466th Anti-Aircraft Artillery AW (Automatic Weapons) Battalion, an all-black battalion located on Espiritu Santo.
The picture below is from the cover of Field Recordings Vol. 5: Louisiana, Texas, Bahamas (1933-1940) .
PFC Moore's name appears on a monument at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl) in Honolulu, HI.
Noah was a cousin of musician Huddie Ledbetter, known professionally as Lead Belly and, like his famous cousin, also a musician. Read about his musical contributions in Oil City In Music and Its Musicians.
Nichols, James Kelly (192?-1943), Electrician's Mate 3rd Class, USN; son of Mrs. Artie Mae Chavers.
EM3 Nichols died as a result of a torpedo strike to the
ship to which he was assigned, the destroyer USS Gwin (DD-433) on
13-Jul-1943 during the Battle
of Kolombangara.
Source: Muster Roll of the U.S.S. Gwin (DD433)
EM3C Nichols is memorialized at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial.
Source: Muster Roll of the U.S.S. Gwin (DD433)
EM3C Nichols is memorialized at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial.
At
the end of this document are pictures and history of the Gwin.
Page, Woodrow (1919-1945) S Sgt., U.S. Army, Europe, WWII
Shreveport Times 09-Mar-1945, Page 9
Though reported to be from Vivian, where his parents lived at the time of his death, he was a longtime Oil City resident and OCHS graduate. In 1928, Woodrow is listed as a third grade honor student at OCHS along with classmate of Teddy Guess, who also died in the war.
Shreveport Times 18-Feb-1928, Page 8
Per the 1930 U.S. Census, Woodrow was living in Oil City with parents Eurban B. and La Cleatus Page and siblings Kenneth, Cedric, Dottie, and Billie. He is listed on the OC roster of an all-star football game against Vivian.
Shreveport Times 06-Dec-1935, Page 35
By the 1940 census, he was a resident of Monroe, LA; living with brother Kenneth and family, reported as having lived in Oil City in 1935. At the time, his parents lived in Shoreline, a now defunct community a few miles south of Vivian.
He enlisted in the army 29-Jul-1943 while working in Orange, Texas and was a member of the 274th Infantry, 70th Division when killed in France on 18-Feb-1945.
Over 40 years later, comrade Myron Meehan (1919-2002) recounted finding Sgt. Page and others after an explosion he narrowly missed..
Trailblazer Magazine (70th Division) Fall 1989, Page 13)
Sgt. Page is buried in Epinal American Cemetery and Memorial, France.
Peters, Clarence Jr. (1920-1944), Tech Sgt, USA, 313 Inf,, 79th Div, WWII
Clarence lived in Oil City per the 1930 Census, where his father Clarence, Sr. was a warehouseman for oilfield supplies. He played C and D league baseball in Louisiana (Jeanerette), Texas (McAllen, Marshall, Port Arthur, Texarkana, Henderson), and Arkansas (El Dorado). Below is a picture of him as a shortstop with the McAllen Palms of the Texas Valley League in 1938. That was his best season in which he hit for a .284 batting average.
%2BHerald%2B23-Aug-1938%2BPage%2B5%2BClarence%2BPeters%2B-%2BShortstop%2BMcAllen%2BPalms.jpg)
Source: Brownsville (TX) Herald 23-Aug-1938, Page 5
He continued playing baseball through 1941. Per the 1940 Census, the family lived in Greenwood, LA where Clarence Sr. was now Clerk, Steam Railway, while Clarence Jr.'s occupation was "Ball Player - Professional Baseball."
Clarence enlisted in the U. S. Army 03-Jun-1942 and was assigned to the 313th Infantry Regiment, which was part of the 79th Infantry Division. Per its wikipedia article:
After training in the United Kingdom from 17 April 1944, the 79th Infantry Division landed on Utah Beach, Normandy, 12–14 June and entered combat 19 June 1944, with an attack on the high ground west and northwest of Valognes and high ground south of Cherbourg. The division took Fort du Roule after a heavy engagement and entered Cherbourg, 25 June. It held a defensive line at the Ollonde River until 2 July 1944 and then returned to the offensive, taking La Haye du Puits in house-to-house fighting, 8 July.
Per his headstone application filed by wife Dorothy, Clarence died 08-Jul-1944. Here he appears in an Army Death Notice.
Source: Baton Rouge Sunday Advocate 19-Nov-1944, Page 7-A
Clarence is buried in the Greenwood (LA) Town Cemetery.
Smith, Daulton (1916-1945) Sgt, USA, Hq Sp Trp, 96th Division, WWII, Pacific, KIA
A Texas native, per the 1940 U. S. Census, he and wife Aline were residents of Oil City where he worked as a salesman in an unnamed general store.
.
On the date of his death (04-May-19-1945), the 96th was participating in the Battle of Okinawa.
Source: Baton Rouge State Times 19-Jun-1945, Page 2
Sgt. Smith is buried in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punch Bowl).
Photo courtesy of Mike Southerland.
Though censored in the citation shown below, as it was published during the war; based on other available records, he was in the 137th Regiment of the 35th infantry Division, which was fighting in nearby Saint-Nicolas-de-Port on September 16, the day of his death. The river mentioned is the Moselle.
Page, Woodrow (1919-1945) S Sgt., U.S. Army, Europe, WWII
Shreveport Times 09-Mar-1945, Page 9
Though reported to be from Vivian, where his parents lived at the time of his death, he was a longtime Oil City resident and OCHS graduate. In 1928, Woodrow is listed as a third grade honor student at OCHS along with classmate of Teddy Guess, who also died in the war.
Shreveport Times 18-Feb-1928, Page 8
Per the 1930 U.S. Census, Woodrow was living in Oil City with parents Eurban B. and La Cleatus Page and siblings Kenneth, Cedric, Dottie, and Billie. He is listed on the OC roster of an all-star football game against Vivian.
Shreveport Times 06-Dec-1935, Page 35
By the 1940 census, he was a resident of Monroe, LA; living with brother Kenneth and family, reported as having lived in Oil City in 1935. At the time, his parents lived in Shoreline, a now defunct community a few miles south of Vivian.
He enlisted in the army 29-Jul-1943 while working in Orange, Texas and was a member of the 274th Infantry, 70th Division when killed in France on 18-Feb-1945.
Over 40 years later, comrade Myron Meehan (1919-2002) recounted finding Sgt. Page and others after an explosion he narrowly missed..
Trailblazer Magazine (70th Division) Fall 1989, Page 13)
Sgt. Page is buried in Epinal American Cemetery and Memorial, France.
Peters, Clarence Jr. (1920-1944), Tech Sgt, USA, 313 Inf,, 79th Div, WWII
Clarence lived in Oil City per the 1930 Census, where his father Clarence, Sr. was a warehouseman for oilfield supplies. He played C and D league baseball in Louisiana (Jeanerette), Texas (McAllen, Marshall, Port Arthur, Texarkana, Henderson), and Arkansas (El Dorado). Below is a picture of him as a shortstop with the McAllen Palms of the Texas Valley League in 1938. That was his best season in which he hit for a .284 batting average.
Source: Brownsville (TX) Herald 23-Aug-1938, Page 5
He continued playing baseball through 1941. Per the 1940 Census, the family lived in Greenwood, LA where Clarence Sr. was now Clerk, Steam Railway, while Clarence Jr.'s occupation was "Ball Player - Professional Baseball."
Clarence enlisted in the U. S. Army 03-Jun-1942 and was assigned to the 313th Infantry Regiment, which was part of the 79th Infantry Division. Per its wikipedia article:
After training in the United Kingdom from 17 April 1944, the 79th Infantry Division landed on Utah Beach, Normandy, 12–14 June and entered combat 19 June 1944, with an attack on the high ground west and northwest of Valognes and high ground south of Cherbourg. The division took Fort du Roule after a heavy engagement and entered Cherbourg, 25 June. It held a defensive line at the Ollonde River until 2 July 1944 and then returned to the offensive, taking La Haye du Puits in house-to-house fighting, 8 July.
Per his headstone application filed by wife Dorothy, Clarence died 08-Jul-1944. Here he appears in an Army Death Notice.
Source: Baton Rouge Sunday Advocate 19-Nov-1944, Page 7-A
Clarence is buried in the Greenwood (LA) Town Cemetery.
Smith, Daulton (1916-1945) Sgt, USA, Hq Sp Trp, 96th Division, WWII, Pacific, KIA
A Texas native, per the 1940 U. S. Census, he and wife Aline were residents of Oil City where he worked as a salesman in an unnamed general store.
.
On the date of his death (04-May-19-1945), the 96th was participating in the Battle of Okinawa.
Sgt. Smith is buried in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punch Bowl).
Southerland, William Walter (1924-1944), PFC, USA, received the Silver Star posthumously for valor displayed during the Battle of Nancy , during World War II.
 |
| PFC William Walter Southerland |
Though censored in the citation shown below, as it was published during the war; based on other available records, he was in the 137th Regiment of the 35th infantry Division, which was fighting in nearby Saint-Nicolas-de-Port on September 16, the day of his death. The river mentioned is the Moselle.
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Private First Class William W. Southerland (ASN: 38518981), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with the 35th Infantry Division, in action at ****, France, 16 September 1944. Private Southerland, a light machine gunner, accompanied advance elements of the *** Infantry Regiment in crossing the **** River near ****, France. A determined enemy defended ****, so that a house-by-house struggle ensued for the town. After the enemy had been forced to withdraw, Private Southerland established his machine gun emplacement at the corner of a building, affording him an effective field of fire. When the enemy counterattacked in an attempt to re-take the town, under cover of intense machine gun fire, Private Southerland ordered other members of his squad to take cover in the building, but himself remained in position. With complete disregard for his personal safety, he engaged in a fire fight with the enemy, and although he was mortally wounded in this action, his courageous and tenacious actions in the face of an attacking force enabled his men to hold their position until support from other units reached the area and made the defenses of the town secure.
Headquarters, 35th Infantry Division, General Orders No. 47 (October 25, 1944)
Death: KIA: September 16, 1944
Personal Awards: Silver Star (WW II), Purple Heart
The website containing the citation above listed his hometown as Bailey County, Texas though the serial number matches with another record connecting him to Oil City. Per the 1930 census, he resided in town along with parents C. B. and Emma; and siblings Vorice, C. B. Jr., and Edward. The family lived in Bossier City at the time of the 1940 census, however his mother is again listed as being from Oil City in the death notice published in the Baton Rouge State Times 25-Nov-1944.
Per the census, he, his father, and siblings were born in Louisiana while his mother was born in Texas. A request for a military headstone filed by Emma in 1949, showed him to be buried (likely reburied) in Greenwood Cemetery, though findagrave.com does not list him among interees there.
Wilson, Herve (1922-1943) Sergeant, U.S.
Marine Corps. Son of Mrs. Leona Whisenhunt of El Dorado, Arkansas;
and nephew of DeWitt and Myrtie Harrington of Oil City (guardians).
Source: State Summary (Arkansas), page 11
3rd Marine Division, 9th Marine Regiment, 1st Battalion
Source: State Summary (Arkansas), page 11
3rd Marine Division, 9th Marine Regiment, 1st Battalion
.jpg)
Sgt.
Wilson earned the Silver
Star
posthumously
for his actions during the Bougainville
Campaign
, described below as part of his medal
presentation:
The
President of the United States of America takes pleasure in
presenting the Silver Star to Sergeant Herve Wilson (MCSN: 290581),
United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity
while serving with the First
Battalion, Ninth Marines,
THIRD Marine Division during action against enemy Japanese forces in
the Battle of Piva Forks, Bougainville Island, Solomon Islands on
November 25, 1943. While engaged with his platoon in a fierce assault
upon a strongly defended hostile position in thickly overgrown jungle
terrain, Sergeant Wilson was painfully wounded in one leg during an
advance toward enemy entrenchments. Courageously refusing to be
evacuated he continued to fight with his platoon through a withering
hail of fire from Japanese mortars, machine guns and heavy grenades
until he was mortally wounded by a second shell. His bold
determination and aggressive fighting spirit maintained with utter
disregard of personal safety were in keeping with the highest
traditions of the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his
life for his country.
Wise, William James (1924?-1943), Seaman 2nd Class, USN; son of Mr. and Mrs. William Henry
Wise.
Shreveport Times 26-Aug-1945, Page 8
Shreveport Times 26-Aug-1945, Page 8
S2C Wise was a crew-mate
of MM3C Nichols and also died
on the USS Gwin,
Source: Muster Roll of the U.S.S. Gwin (DD433)
He is likewise honored at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial along with PhM2C Greer, MM3 Nichols, and MM3C Arlis Hall of Mooringsport, who died on the USS DeHaven.
He is likewise honored at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial along with PhM2C Greer, MM3 Nichols, and MM3C Arlis Hall of Mooringsport, who died on the USS DeHaven.
Both Nichols and Wise
were initially listed as missing at the time of the incident and
later reclassified as killed in action 10-Aug-1945.
USS Gwin (DD-433)
Here is a link to the
Wikipedia
article about the ship. It won five battle
stars and in 1942, served as escort to the carrier, USS
Hornet that carried bombers for the famous
Doolittle
Raid on Tokyo. It was severely damaged by a
torpedo strike during the Battle
of Kolombangara and after being evacuated, was
sunk by another American ship.
Below is a picture of the
Gwin at the time it was hit; the blast shown killing EM3C Nichols and
S2C Wise, along with 57 other enlisted men and two officers.
Source: Last
view of the Gwin
It's shadowy, but you
can make out the bow to the left, and the bridge above-left of the
flash. Heavily damaged in the attack, the ship was evacuated and
later sunk by another American vessel.
Here is a
excerpt from a letter written
to the parents of another lost sailor, Mark
Conant,
by Lieutenant JG David R. Wells, himself a survivor, that was
published in the Panama
City (FL) News Herald 26-Sep-1943, page 9:
The
terse statement that you received that Mark Conant was missing in
action while in discharge of his duty conveys a wealth of meaning to
a Navy man. Yes, he was missing when we were rescued; missing but not
forgotten, or for that matter ever to be forgotten by his ship-mates
or the United States Navy.
We
who survived that night will go on fighting for the same idea Mark
fought for and for him.
The
men and officers that are missing with your son are the kind of
people you would want him to be with, and the kind he himself is.
Ashore
and at home you would have said that they were just boys but at sea
and engaged in combat with our enemy they were all men, courageous.
self sacrificing men in whom we entrusted heavy responsibilities.
One
can presume these words applied as well to EM3C Nichols and S2C Wise.
No comments:
Post a Comment