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Lt. Finis M. Smith, U.S. Army, son of Mr. Willie Smith, Rt. 4, Andalusia, is home on a five-day leave. He is a patient at Oliver General Hospital, Augusta, Ga. He has been serving in the Cavalry overseas.

2nd Lt. James Underwood Cross, U.S. Army Air Corps, son of Mr. and Mrs. James K. Cross, of the Pleasant Home community, has received his silver pilot wings and Second-Lieutenant’s bars after graduating from an advanced two-engine school at Marfa Army Air Force Training Command, Marfa Army Air Field, Texas. It was announced by Col. A.J. Kerwin Malone, commanding officer of the base. Cross is a former resident of Andalusia and previously served at Gardner Field in Taft, California, before reporting to Marfa AAF.

*Author’s note: Who could have guessed that Cross would become military aide and pilot of Air Force One for President Lyndon B. Johnson just 19 years later in 1963.

Seaman Bibb G. Jordan, U.S. Navy, son of Mrs. Fannie Jordan, 227 Baisden St., Andalusia, and Seaman John J. Sykes, U.S. Navy, Rt. 2, Andalusia, are receiving indoctrination at the U.S. Naval Training Center, Great Lakes, Illinois. Their recruit training consists of instruction in seamanship, military drill, and general Naval procedures. A series of aptitude tests will determine whether they will be assigned to a Naval Service School or directly to sea duty.

PVT LeRoy Kilpatrick, U.S. Army, husband of Mrs. Myrtle Kilpatrick, Rt. 2, Andalusia, is now with the U.S. Army Corps headquarters in the N.E.I. [Netherland East Indies]. Pvt. Kilpatrick left for overseas duty last March. The Kilpatricks have three children, Mearl, 16, Donald, 8, and Brenda Joyce, 3. Before he was inducted into the Army in September 1943, Kilpatrick was employed by the Farm Security Administration. He trained at Camp Blanding, Florida, and has been serving in the Pacific theater. The red-headed soldier is already a veteran of the Hollandia Campaign, which cut off the entire Japanese 18th Army. He also participated in the Biak Campaign, which advanced Gen. Douglas McArthur’s forces several hundred miles nearer Tokyo.

Leroy’s brother, Audrey A. Kilpatrick, is also serving in the Army with Tank Destroyer Battalion 30.

— John Vick