THE LEAD BELT NEWS

VICTORY IN EUROPE

Section  A

Friday, May 18, 1945

“THERE IS SOME CORNER OF A FOREIGN FIELD....”

On this page, as in the hearts of those for whom they fought are inscribed the names of the men of this community who will not come back.

These are the Gold Star men of St. Francois County.  Young men, most of them, who left their homes, their work, their security and their future to defend the Republic in her greatest war.

The list is not complete for the nation faces future trial by battle.  Many names may be added to this roll before ultimate Victory is ours.

Cast your eye down this list.  You knew many of these young men well.  they were boys who sat at the next desk in school, your fellow workers at the office or shop, lads from nearby farms.  They were your fellow citizens.

Each name is a reminder of the awful cost of Victory.  Each name should also be a prayer that the things for which they fought and died will not be forgotten but will be cherished by a grateful nation.

Killed in States                                                                    Killed in Africa

Matthews, Andy,  Farmington                                            Weible, James H.,  Cantwell

Matthews, Lyman Jr.,  Farmington                                                    

Dace, Stanley,   Bismarck                                                                               

Williford, Harry E. ,   Elvins                                                 Killed in Hawaii

Baker, Herman,  Flat River                                                              

Strauser, Robert A., Desloge                                                Koen, Russell,  Leadwood

Morris, James E.,  Flat River                                                 Thomure, Jasper E.,  Flat River

Walker, Thomas J.,  Leadwood                                                       

Keith, Sonny,  Flat River                                                                              

Walker, Donald E.,  Leadwood                                             Killed in Austria

Polete, Glen (Red),  Flat River

                                                                                               Bane, William C.,  Caledonia

Killed on Bougainville                                                          Killed on Saipan

Dewey, John W.,  Desloge

                                                                                                House, Louis,  Bonne Terre

Killed at Sea                                                                          Killed in the Pacific

 Kellums, Kenneth,  Elvins                                                    Gremmels, Ralph,  Flat River

Perry, Harry,  Flat River

Van Lear, James H.,  Bismarck

Fenton, Louis (Red),  Bonne Terre                                     Killed in China

Woodcock, Marion,  Elvins

McCalister, Wm. F.,  Farmington                                        Cooper, Buford,  Leadwood

Shaner, Leonard,  Bonne Terre                                                                         

Killed in France                                                                     Killed in the Philippines                                                                                                                     

Crump, Alva, Leadwood                                                      Fortner, Harold E.,  Elvins

Russell, Edgar L.,  Elvins                                                     Thomure, Harold,  Bonne Terre

Watson, Willard L., Flat River                                              Kohut, Joseph,  Bonne Terre

Henry, Harold,  Flat River                                                     Tyndyk, Mike,  Leadwood

Rice, William J., Irondale

Denman, Ward,  Farmington

Tongay, Darrell,  Flat River                                                  Killed in Italy

Shoemake, Eldon T., Farmington

Mahurin, Omer,  Desloge                                                     Johnson, Gerald,  Flat River

Morris, Tommy,  Rt 1 Farmington                                        Radle, Howard,  Bonne Terre

Pryor, Morris Eddie,  St. Francois                                      Young, James E.,  Wortham

Long, Milton,  Bonne Terre                                                 Moore, Charles,  Flat River

Hughes, Lavern,  Flat River                                                Nations, Hildon (Ham),Farmington

Clark, Audry,  Knob Lick

Gibson, Harold E.,  Leadwood

Pulliam, Robert O.,   Farmington                                          Killed in the Southwest Pacific

Counts, Winifred,  Farmington

Rickmar, Gilbert, Bismarck                                                  Stewart, Thomas,  Bonne Terre

Welch, Doyal,  Weingarten Rt. 1                                          Bayless, Joseph W.,  Farmington Rt 1

                                                                                                Cox, Emanuel,  Esther

Killed in Luxembourg                                                              Killed in Germany                                                                                                                                                                                

Van Dorn, Louis,  Farmington                                              Roome, Wilburn,  Flat River

                                                                                                Callaway, Wm. Edward,  Flat River

Killed on Iwo Jima                                                                 Douglas, Howard,  Bonne Terre

                                                                                                Herman, Elmer J.,  Coffman

Black, Earl,  Flat River                                                         Kirchner, Ellis,  Farmington

Cole,  Darrell S.,  Farmington Rt 4                                      Gardner, Harvey T.,  Desloge

Crepps, Paul E.,  Esther                                                       Boatright, George Jasper, Flat River

Kellison, Cecil E.,  Flat River                                               Kendall, Leon J.R.,  Knob Lick

                                                                                                Johnson, Charles E.,  Esther                                                                                                               Portell, Charles A., Farmington

Killed on Luzon                                                                      Moser, Edwin P.,  Bonne Terre

                                                                                                Rolens, Wm. E., Farmington

Barker, Harold,  Leadwood                                                  Pogue, Roy D., Farmington

Miller, Leeman B., Knob Lick                                              Thurman, Afton Jr.,  Bonne Terre

Thurman, Glendal,  Leadwood                                              Rawlins, Eli B.,  Desloge

                                                                                                Milne, Britton J.,  Knob Lick

                                                                                                Janis, Robert L.,  Farmington

Killed in India

Vaughan, Adolph,  Doe Run                                                  Killed in English Channel

Killed in South Pacific                                                            Rigdon, Norman L.,  Farmington

Stoll, Milton,  Desloge

This page is sponsored by:  FORREST (Dixie) ROBINSON,  NORWIN D. HOUSER,  ROBERT A. McILRATH, HERMAN HECK, Sheriff,  JAMES J. POLITTE,  JOE GRANDHOMME, County Collector,  UNITED BANK OF FARMINGTON

OUR CIVILIAN SERVICE DAYS

Typical of all America was St. Francois County in her patriotism.  As long as the war was something to read about we didn’t do much toward helping with its progress, but when our own were affected by the dark shadows of war, we worked unceasingly to gain our goals.

We set out to make work for idle hands, CCC camps were established,  NYA shops set up, a Sheet Metal Work, and Defense Training School , one of seven in Missouri, was organized.  We went “all-out” on salvage drives, such as aluminium, rubber, old phonograph records, silk hose, waste fats, tin cans, books, waste paper and used clothing,  donating and collecting tons and tons of it.  The last used clothing drive just ended in April, for civilian foreign relief, netted more than nine tons in the Lead Belt area.

CIVILIAN DEFENSE

An  Aircraft Warning Service was begun in August 1941, and in December the St. Francois County Council of Defense was perfected.  A civilian registration was held the following month and volunteers were asked to train for air raid wardens and other like positions necessary for civilian protection.   The Union Electric Company posted guards at their Rivermines plant.  St. Francois County, as one of Missouri’s counties in the Seventh Defense Region, participated in a practice blackout on December 14, 1941.  To further help the cause along, Daylight Saving Time (or War Time--setting the clock ahead one hour)  went into effect on Monday, February 9, 1942, and has continued to be in force ever since that time.

 RATIONING

Perhaps one of the hardest things for us to have to do was accept the various rationing programs.

In a land of plenty, we have always been permitted to buy what we saw and pay for it later, eat only the food that we liked, whether it was good for us or not, wear the best clothes we could afford (and sometimes better than we could afford), and go where we pleased, no matter how far away it might be.  So when automobile tires were rationed in the early part of 1942,  we began to grumble as in quick succession came--no cuffs on woolen trousers, sugar rationing, restrictions on charge accounts  and installment buying, bicycle and typewriter rationing, gasoline and fuel oil rationing, rationing of coffee, canned goods, shoes, and meat.  Four ration books have been issued during this time with different type coupons to take care of these various commodities.

 BONDS

In characteristic American manner we have griped about rationing and then griped some more but perhaps in the next half hour have gone out to wax eloquent in a War Bond  appeal or some other war effort in which we were interested.

Our county has cause to be proud of her War Bond record for she has exceeded the quota from 78.5% to 90% on each drive.

United States Defense Bonds went on sale May 1, 1941, and despite the fact there was no concentrated efford to sell them, the public generally supported the drive.  Some enthusiastic person conceived this idea of starting a Defense Stamp chain letter which became so widely circulated that the Postoffice Department had to declare the letters a violation of the postal law.  We pushed the sale of bonds with Molly Pitcher booths and twice the bonds from this county bought large bombers.

In the first bond drive of November 1942, there was no quota set for the county, but the final total sales reached $229,925.  But in April 1943, we were asked to buy $327,000 worth of bonds and we responded with purchases of $583,833 or 178.5%.  In the 3rd drive, September 1943, we reached our peak percentage of 190% when our goal was $611,000 and the sales totaled $1,160,821.

Three drives were made in 1944, January, June and November.  The first netted $1,016,100 in sales, which was 188.5% as the quota set was $539,000.  June’s percentage was 185% with total bond sales of $1,119,101 against the $605,000 asked.  November’s aim was $530,000, but we produced sales of $908,057 or 171.3%.  Total E Bond sales are $2,188.087.

Our part of the nation’s war bonds has reached $5,017,837 and now we have achieved a partial victory we must redouble our efforts to defeat Japan and to do this we must loan our dollars in this 7th War Loan drive.  Let’s beat our best record.

SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS

Our county did not forget the man in service or his loved ones left at home, for money was gladly given  to such organizations as the Salvation Army, U.S.O. and the Red Cross.  (A separate Red Cross story will be found elsewhere in this Victory in Europe edition).  Women, rolling bandages, made garments and both men and women have given something more valuable than money or time---their blood which through the Red Cross was sent direct to the battlefields to save lives, possibly some of them our own boys.

Honor rolls were hung in churches and schools, and larger ones erected outside in prominent places in the communities.   War Mother’s service clubs were organized  and in Flat River a service club opened for servicemen.  Several American War Dad organizations were formed in the county.

Through it all we clung to the “Faith of Our Fathers”, in fact, our faith in a Higher Power became stronger and national and world-wide days of prayer were specified in which all faiths and creeds united.  My grandfather used to say,  “My child, human beings are like steel, they must go through fire to be tempered and must be ground before they become useful.”  Perhaps we, in St. Francois County, by our small part in the war effort, have proved our metal. 

OUR “FIRST” DAYS

There is an old saying “There is a first time for everything” and throughout our days of waiting for V-E Day there have been many first days, some fraught with pride and joy and others filled with heartache and tragedy.

As we turned the pages of the old copies in the files these are some of these First Days.  Perhaps not always the first in the county, but the first of its kind reported to The Lead Belt News.

Days our first boy was killed in training, September 19, 1940.  Pleasant Gentry Keith, Jr., only son of Mr. and Mrs. P.G. Keith of Flat River, a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Air Corps, lost his life in a plane crash near Montgomery, Ala.

Day our first citizen was inducted in the army, October 29, 1940.  John Monroe Smith, son of Mr. and Mrs. D.M. Smith of Leadwood, had Serial No. 158 which at the national drawing became Order No. 1.  He received his basic training at Camp Robinson, Ark., and is now in Italy.  His wife, the former Miss Izella Walsh, resides in Flat River.

Days our first boy was made a commissioned officer, February 28, 1941.  Edwin A. Doss, son of Mrs. H.W. Doss of Desloge and the late Rev. H.W. Doss, was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Army Air Corps.  He went overseas in 1942 and is now serving with the 35th Fighter Group in the Pacific area.  He has recently been made a full Colonel.

Day our first physician was called for duty, March 25, 1941, Dr. Paul L. Jones of Flat River, a Reserve officer in the United States Army, reported to Camp Robinson, Little Rock, Ark.  Captain Jones, who served with the U.S. Army Medical Corps in the Pacific area for 13 months, arrived in the states last week and is receiving treatment at the Letterman General Hospital, San Francisco, Calif.

Day our first prisoner of war was taken, December 7, 1941.  William Harold Thomas, 21, the younger son of Mr. & Mrs. Robert J. Thomas of Flat River was stationed at Peiping, China, with Headquarters Office of American Embassy Guard, when  he and the entire garrison of American Marines were captured by the Japanese.

Day our first boy was killed in service, January 28, 1942, Jasper E. Thomure, 20 year old son of Mrs. Mary Thomure of Flat River and the late Alex Thomure, made the supreme sacrifice in defense of his country when he was killed in Hawaii.

Day the first boy was reported missing in action, John Brannon, 24, sone of the late Mrs. O.F. Saak, who received the message in May 1942.  He has since been reported a prisoner of the Japanese.

THE day when each of us said good-bye to our own loved one as he answered the call to duty and a blue star on the field of white became a companion piece to the little Red Cross in our window.  These varying dates are indelibly stamped in the hearts of the families of the more than 3300 citizens of this county now in service.

These are just a few of our many “first” days as reported to us but it would be unfair to point them out more than any of the others, for throughout the war years, the pages of the paper have been filled with the photographs and deeds of numerous heroes and we know there are many, many deeds of courage and unselfishness that have never been told and will never be known.

A father, whose pilot son was killed in the line of duty, sat across the desk a few days before V-E Day and said, “I hope it won’t be long.  The end will not bring back my son, but it will bring other sons home”.  This is the spirit of our people.  So, let us pause, amid our joy and gratitude, to pay tribute not only to those gallant boys who will not return, but to their loved ones who will always love them.  The dead sleep.  The living remembers.  To those grieving hearts we say---

God broke our years to hours and days, that

Hour by hour

And day by day

We might be able all along

To keep quite strong.

Should all the weight of life

Be laid across our shoulders, and

the future rife.

With woe and struggle, meet us

face to face

At just one place,

We could not go;

Our feet would stop; and so

God lays a little on us every day.

And never, I believe, on all the way

Will burdens bear so deep

Our pathways lie so steep

But we can go, if by God’s power,

We only bear the burden by the hour.