Lt. Stephen Simpson Prisoner of War
Bainbridge News & Republican, April 20, 1944
Mr. and Mrs. G.A. Simpson, of Lakewood, Pa., have received word from the War Department that their son, Lieut. Stephen J. Simpson, is a prisoner of war in Germany.
Pvt. Burdette Davie Killed in Action
Bainbridge News & Republican, April 13, 1944
News of the death of Pvt. Burdette H. Davie, paratrooper serving in Italy, has been received in a telegram to his father, Harold Davie, of Sidney Center [Delaware Co., NY]. The telegram stated that Private Davie was killed in action in Italy Feb. 27.
Douglas Swift Killed in Action
Bainbridge News & Republican, April 20, 1944
Douglas E. Swift, 20, son of Mr. and Mrs. Avery E. Swift, Montrose [PA], was reported this week killed in action in Italy Feb. 15. Private Swift was a native of Castle Creek, where he was born May 17, 1923. When a small boy, his family moved to Whitney Point and he attended the public school. The family moved to Montrose in 1939 and he completed his high school education there, graduating in the Class of 1940. Nov. 4, 1941, he enlisted in the U.S. Coast Artillery, and later he joined the paratroops.
Pvt. Herbert Brigham Expert in Infantry Warfare
Bainbridge News & Republican, April 20, 1944
Headquarters, European Theatre of Operations: A group of United States soldiers who learned about land mines and booby-traps the hard way--by bucking them in the deserts and mountain passes and captured towns of North Africa--have arrived in England to help train other troops. The soldiers are experts in all phases of infantry warfare, particularly in reconnaissance missions. Some of the men were in the African campaign from the very start; the others were in the thick of battle only a few weeks after the initial landings.
A few of the men were on detached service from their regular units and assigned to the Atlantic Fleet Amphibious Corps just before the invasion of Africa. They crossed the Atlantic in a tiny submarine, transferred to a rubber boat several miles off shore, and paddled under cover of darkness to the entrance of the harbor at Safi, French Morocco, where they lighted flares to guide the attacking destroyers into the harbor. "Messerschmidt Lane" was the name the soldiers gave to one sector in which they had the job of removing mines and booby-traps impeding American progress while enemy planes bombed and strafed them incessantly.
Reconnaissance men are the eyes and ears of a main body of troops, and it is their primary function to learn the strength and disposition of enemy units. These men, therefore, are the "Indian scouts" of a modern army, trained in stealthy movements and in dealing sudden and silent death to enemy outpost guards. Often, to accomplish their missions, the reconnaissance troopers had to infiltrate behind enemy forward lines, through unfamiliar territory and heavily mined fields.
In the group of these African-trained men who have come to Great Britain to impart their knowledge to troops, is Pvt. Herbert W. Brigham, 20, of Rockdale [Chenango Co, NY]
Sgt. Amos Hill Achieves Record
Bainbridge News & Republican, April 12, 1944
Sgt. Amos Hill, airplane mechanic stationed in England is proud of the record of the 8th A.A.F. Flying Fortress "Hard Luck" for the bomber's record-breaking performance of 503 combat hours without an engine or supercharger change during 41 attacks on Nazi Europe, according to reports from his base. A former automobile racer, Sgt. Hill was employed at Demeree's Garage in Bainbridge [Chenango Co., NY], before he became a member of the fort's proud ground crew.
Lt. Edward Luckenbach Awarded Wings
Bainbridge News & Republican, April 20, 1944
Edward A. Luckenbach, son of Mr. and Mrs. Maurice Luckenbach of Bainbridge [Chenango Co., NY], received his wings as a pilot in the U.S. Army Air Forces at the graduation exercises at Frederick Army Air Field, Okla. Saturday. Lieut. Luckenbach received his training at Victory Field, Texas; Majors Field, Texas; and Frederick Army Air Field. The B-24 pilot, served in the regular Army 1935-36-37, and was living in Oneonta [Otsego Co., NY] at the time he entered the Air Corps a year ago. he will report at Fort Worth Air Base, Fort Worth, Texas, on April 27. Lieut. Luckenbach and his wife and little daughter, of Oneonta, are spending several days at the home of his parents.
Guilford Roll of Honor Dedicated
Bainbridge News & Republican, April 27, 1944
At a very impressive service, the Roll of Honor bearing the names of Guilford's young men and women in the armed forces of the United States was dedicated, Sunday afternoon at 3 o'clock. the dedication service was scheduled to take place on the green beside the Roll of Honor, recently placed, but stormy weather made it impossible to have the service out of doors so Christ church was chosen and all quietly passed into the church and paid honor to the American youth whose names are on the Roll of Honor. Opposite the name of Roland McPherson there is a gold star showing one of our own boys has already made the supreme sacrifice. Walter Thielke, in a very capable and sincere manner, presented the program. The Boy Scouts, under their leader, George Sherman, presented the colors; the Rev. J.W. Bump offered an opening prayer; this was followed by the reading of the 81 names on the Roll of Honor. During the service the first verses of the Star Spangled Banner and Onward Christian Soldiers were sung. County Judge Frank Barnes, of Norwich, was chosen speaker on this occasion. His message was well chosen. A man who served as a lieutenant in the AA.F. in World War I, he knew whereof he spoke. As a father, who has a son serving somewhere in New Guinea, his message reached the parents, whose sons' names appeared on the roll. The Rev. J.W. Bump offered a closing prayer, taps were sounded by the bugler. Pictures were taken and, together with the account of the dedication service, will appear in certain papers, and a copy will be forwarded to each of our boys and one girl in whose honor this roll was placed, and so dedicated.
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