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Andrew F. Straughn, PFC, U.S. Marine Corps, son of Mr. and Mrs. A.I. Straughn, Rt. 2, Andalusia, has been promoted from Private. He is serving with a unit of the Ninth Marine Aircraft Wing which is training at the Marine Corps Air Station, Cherry Point, N.C.

Marvin R. Compton, PFC, U.S. Army, has been promoted to Corporal. He is serving with the Ordnance Branch, Service Command, Camp Stewart, Ga.

Gene Dillard, PO1, U.S. Navy, son of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Dillard, Rt. 3, Andalusia, has returned to Norfolk, Va., after spending 25 days leave at home with his parents. PO1 Dillard joined the Navy in December 1940, and has spent most of his time at sea in the South Pacific theater. He says that fighting the Japanese is tough and there is a lot of work to be done. He has taken part in the campaigns at Guam, the Marshall Islands, Saipan and the Philippine Islands. He was in the convoy that carried Gen. MacArthur back to the Philippines.

Preston S. Bailey, Jr., PVT, U.S. Army Air Corps, son of Mr. and Mrs. P.S. Bailey, 801 East Three Notch St., Andalusia, has completed training and graduated from the Army Air Forces Training Command School at Chanute Field, Illinois. He has received instruction in electronics and other various technical operations vital to the maintenance of our country’s fighting planes.

Girden W. Lambert, SGT, U.S. Army Air Corps, husband of Mrs. Fannie C. Lambert of Andalusia, has received his second battle stripe for serving 12 months with a refueling unit operating B-24 Liberator bombers with the 15th Air Force. SGT. Lambert is a member of this veteran group that has flown more than 170 combat missions since last January. The unit has received the Distinguished Unit Badge with one bronze cluster for two Presidential Citations. Before entering the service, Lambert worked as a meat packer for the Zeigler Packing Co.

Nathan Jefcoat, MUS1, U.S. Navy, son of Mr. and Mrs. John S. Jefcoat of Gantt, Al., is a trumpet player with the band at the Amphibious Training Base at Coronado, Ca. He has completed training in amphibious warfare and is prepared to hit Japanese-held beaches with more than parade music. Jefcoat is a member of the only Navy band trained in amphibious tactics. In addition to his music, he can operate landing craft and send and receive semaphore and blinker light messages. Jefcoat enlisted in the Navy in 1936 and trained in Norfolk, Va. He re-enlisted in April 1941. He has spent 18 months in overseas service including cruises to Iceland, Africa and Europe aboard the battleship, USS Texas [BB-35]. Jefcoat previously attended school in Montgomery, Al., where he played football and was in the band. His wife, Mrs. Alma E. Jefcoat and their two young children, reside at 20 West Third St. in Montgomery.

Luther E. Brown, Staff Sgt., U. S. Army Air Corps, son of Mr. and Mrs. L.E. Brown, who reside on Baisden St. in Andalusia, has been promoted to Tech Sgt. Sgt. Brown is a radio operator/gunner aboard a B-24 Liberator Bomber with the 392nd Heavy Bombardment Group, Second Bomber Division commanded by Major Gen. William E. Kepner. Brown graduated from Andalusia High School and attended Auburn before entering service in August 1942. Brown’s bomber group has flown more than 200 missions over enemy targets including Berlin, Friedrichshaven, Gotha, Bremen, Politz and other targets in Germany, France, Belgium, Holland, Poland and Norway.

Emory Rabren, PVT, U.S. Army Air Corps, son of Mr. and Mrs. Emory Rabren of 2 Opp Ave., Andalusia, has arrived at the Army Air Forces Redistribution Station 2 at Miami Beach, Fl., after completing a tour of duty overseas. Rabren will remain at the base for two weeks before being reassigned to a new duty station. He was a truck driver for the Army Air Corps during his 11 months in the European Theater. 

Murrel C. Green, SGT, U.S. Army, son of Mrs. Ella M. Green, Rt. 3, Andalusia, has been promoted to Staff Sgt. He is a squad leader in the 85th “Custer” Division of the 5th Army in Italy.

Lonnie V. Diamond, PVT, U.S. Army, of Rt. 4, Andalusia, is a utility repairman with the famous 313th Combat Engineers Battalion. The Battalion recently received a Commendation from the commander of the 5th Army for their outstanding work building roads, bridges, destroying concealed mines and removing obstacles in advance of the supply lines of the 5th Army.

Cecil B. Fleming, Staff Sgt., U.S. Army, husband of Mrs. Opal B. Fleming, a beauty shop operator in Andalusia, was a squad leader in the famous 337th “Wolverine” Regiment which recently took the 3,000-ft. Mount Pratone from the Germans on the Gothic Line. The 337th Infantry Regiment is in the 85th “Custer” Division which is part of the Fifth Army under the command of Gen. Mark Clark in Italy. The 337th was tasked with digging out the Germans from their huge and well-concealed concrete pillboxes before the great battle to take Mount Pratone.

Henry Clay Grissett, WT2, U.S. Navy, husband of Mrs. Georgia Grissett of Andalusia, has returned to San Francisco after spending a 30-day leave at home. Henry, better known as “Ted” to his friends, has spent the last three years aboard the USS Rigel [AR-11] in the Pacific theater of operations. The Rigel, a Navy repair ship, got underway for the South Pacific on April 20, 1942, carrying troops. During Grissett’s time aboard, the Rigel served as a troop ship, repair ship, a store ship and assisted in construction of shore facilities. The ship assisted in operations at Hollandia, Buna and Cape Sudest in New Guinea; Fannin Island [a New Zealand territory] and Leyte Gulf. The Rigel also served briefly as flagship for Vice Adm. Robert L Ghormley.

[Author’s note: Grissett returned to Andalusia after the war and was employed by the Gulf Naval Stores. He was killed at the age of 45 in a one-car accident on Nov. 24, 1955. His funeral was held at West Highland Baptist Church in Andalusia and he was buried at Andalusia Memorial Cemetery].

John Vick