Soldier News continued, 1945

Sgt. Richard Parsons Killed in Action

Bainbridge News & Republican, February 8, 1945

 

 

Sgt. Richard Parsons

 

Staff Sergeant Richard Parsons, 25, tail gunner with the 8th Air Force stationed in England, and husband of Pearl Taylor Parsons, of Bainbridge, is reported to have been killed in action over Germany on Sept. 27, according to a telegram received by Mrs. Parsons from the War Department on Jan. 28.  Mrs. Parsons had been notified on Oct. 14 that her husband was missing in action on Sept. 27 and then on Sunday, Jan. 28, she received word of his death.

 

The young gunner, son of Mrs. Emma Parsons and the late LeGrande Parsons, of Bainbridge [Chenango Co., NY], entered the service on Apr. 23, 1942, receiving his basic training at Miami Beach, Fla.  In May, 1943, he was assigned to the Radio School at Sioux Falls, S.D., and in August, 1943, he was transferred to the Armament School at Denver, Colo., from which he graduated the following October.  He was assigned to the Gunnery School at Laredo, Tex., in November, 1943, graduating in December.  In January, 1944, he left for Salt Lake City, where he was assigned to a crew, and then went to Casper, Wyo., for combat training.  In May, 1944, he departed for Topeka, Kan., where his crew was assigned to a B-24 Liberator, leaving the States in June.  Sergeant Parsons was awarded the Air Medal in August.  He took part in the Battle of St. Lo and his last mission was over Kassel, Germany. 

 

Staff Sergeant Parsons was born in Bainbridge Nov. 30, 1919.  He graduated from Bainbridge High School with the Class of 1939, and was very active in all sports, having been chosen as an all-star in basketball.  Before entering the service, he was employed at the Scintilla Magneto plant.  He was a member of the Frist Presbyterian Church.  On June 28, 1941, he was united in marriage to Miss Pearl Taylor by the Rev. Paul Carpenter.  Besides his wife and mother he is survived by a two-months old daughter, Vicki, and five brothers, Harry, Edward, Robert, and Merritt all of Bainbridge and Martin of Rochester.

Winfred Michel Survives Direct Hit by Japs in Lingayen Gulf

Bainbridge News & Republican, February 15, 1945

 

Aboard Coast Guard-Manned Transport at Luzon (Special):  How his ship took a direct hit from a Jap plane, killing some of his shipmates, but continued into Lingayen Gulf in Luzon to discharge the liberators of Manila during 19 attack-ridden hours, was told by Coast Guardsman Winfred B. Michel, Seaman 1C, Bainbridge, N.Y. [Chenango Co.].

 

Michel's ship underwent its first attack 10 days before the invasion and its gunners succeeded in downing the lone Jap raider.  Attacks continued periodically during the slow journey to Lingayen and the fatalities occurred during a raid 24 hours before the beachhead was established.  Next of kin of the victims have been notified.

 

"I was watching a dogfight between some of our Hellcats and three Zeros the day before we hit Luzon," the Coast Guardsman said, "when a Jap plane swooped in from astern and dropped a bomb that missed us by only 60 feet.  The pilot strafed our port side, swung across the bow and came back for another try.  By this time we were throwing lead at him in a steady stream.  Those few seconds seemed like an eternity.  Then we took the hit!  It was pretty awful.  It was the first time any of our boys had been killed, even though our ship had been through six other invasions.  I can't put in too good a word for our gun crews.  They stuck up there through all that strafing and gave that Nip as good as he sent.  They got him, too.  We steamed into the Gulf next morning and were busy unloading for 19 hours.  There were more raids and a few hits on other ships, but we were too busy to pay much attention.  We had three more raids as we left the Gulf.  It was a busy day," the Coast Guardsman concluded wryly.

 

The Coast Guard-manned transport has been in every major Pacific invasion of the past year, beginning with the Marshalls and including Saipan, the Palaus and Leyte.  It carries a U.S. Navy flag staff.  Some of the casualties occurred among Navy personnel.

 

 Samuel Wilmarth Receives Purple Heart

Bainbridge News & Republican, February 15, 1945 

 

Mrs. Samuel Wilmarth, of Afton [Chenango Co., NY], recently received the Purple Heart Award, given posthumously to her husband, who died from wounds received Oct. 16 while fighting with his unit on the German border.

 

Pvt. Francis Sherwood Seriously Wounded

Bainbridge News & Republican, February 15, 1945

 

 

Pvt. Francis Sherwood

 

Mrs. Francis Sherwood received a letter from her husband, Pvt. Sherwood, Thursday morning, stating that he was in a hospital in England and that he was getting along all right.  Private Sherwood was seriously wounded in Belgium Jan. 17 while serving with the 2nd Division of the First Army.