World War II Articles

Monroe County

May 18, 1944 

Note: The following articles were published in the Monroe County Appeal and Paris Mercury on May 18, 1944 and generously extracted by Judy Baker Barklage.

Post SHEARER of the U. S. Navy left Monday for the West Indies after spending a leave with his wife and his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Cleve SHEARER, in Paris.  His wife accompanied him to Miami, Florida.

Promotion for Lieut. BLANTON.  Jack P. BLANTON was a second lieutenant when he flew from America to England three weeks ago.  Wednesday’s papers announced that he had been promoted to the rank of first lieutenant.  He serves as a bombardier aboard a Liberator bombing plane.

Sailor to Get Diploma.  One of the thirty-five seniors who will receive their diplomas at Paris High’s commencement Thursday night, is now serving in the United States Navy. He is Elvia LEVINGS, son of Mr. and Mrs. Homer LEVINGS, north of Goss, who recently completed his boot training at Farragut, Idaho.  He left school the middle of this year to enlist.  Mrs. LeRoy H. PARRISH and daughter Jo Ann of Saugus, Massachusetts, arrived Monday for a visit with Mr. and Mrs. Denver PARRISH, near Holliday.  They have not heard from LeRoy, who is in the navy, for more than a month.

Will Go Back For Thirty More.  Sergeant Paul GIBBS, son of Ab GIBBS of Stoutsville, is home on 30 day furlough after completing 30 missions on a B-17 based in England.  He says he hopes to go back for 30 more missions after his furlough.

Sergeant GIBBS went to England with an air depot group which maintained the planes, after he had failed to get into training as a flying cadet.  After he reached England he was made a ball turret gunner aboard a B-17 flying fort bomber.  He is credited with downing two Messerschmitt 109’s, single engine German fighting planes.  GIBBS’ plane has been hit repeatedly, and two crew members have been killed.  Because of reasons of security, GIBBS preferred not to say where his missions had been accomplished.  He made 27 flights on which bombs were actually dropped and was credited with flights on which bombs were not dropped.  GIBBS was in England for more than two years, and in all that time had not seen another Monroe County boy.  Sergeant GIBBS’ brother, Machinist’s Mate First Class Glenn GIBBS, is serving aboard a minesweeper in the Pacific area.

Santa Fe Items.  Mr. Dick CREED received word Wednesday night through the Red Cross that his son, Corp. Junior CREED, is missing in action.  He was stationed somewhere in England.

Obie and Charley KIPPER and Charles BATSELL, who went into the army from Paris, met recently in Italy.  Letters to Paris relatives say it was the biggest surprise party they ever attended.

The name of Carter DURBIN, a graduate of Holliday High School, was omitted from a list of those serving in the army, which was published recently.  Carter is a son of Mr. and Mrs. Ben J. DURBIN of Jefferson City, formerly of Holliday, and is stationed in New Orleans.

Mack RANSDELL returned Tuesday night from the veterans’ hospital at Jefferson Barracks, where he had been for examination for more than a month.  He and his wife and son, Fred, will leave soon for San Bernardino, California, traveling by truck with a trailer home in which to live.