Part 2: When WW II came to The Arthur Area
Author: Bill Crane
The remaining focus of this article will be the history of the men from Arthur who took a part in some largest aviation battles of WW II and ever known in the history of this world. Here is a record of the 48 Arthur men who served in the U S Army Air Corps during WW ll. Many were pilots, flight crews, gunners, bombardiers, and support. After the war the Army Air Corps. was given its own command and rename the United States Air Force.
Arthur men who lost their lives in all service branches and war’s now totals 28.
Six Arthur airmen and a Navy Flyer were Killed in Action: Richard Fleming, Read Larson, Charles Norris, Joseph Brunson, William Smith, Bernard Phelps MIA, Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sound like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest. If you read the words back and don’t hear your own voice in your head, that’s a good sign you still have more work to do.
Be clear, be confident and don’t overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it’s going to continue to evolve and your site can evolve with it. Your goal should be to make it feel right for right now. Later will take care of itself. It always does.
Most of these airmen’s stories of their bravery have been lost to the ages. I was able to recover a few of them that will show the ferocity of their fight, to liberate hundreds of millions of people on the other side of the world, who had allowed themselves to become in slaved to their government’s tyranny.
Yes, Arthur exports products all over the world like cabinets and overheads doors and more, but more important than that, she has sent over 1,200 men and women, about two battalions of armed forces of her finest young people, all over the world. There battles were to liberate people that had given up their liberty to totalitarianism.
James Pate entered the Air Corps at 20 years old and received his wings in 1940. He started by ferrying B-25 Bombers to England. Flying out of England with P38 fighters he had several sorties in Europe. He blasted a German transport plane out of the sky over the Sicilian Straits. Jim’s squadron killed the remaining 5 Junker Transports. Shortly after the invasion of North Africa, He was attacked by 4 German Messerschmitt’s, Jim scored 4 kills on his enemy. In another battle, Jim was shot down in the mountains, in the battle of Tunisia. An Arab helped him get back to friendly forces. In another air battle, his P38 was badly shot up, but he was able to cripple his plane back to an airfield. Patton’s third Army had 3 tanks stuck in the mud, Jim’s mission was to bomb and destroy them to deny the enemy access. Jim flew 66 mission and was shot down three times. Jim became a Group Commander. A Group typically had 10 squadrons of 20 planes for a total of 200 aircraft, his rank was Lt. Colonel. Jim was awarded the Distinguished Airman’s Medal for being the first fighter squadron to fly any ocean non-stop to a battle front, the Nine oak leaf cluster for additional sorties, Distinguished Flying Cross for heroism in flight, The Silver Star for extraordinary gallantry and intrepidity in action. Jim was honored with a personally handwritten letter for an escort to Tripoli. The message, Thanks for the escort, wishing you good luck, signed King George of England. All this by about the age of 23. This is one of the reason these young men and women are called the greatest generation.
Bernard Phelps, The Distinguish Flying Cross was awarded posthumously. As a gunner of the famous Torpedo Squadron Eight, consisting of 15 planes that never came back after roaring off the carrier U.S.S. Hornet without fighter protection, to engage in combat, with a Japanese task force in the Battle of Midway. All 15 planes were shot down. Their Crews now rest in the Pacific Ocean in a watery grave. Bernard Is a KIA, MIA from Arthur.
Jesse Francis Watkins (Francis) Entered the war at age 18 as a nose gunner and bombardier on a B-25. Missions included bombing attacks against Munich, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Berlin, and many other cities. Jesse received many awards for his gallantry. March 18,1945 his 21st mission was over Berlin on a B-25, as a toggler. That means he was hand releasing the bombs. After unloading their bombs, the B-25 was hit with flak. The pilot gave the order to bail out and the 10-man crew hit the silk and parachuted to the unknown. Francis landed in a school yard. It was a unique situation having been the bomber and now being bombed by the Royal Air Force. Germans were upon him quickly and jeering. He was taken to a dungeon to identify the bodies of American flyers. There he identified with difficulty, as comrades in his crew. He was then taken for three days of integration. His family received a telegram that Francis was missing in action in Germany. He was taken to a Stalag Luft 1, on the Baltic with 8000 British and American captured airmen. Russian troops advanced and the German captors fled leaving the prisoners unattended. Francis with others went behind Russian lines and after 2 ½ months. They found their way back to the 82nd airborne and safety.
Richard Fleming was brother to Robert Fleming, also a B-24 pilot flying missions in the southwest Pacific. Richard had flown several missions over Europe as a Liberator B-24 pilot. Lt Richard Fleming awoke the village of Arthur at 5 am on June 23, 1944. He flew his B-24 at low altitude over Arthur for 20 minutes and centering on his home place. Tragically this was the last time Richard would see his home place. A few months later his parents Mr. and Mrs. Ola R Fleming received a telegram from the War Department that their son Lt. Richard Fleming had been Killed in action on August 6th, 1944.
Robert Fleming: One afternoon in 1942 a group of five twin engine bombers, flying in a V formation approached Arthur from the Northwest, they circled at low altitude for quite some time and really put on a show for the home folks.
The British Government presented Robert the British Distinguished Flying Cross by The King of England for a night raid on Balikpapan, Borneo. This was the longest mission of the war in any theatre. Robert skipped bombed two 6500-ton Japanese ship from mast height, sinking one and damaging the other. They approach the ships by flying 50 feet above the water, then would release the ordinance and pull up to miss the ships mast, all the time Bob’s B-25 Liberator was being hit several times at close range and crew members were injured. Bob’s most harrowing experience was when his tent mate. Lt. Hinze and another pilot flew a mission to bomb a Japanese nickel mine, the bombing raid was successful, but on the return about 50 miles out from the target home bound they were attack by 16 Japanese Zero’s. The third Liberator was shot down but 8 of the 11-man crew parachuted out. One of Bob’s engines and two of Lt. Hinze’s engines were shot out. Lt Hinze plane quickly lost altitude and struck a mountain top. Everything in Hinze’s plane, including guns had to be pitched out to keep his plane airborne. Trying to get the two crippled planes back home, they were again attacked by two Zero’s. LT. Hinze was flying at 1,000 ft and Bob was at 8,000 ft. Because of the crippled condition, Bob could not help Lt. Hinze. He could only listen to the radio, helplessly, unable to help his friend while Lt. Hinze’s crew members were being killed and wounded. Lt. Hinze was now fatally wounded, Before Hinze lost consciousness he was able to land the bomber on the surface of the water. Four remaining crew members were able to launch a raft and were picked up the next day. Bob flew 27 missions, most without fighter escort as those planes could not carry enough fuel for the long flights.
Sergeant William Smith served as a bombardier and was KIA when His bomber crashed in Hawaii. He graduated from Arthur Township High School in 1939 and joined the Army Air Corps a few days later.
Myron Bradford Flew the B-25 and had missions to all important targets on the European continent that had our enemies’ forces. Myron flew 32 Mission and came home with bullet holes in 30 of them. On D-day Myron and his group gave support to the Normandy invasion. He has many ribbons and wears the 3 oak leaf cluster and Distinguish Flying Cross.
Reed Larson Was a B-25 Pilot with 20 missions, stationed at Luzon in the Philippines. Reed was KIA over Formosa.
Charles Norris Was the Son Dr. C Norris of Arthur. Charles was a pilot and was killed in action KIA
John Vernon Rohrer: Vernon was a radio range communicator, stationed on Guam, a B-29 Base. As a high-ranking officer, he would have been a commander. Vernon separated from the Army Air Corps as a Lt. Colonel. After the war He owned Factory Sales on Vine St.
Dale Fulton Joined the Air Transport Command. (ATC) Their mission was to fly men, material, and ordnance all over the world. They would return with 1,000’s of war casualties. Dale flew all types of new aircraft from the manufacturers to England, so they could join the fight. These aircraft were targets for our adversaries. The Air Transport Command at the end of the war had 3,700 transports. The war loss was huge with 549 aircraft loss and 1,699 crew members loss. After the war Dale joined TWA and flew trans-oceanic flight all over the world as Captain at 24 years of age. He was a test pilot when TWA received their first 747’s.
Charles W Anderson Was the Principal of Arthur Township High School. He joined the Army Air Corps in 1943. Charles was commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant. He became bombardier instructor at Childress Field. Later He was appointed Adjutant of the school and earned the rank of 1st Lieutenant. The irony here is the principle followed his student into the war. No one was untouched by this war.