John Smith Visits U.S. Cemetery in Belgium
Bainbridge News & Republican, June 21, 1945
John Smith, son of Cora Smith, of Union, writes home that he is working in the cemetery in Belgium where Howard Teeple, who was killed in action Feb. 8, is buried. The family and friends had held hopes that possibly there might be some mistake about Howard's death; but with the news that a local boy has visited his grave, it seems there is now no doubt left. John also sent pictures of sections of the Belgium cemetery where more than 15,000 of our boys are sleeping beneath white crosses.
Pvt. Donald Murray Released from German Concentration Camp
Bainbridge News & Republican, May 31, 1945
Pvt. Donald Murray has been released from a German concentration camp and in letters received by his wife Mrs. Donald Murray, and his father, Dairus Murray. He will soon be on his way home. He wrote in a letter, that there was nothing wrong, but what plenty of good food would remedy. Before being released, he had been forced with other prisoners of war, to march 15 miles in a nearly starved condition. His letters were postmarked Le Harve, France.
Cpl. Thomas Egnaczak Kept Planes Ready to Fight
Sidney Enterprise, June 7, 1945
1st Base Air Depot, Warrington, England: V-E day found Cpl. Thomas A. Egnaczak of Olean [Cattaraugus Co., NY] on the job, helping to ready more combat planes and equipment for immediate act on wherever they might be needed. Cpl. Egnaczak is the son of Mrs. Lena Egnaczak of Olean, and is one of the crack Air Service Command team who pitched in to back up the air assaults that helped knock Germany out of the war.
Commending their battle-backing efforts, Brigadier General Morris Berman, Commanding General of the Base Air Depot Area, Air Service Command declared: "These soldiers of the Base Air Depot have, since their work began, dispatched 415,000 tons of Air Corps supplies, assembled and modified 12,000 combat planes and repaired and overhauled more than 90,000 aircraft engines. Every soldier, whatever his job, contributed materially to the magnificent, final result I commend them, and I know that whatever their next task, they will fulfill it with credit to themselves and their country."
Cpl. Egnaczak has been overseas since August 1943, and joined the Army in July 1943. He was employed by the Scintilla Magneto Division in Sidney.
Pfc. F.W. Schrader of 6 Liberty street [Sidney, Delaware Co., NY] was wounded in action in early May somewhere in Austria. His wounds being classed as slight, he was sent to a general hospital near Leominster, England and was discharged on May 27, and is now on his way back to the States, according to word received by his mother, Mrs. Annie Schrader. Pfc. Schrader reports that they marched through France and Germany and got about twenty miles into Austria before running into trouble. He states that he was able to walk to a safe place after being wounded.
Lieutenant Harry Leigh Derby, Jr., U.S.N.R., 38, was killed in action in the Pacific, according to word received by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Harry L. Derby, 47 Porter Place, Montclair, N.J. Before volunteering in the Naval Reserve, Lieutenant Derby was Western sales manager in Chicago of the American Cyanamid and Chemical Corporation His father is president of the company. Surviving besides his parents are his wife, Mrs. Mary Katherine Derby; two daughters, Lynne and Ann Derby; and a son, Harry L. Derby, 3d. Harry Derby, Sr., is a native of Bainbridge.
Mr. and Mrs. Irvin Bush have received the following letter of sympathy from John H. Gilbreath, Chaplain, USNR, concerning the loss of their son, Pit/Sgt. Clarence Adrian Bush, USMC, who was killed Feb. 22, on Iwo Jima.
Mr. and Mrs. Irvin Bush, R.D.3, Bainbridge, NY [Chenango Co.]
My dear Mr. and Mrs. Bush,
It was with a feeling of personal loss that we learned of the death of your son, Clarence Adrian. He had made a deep place in the respect and affection of the men and officers with whom he was associated. His absence will be felt with much sorrow.
The action in which he gave his life was typical of him. He went beyond the requirements of duty in hunting down the enemy sniper whose activity was endangering the lives of his comrades. Just yesterday an officer was speaking to me of how, in his work at camp, Clarence Adrian had gone beyond that which was required of him, eager that his task should be done well. To use the lieutenant's words: "He can never be replaced. His kind come one in a million."
It is hard for all of us to imagine why a man of his talent and future should be taken from us so soon. To say it was part of God's plans seems almost sacrilege. And yet we have the assurance that He can turn even so helpless a situation as death itself to the ultimate happiness of those who love Him. For your son, we need have no sorrow. The sting is for us who loved him and are left alone. Time alone will make that dull. May God send His comfort quickly.
We have this consolation of knowing that death came immediately. Clarence Adrian never suffered. Accompanied by a number of his close friends, I went to where he had fallen. We joined in the 23rd Psalm, and prayer before his body was taken to be interred. His body now lies in a beautiful, simple cemetery on the Western slope of Iwo Jima. He was buried with full Christian and military honors.
If there is any manner is which I may be of service to you in the future, please do not hesitate to call upon me.
With deep sympathy, John H. Gilbreath, Chaplain, USNR
Pfc. F.W. Schrader Wounded in Action
Sidney Enterprise, June 7, 1945
Pfc. F.W. Schrader of 6 Liberty street [Sidney, Delaware Co., NY] was wounded in action in early May somewhere in Austria. His wounds being classed as slight, he was sent to a general hospital near Leominster, England and was discharged on May 27, and is now on his way back to the States, according to word received by his mother, Mrs. Annie Schrader. Pfc. Schrader reports that they marched through France and Germany and got about twenty miles into Austria before running into trouble. He states that he was able to walk to a safe place after being wounded.
Lt. Harry Derby, Jr. Killed in Action
Bainbridge News & Republican, June 14, 1945
Lieutenant Harry Leigh Derby, Jr., U.S.N.R., 38, was killed in action in the Pacific, according to word received by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Harry L. Derby, 47 Porter Place, Montclair, N.J. Before volunteering in the Naval Reserve, Lieutenant Derby was Western sales manager in Chicago of the American Cyanamid and Chemical Corporation His father is president of the company. Surviving besides his parents are his wife, Mrs. Mary Katherine Derby; two daughters, Lynne and Ann Derby; and a son, Harry L. Derby, 3d. Harry Derby, Sr., is a native of Bainbridge.
Mr. and Mrs. Bush receive Chaplain's Letter
Bainbridge News & Republican, June 14, 1945
Mr. and Mrs. Irvin Bush have received the following letter of sympathy from John H. Gilbreath, Chaplain, USNR, concerning the loss of their son, Pit/Sgt. Clarence Adrian Bush, USMC, who was killed Feb. 22, on Iwo Jima.
Mr. and Mrs. Irvin Bush, R.D.3, Bainbridge, NY [Chenango Co.]
My dear Mr. and Mrs. Bush,
It was with a feeling of personal loss that we learned of the death of your son, Clarence Adrian. He had made a deep place in the respect and affection of the men and officers with whom he was associated. His absence will be felt with much sorrow.
The action in which he gave his life was typical of him. He went beyond the requirements of duty in hunting down the enemy sniper whose activity was endangering the lives of his comrades. Just yesterday an officer was speaking to me of how, in his work at camp, Clarence Adrian had gone beyond that which was required of him, eager that his task should be done well. To use the lieutenant's words: "He can never be replaced. His kind come one in a million."
It is hard for all of us to imagine why a man of his talent and future should be taken from us so soon. To say it was part of God's plans seems almost sacrilege. And yet we have the assurance that He can turn even so helpless a situation as death itself to the ultimate happiness of those who love Him. For your son, we need have no sorrow. The sting is for us who loved him and are left alone. Time alone will make that dull. May God send His comfort quickly.
We have this consolation of knowing that death came immediately. Clarence Adrian never suffered. Accompanied by a number of his close friends, I went to where he had fallen. We joined in the 23rd Psalm, and prayer before his body was taken to be interred. His body now lies in a beautiful, simple cemetery on the Western slope of Iwo Jima. He was buried with full Christian and military honors.
If there is any manner is which I may be of service to you in the future, please do not hesitate to call upon me.
With deep sympathy, John H. Gilbreath, Chaplain, USNR
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