Soldier News continued, 1944

Sgt. Otto L. Bowker Killed in Action

Bainbridge News & Republican, February 10, 1944

Mrs. Ona Bowker, of Walton [Delaware Co., NY] has been notified of the death of her son, Sgt. Otto L. Bowker, 22, somewhere in the Southwest Pacific.  According to War Department communications, he met death on Jan. 22.  He is one of the first soldiers from this section to be killed in the southwest Pacific.  Sergeant Bowker was graduated from Walton High School in 1940.  He entered the Army more than a year ago and spent a furlough in Walton last Autumn.  He was a gunner on a U.S. bomber.  His mother and several brothers and sisters survive.  Sgt. Bowker was a nephew of Mrs. A.J. Baudendistel, of 23 Court street, Deposit.

 

Sgt. Jack Downes Helps Guard President

Bainbridge News & Republican, February 17, 1944

 

A Milford, Otsego County correspondent says:  "A newspaper clipping from Far Rockaway, has an interesting piece of news about a former Milford young man, Jack Downes.  It states that he was one of the four New York military policemen responsible for the personal safety of President Roosevelt in Egypt when the President was there a few months ago.

 

"Downes, who, before the war was employed by the Long Beach Bus company as chauffeur, took charge of the Tommy Gun detail protecting the President.  He met the President when he landed at the Cairo airport and escorted him safely to his villa, rising in the car immediately ahead of the President.  When the President left for Teheran, Sgt. Downes was again in charge of the mobile body guard.

 

"Sergt. Downes resided here for some time and attended the Milford Central School.  He moved with his mother, Mrs. John Reeves, and Mr. Reeves, to Morris [Otsego Co., NY], where he graduated from the Morris High School, and from Morris they returned to Long Island.  Sergt. Downes is well remembered here as a baseball and basketball player, in which sports he excelled."

 

Norman Winsor Instructor in Army School

Bainbridge News & Republican, February 24, 1944

 

Norman Winsor, 25, son of Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Winsor, Henry street, Norwich [Chenango Co., NY], a grandson of Mr. and Mrs. V.S. Winsor, of Guilford, is using his experience as a flier to assist the Army Air Forces training program as a civilian pilot instructor at the Fort Stockton, Texas, Primary School.  Winsor, a member of the enlisted Reserve of the U.S. Army, began his flying assignment in December, 1943.  He gives each cadet assigned to him 65 hours of aerial training in 175 H.P. planes.  Winsor learned to fly four years ago.  His wife, the former Betty Murray, of Guilford, is with him.

 

Shirley Bradish Enlists in Cadet Nurses Corps

Bainbridge News & Republican, February 24, 1944

 

Miss Shirley Bradish, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Forrest Bradish, of Bainbridge [Chenango Co. NY] R.D.1, has enlisted in United States Cadet Nurses Corps and started her training at Hartwick College, Jan. 30.  Although her enlistment was for three years, she will spend only the first nine months at Hartwick.  Miss Bradish is a graduate of Bainbridge Central High and was employed at the Scintilla Magneto plant before entering the service.

 

Louis Beatty, Merchant Marine, Tells of Trip

Bainbridge News & Republican, February 24, 1944

 

Louis Beatty, of the U.S. Merchant Marines, has been spending several days in Bainbridge after returning to the States from the Mediterranean War Theatre, where he was on duty for several months.  Louis was stationed on an oil tanker, and his convoy was first to deliver oil after the landing at Naples.  He witnessed two volcanic eruptions, one at Mt. Vesuvius, the other at Stromboli.  He stated that he talked with a number of soldiers on rest leave form the front, and all were in the best of spirits.  Louis possesses a nice collection of coins from various parts of the world, and he very generously presented some to the News Office.