Soldier News continued, 1944

Sgt. William Payne is Sergeant of the Guard

Bainbridge News & Republican, March 23, 1944

An Eighth AAF Composite Command Station, Northern Ireland:  "Warden Payne of the Blue Room" is the name which Sgt. William M. Payne, 31, Bainbridge chief of police in civil life, acquired for himself as provost sergeant of the Belfast police before coming to this station.  Sgt. Payne served as provost sergeant for eight months with responsibility for prisoners confined in the Belfast detention room, popularly known as a hotel "Blue Room."  Now performing duty as sergeant of the guard at this station, Sgt. Payne also has had experience in the Army as an investigator.  At present, Sgt. Payne says that he is anxious to go back to his old job as Bainbridge chief of police after the war.  He was given leave of absence to enlist in the Army in July, 1942, and received his basic training at the Military Police Replacement Training Center, Fort Riley, Kan.  His mother, Mrs. Emily Payne, lives at 25 Platt street, Walton [Delaware Co., NY].

 

Lt. Donald Patchen is P-51 Mustang Fighter Pilot

Bainbridge News & Republican, May 25, 1944

 

An Eighth AAF Fighter Station, England:  Lieut. Donald J. Patchen, P-51 Mustang fighter pilot from Bainbridge [Chenango Co., NY], is a member of the fighter group commanded by Col. Donald J. M. Blakeslee of Fairport, Ohio, which set three new AAF records for the destruction of enemy aircraft during the month of April.  With a claim of 207 victories, 112 on the ground, Col. Blakeslee's group broke all previous records for enemy aircraft destroyed during a 30-day period.  This pushed the group's total to above the 500 mark, the highest of any group in the European Theatre of Operations (348 ground--155 air for 503!),  On Apr. 8, the same group of Mustang pilots accounted for 31 German craft in the air, the most enemy planes ever destroyed on one mission by a fighter outfit operating over Europe.  Lieut. Patchen, a former student at Bainbridge Central High School, is one of the newest arrivals at this base.  He recently participated in an escort mission to Berlin.

 

Lt. Howard Winand & S/Sgt. Samuel Ives Jr. Lost in War

Bainbridge News & Republican, May 25, 1944

 

With the deaths of Lieut. Howard Winand, of Delhi [Delaware Co., NY], and Staff Sgt. Ralph Samuel Ives, Jr., of Roxbury [Delaware Co., NY], officially confirmed by the War Department, two more gold stars have been added to Delaware County's Honor Roll.  Lieutenant Winand, the War Department Advised his wife, died of injuries suffered Apr. 25 in England, while Staff Sergeant Ives was killed in action May 4 at New Guinea, according to word received by his father, Attorney Ralph S. Ives, Sr.

 

The Delhi officer, who was graduated from Delaware Academy and attended Union College, joined the A.A.F. in February, 1942, and served at Gunter's Field, Montgomery, Ala., Bayville, Ark. Maxwell Field, Ala. and Helena Air Technical School, Helena, Ark.  He leaves his wife, formerly Miss Elizabeth Archibald, of Delhi; a son, Howard, Jr.; his mother, Mrs. George Winand; a sister, Mrs. Howard MacFarlane, and a brother, Russell Winand, all of Delhi.  His father, George W. Winand, prominent Delhi merchant, died last Thanksgiving Day.  He was a nephew of Rudolph Winand of Deposit.

 

Sergeant Ives, first of the 116 men on Roxbury's Honor Roll to make the supreme sacrifice, joined the Army May 9, 1941 and served at camps in Florida, North Carolina, Louisiana and California before leaving for Australia last September.  Surviving are his wife, formerly Miss Helen Dould, of Malone; a daughter, Carolyn; his father, a brother, Capt. Charles K. Ives, of Piantinny Arsenal, N.J., a former Roxbury physician, and a sister, Miss Sammy Ives, Greenport, L.I. 

 

Tech Sgt. Anthony Wright Prisoner of War

Bainbridge News & Republican, May 25, 1944

 

Harry T. Wright, of Downsville [Delaware Co., NY], received a message from the War Department Tuesday night that his son, Technical Sergeant Anthony Wright, was a prisoner of the Germans.  Just two weeks before Mr. Wright received a message stating that Sergeant Wright was missing in action over Germany since Apr. 18.  He was a flight engineer in a bomber.

 

Lt. Terrance Edmunds Missing in Action

Bainbridge News & Republican, May 25, 1944

 

Lieutenant Terrance Edmunds, of Sherburne, Chenango County, pilot of a bomber, is reported missing in action over Italy since Apr. 15.

 

Pvt. Clifford Sherman is Overseas

Bainbridge News & Republican, May 25, 1944

 

An Air Service Command Station (Somewhere in England):  Pvt. Clifford W. Sherman, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Sherman, of R.D.2, Bainbridge [Chenango Co., NY], is now overseas and has participated in a course designed to bridge the gap between training in the States and soldiering in an active theatre of war.  At one of the Air Service Command Stations known as Control Depots, Pvt. Sherman was carefully processed by classification experts who make certain that he was well fitted for the job assigned to him.  Security training, personal hygiene, a talk by a Special Service Officer informing him of facilities for healthful recreation and a lecture by the Chaplain are all in turn a part of the soldier's preparation for duties overseas.  His next Station will be one from which America's fighting planes take off to smash the Nazi war machine.  Before entering the Army he was employed as a punch press operator by the Scintilla Magneto Co., Sidney.