World War II Service Men & Women

In our continuing effort to archive the history of Hampshire County we often come across projects that are more than our limited resources can handle. The problem of listing the names of those Hampshire County citizens who served in World War II and paid the ultimate price is such a project. There are at least two major memorials to those who died in World War II. One is on the grounds of the West Virginia Capitol in Charleston. The other is in the Hampshire County Courthouse in Romney. Unfortunately, the two lists are not identical. They were compiled by different people from different sources. We would like to see some organization take on the responsibility of comparing the two lists and making appropriate corrections.

Brackets indicate information from the other list; text in red are problems which include individual listed from another county, mis-spelled name or died in different war.

We appreciate the submission by Jan Van Impe of Belgium of the two photographs below. They were taken at Henri Chapelle Cemetery located between Liege and Aachen near the site of the "Battle of the Bulge."  It is the resting place of 7,989 American Soldiers.

Grave of Erwin Boyer and Lester W. Boyer at Henri Chapelle Cemetery in Belgium courtesy Jan Van Impe.

Rainbow over Henri Chapelle Cemetery in Belgium [courtesy Jan Van Impe]

Those Who Served in World War II

The Wappocomo: Service Men's Issue,
Volume XVI, Number 2, Romney, West Virginia, Thursday, November 9 (no year given)

105 STATIONED IN THIS COUNTRY

The following Romney High graduates are in the United States at present: Army, Eugene Thompson, John D. Harmison, Lewis Pugh, Russell Shawen, Harry Ambrose, Junior Hamilton, Calvin McBride Hartzell Riggleman, Rosco Tutwiller, Baxter Hott, Kenneth McKee, Walter Parker, Vane Saville, Ivan Shanoltzer, John Wills, Ralph Combs, Eugene Poole, Thomas Tripplett, Melvin McDonald, Earl Robinson, Carl Arnold, (returned from overseas service); Donald Arnold, (returned from overseas) ; Robert Davis, John N. Day, Robert Long, Garland Loy, Lloyd McKee, Elvin Ours, Scott Poole, Meryl Combs, Carl Haffer, Boyd Michael, Robert Ruckman, James Clower, Michael Cannon, Adrian Corbin, Paul Hott, Alonzo Peters, Blakely Shingeton, Edward Alexander, Vincent Saville, Charles Bell, Shaffer Staub, Edward Long, George Bergdoll, John Blue, Waldo Hockman, Ward Hammond, Ralph W. Haines, Rex Swisher, John Willis, William Adams, Thomas P. Dicken, Quentin Dicken, Wilson Kaylor, Eugene Haines, Robert Powell, Chester Riley, Eugene Riley, James Law, Charles Gates, Bill Oates, Ralph Wolfe.

Those in the states in the Navy are Charles Williams, Jack Haines, Robert Brown, John Catlett, Howard McDonald, Frank Martin, Vernon Ely, James Davy, Earl Dennison, Pales Powers, Robert Grapes, Allen Sanders, Wade Clinedinst, Floyd Kline, Paul Guther, William McNeil, Earl C. Haines, Loudon Thompson, Elmer Sanders, Harwell Thompson.

The Army Air Force members include John Sitar, Lilburn Henderson, Lysle Friend, William Michael, Harold Keister, Paul Milleson, Norwood Haines, Robert Baird (returned from serving overseas); James Thomspon. William Levings had served overseas now at home. Harold Levings, Naval Air Force, is now in the states after serving overseas.

George Corbin is in the Boston Coast Guard.

Junior Fisher, Marines, has returned to this country after having served overseas.

Bill Milleson is in the Naval Air Corps.

Betty Heatwole, Elaine Daugherty, Betty Sue Montgomery, Gale Gregg and Jean Kackley are in the Nurse Cadets.

Ruth Harmison is a WAC stationed in Texas.

Juanita Cosner and Kitty Zimmerman are Waves.

15 DISCHARGED

Donald Cookman, age 23, son of Mr. aud Mrs. H. M. Cookman, graduate of class of 1937, was killed in action in November of 1943, when the Marines attacked Tarawa. Lt. Cookmar was an outstanding student. He played basketball and was a member of the Thesipans and also had a high scholastic standing. He attended West Virginia University and received his A. B. degree and enlisted the same year.

KENNETH TAYLOR

Kenneth Taylor, age 19, son of Mrs. Autumn Taylor, was a graduate of the class of 1943. He was taken into the army shortly after graduation. He was sent to England and moved to Italy where he was killed on July 25, 1944. Kenneth is the youngest boy to be killed.

WALLACE GRAPES

Wallace Grapes, age 21, son of Mr. and Mrs. Roy Grapes, of Augusta, was killed in action February 14, 1944, in Italy. He was a graduate of the class of 1940. He took part in many school activities and had a high scholastic standing.

EUGENE M. THARPE

PRISONERS

REPORTED MISSING

The following graduates of Romney High School are serving overseas:

Marines: Raymond Long, James Wagoner.

Navy: Robert Sanders, Edward Strieby, Beery Schuller, Andrew Schuller, Francis Seahold, Michael Harmison, Marvin Smoot, James Ansel, Charles Kackley, Blair Long, Yonely Newhouse, Elmer Sanders, Roy Smith, Charles Sanders, Leo Ruckman, Dane McGee, Campbel 1 Wollord, Allen Swick, Kenneth Martin, Paul Ganoe, Charles Seaton, Jr., George Heavener, William Parker, William Powell, Manning Williams, Harold Davis, James Easton, ?? Twigg, Vernon Alt.

Army: Baker Foley, Clarence Ludwig, Hartzel Michael, Paul Harmison, Carroll Hott, Marvin Powell, Earl Shaffer, Roy Ludwig, Maurice Whipp, Holland Rannells, Air Force, William Rannells, Air Force, James Rannels, Bernard Kenny, Robert Singhass, Raymond McDonald, Myrl Ruckman, Lyle Sneathen, Emory Turner, Edward Allen, Eugene Payne, Paul Wolford, Paul Allen, Orville Haines, Kenneth Haines, Lynnus Kidwell, L. G . Martin, William Martin, Leon Parker, Charles E. Wolford, Elmo Wolford, Rex Swisher, Philip Cherry, Elliot Heatwole, Theodore William Martin, Joseph Coleman, Earl Staub, Lazarus Shear, Robert Thompson, Ralph Nealis, Paul Oates, Charles Heriott, Bill Frank Pownell, John H. Parker, David M. Whipp, Charles Sites, George Harmison, Vance Zimmerman, Robert Oates, Air Corps, Luke Michael, Wiliam Corbin, Arno Hott, Randolph Ewers.

Women overseas: Amy Alexander, Nurse; Julius McDonald, Nurse; Sara Hartman, WAC.