Soldier News continued - 1945

Gordon Perry Awarded Posthumous Purple Heart

Sidney Enterprise, July 12, 1945

Guy E. Perry, 11 Union Street [Sidney, Delaware Co., NY], recently received the Purple Heart which has been awarded posthumously, to his son, 1st Lt. Gordon F. Perry.  Lieutenant Perry was reported missing on May 29, 1944, while returning from one of his missions not far from the coast of England.  The letter from Henry L. Stimson, secretary of war, was as follows:

 

"At the request of the President, I write to inform you that the Purple Heart has ben awarded, posthumously, to your son, 1st Lt. Gordon F. Perry of the Air corps, who sacrificed his life in defense of his country.  Little that we can do or say will console you for the death of your loved one.  We profoundly appreciate the greatness of your loss, for in a very real sense the loss suffered by any of us in this battle for our country is a loss shared by all of us. When the medal, which you will shortly receive reaches you, I want you to know that with it goes my sincerest sympathy and the hope that time and the victory of our cause will finally lighten the burden of your grief."

 

Lieutenant Perry was born June 5, 1910, and graduated form Sidney High School in 1939.  He entered service in the infantry in January, 1942.  After ten months, he was transferred to the Air Corps and received his basic training at Macon, Ga., his primary at Arcadia, Fla., and his preflight at Maxell Field, Ala.  He graduated from Spence Field, Moultrie, Ga., in October, 1943, and received his silver wings and was assigned to overseas duty in March, 1944.  He married Miss Madeline Deegan of Endicott on January 3, 1944. She now resides in Endicott. 

 

Winfield MacPherson Participates in Several Campaigns

Afton Enterprise, August 30, 1945

 

Fifth Air Force Service Command W. Pacific:  Winfield S. MacPherson son of Mr. and Mrs. Winfield S. MacPherson, 17 Broad St., Oneonta [Otsego Co., NY], has been awarded the drivers qualification badge.  He is assigned to an airdrome squadron under the Fifth Air Force Service Command now in the West Pacific.  Pfc. MacPherson was a truck driver of the Eastern Hay and Coal Company of Binghamton before he entered the service three years ago.  Overseas 18 months, Pfc. MacPherson participated in three major campaigns, New Guinea, the Netherlands, East Indies and the Philippines.  He is authorized to wear the Asiatic Pacific ribbon with two campaign stars, the Philippine Liberation ribbon with one campaign star and the Good Conduct ribbon.  [Afton Enterprise, August 30, 1945]

 

T/Sgt Ralph Walling Discharged

Bainbridge News & Republican, Sept. 13, 1945

 

T/Sgt. Ralph Walling was discharged form the Army Aug. 28 at Fort Dix, N.J., after serving for more than four years, three years of this time in the European Theatre of Operations.  In June, 1942, he landed in Iceland and later went to Scotland and England.  He went into Normandy during the invasion and served in France, Luxembourg and Belgium.  During the Battle of the Bulge he was confined to a hospital with an injured back, and has been confined to the hospital several times since then because of his back.  He also was in Frankfort and Eisenoch, Germany. Technical Sergeant Walling holds the Bronze Star Medal, the European Ribbon with five battle stars, and the Good Conduct Medal with two. 

 

Memorial Service for Alfred Corgan

Sidney Enterprise, July 12, 1945

 

Pfc. Alfred G. Corgan, who was killed in action April 12, was honored Sunday afternoon at a memorial service in the Unadilla Methodist church at 2:30 o'clock.  The service was largely attended by relatives and friends.  Pfc. Corgan was a paratrooper in the Screaming Eagle division.

 

Joyce-Bell post, American legion, attended in a body, accompanied by Pvt. John Franklin Van Cott, who had just arrived in this country.  He was a member of the 104th (Timberwolf) division and is home on furlough.

 

Rev. Clayton Hoag, pastor of the church, conducted the service reading the same Scripture from the same Bible which was read at his mother's funeral eight years ago.  The Bible was one that the boy worked for and earned when 13 years old.  Miss Pauline Cooper and Walter Bacon sang a duet, "Beyond the Sun When Day is Done."  At the close of the service a flag was presented to the family and the service was closed by the sounding of taps by Dale Chamberlin.