COLUMN: ‘News from Our Boys in the Armed Forces’ – January 13, 1944

Published 4:00 pm Friday, July 12, 2024

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U.S Naval Air Station, Jacksonville, Florida. RM3 Cecil Ray Colvin, U.S. Navy, son of Mrs. Dollie Colvin, 107 Stewart St., Andalusia, recently graduated from the Aviation Radio School as an honor student, finishing with an average of 93.88. He was promoted to Third Class Petty Officer in the Navy. Colvin entered the service May 23, 1943 and recived basic training at Pensacola before arriving at the Naval Air Technical Training Center here. He is now a qualified radioman and will probably see service with a Naval Air Unit.

PFC Fowler Dugger, Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. Fowler Dugger of Birmingham and grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Oscar M. Dugger of Andalusia, is now a member of the 515th Parachute Infantry Regiment. He has completed his test jumping at Ft. Benning, Ga., and received his paratrooper wings Monday of this week. His regiment will be transferred soon to an advanced training camp on the eastern seaboard. PFC Fowler, Jr. was born in Andalusia and always claims this as his home town.

Mrs. Adele Washington, Rt. 2, Red Level, was shopping in Andalusia Saturday and called to subscribe to The Star. Mrs. Washington stated that her husband, SGT. James L. Washington is in the South Pacific. She has a brother, SGT. Fletcher Curry, stationed in England, a brother, PVT. Otis Curry, assigned to an Army camp in Spokane, Washington, a brother, PVT. Jesse R. Curry, at Camp Carson, Colorado, and another brother, Lomax Curry, left on the 12th to join the Navy. This is a record for one family, so far as The Star has learned.

PVT. Julian Dixon, son of Mr. and Mrs. Jess Dixon of Kent, Ohio, has received the coveted Honor Badge of Efficiency. It was presented by Col. George T. Hall, Commanding Officer, Recruiting Depot, U.S. Marine Corps Base, San Diego, Cal. PVT Dixon, who is 24 years old, graduated from Andalusia High School in 1939. He attended Alabama Polytechnic Institute at Auburn for four years. For the past year, he has worked for the Twin Coach Company in Kent, Ohio, with his father in the development of the helicopter. Julian entered the Marines last October.

Somewhere in New Guinea – Lt. Gen. George C. Kenney, Commander of the Allied Air Forces in the Southwest Pacific, has presented the Distinguished Flying Cross to Capt. Bob J. Willis, formerly of 220 Crescent St., Andalusia. The award was presented for “extraordinary achievement while participating in 50 operational flight missions in the southwest Pacific during which hostile contact was probable and expected.” While serving with a troop carrier squadron in the Fifth Air Force, Capt. Willis flew missions dropping supplies and transporting troops to advanced positions, which involved flying at low altitudes over mountainous terrain in adverse weather conditions, in a transport plane, often landing within a few miles of enemy bases. Throughout these flights, Capt. Willis demonstrated outstanding ability and devotion to duty.

The Star has received word that SGT. Jenkins “Jinx” Pruett, formerly of this city and now stationed at Harlinger Field, Texas, is now a crew chief and gunnery instructor on a B-24 bomber. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. George Pruett of Gantt. He is now visiting friends in the area and will report to camp at Denver, Colorado, for the final phase of his training.

PFC. Seth R. Stewart, has graduated this week after completing a five-month course in aircraft maintenance and repair at Seymour Johnson Field, N.C. He is now an aircraft mechanic after completing the technical school of the Army Air Technician Training Command. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. J.S. Stewart of Andalusia. After graduating from Straughn High School, Stewart was employed as a mechanic by the Martin Aircraft Plant in Baltimore, Maryland, before joining the Army in April 1943.

John Vick