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| Wilmington News-Journal Dec. 1, 1945 p.2 |
New Vienna School to Honor its War Dead
Plaque on School Grounds to be dedicated
at Ceremonies on Pearl Harbor Day
New Vienna high school alumni members, who lost their lives in the war [World War 2], will be honored on Pearl Harbor Day, December 7, with the dedication of a plaque on the school grounds during ceremonies starting at 2:30 P.M., Superintendent R.W. Fenwick announced.
An ornamental oak tree already has been planted in their memory on the lawn directly in front of the building and the bronze plaque will be placed near the tree.
Members of the Alumni Association raised funds for the plaque and tree by public subscription.
Eight graduates of the school lost their lives in action and tow others, who attended New Vienna high school but did not graduate there, were among the casualties.
In all 71 graduates of New Vienna high school were in the armed forces and two in Red Cross work.
The plaque reads: "In Memoriam. We pay reverent tribute to those from our midst who gave to their country the last full measure of devotion in World War II."
Dr. Robert Conard, of Wilmington, retired Army colonel, will give the address.
Supt. Fenwick announced the following program. "Star Spangled Banner," New Vienna high school band; invocation, Rev. F.H. Smith; music, band; address, Dr. Conard; music, band; remarks, Rev. Smith; roll call and presentation of tree, Richard Levo; benediction, Rev. Smith.
The rites will be held in the auditorium if the weather is bad, Fenwick said.
The eight alumni member honored are: Lt. Wayne Steele, navigator of a Flying Fortress who lost his life in Europe; William Burton, of the infantry; Lt. Wendell Binkley, pilot of a B-17 who lost his life in Italy; Lt. Robert Rice, of the Infantry who was killed in France; Lt. Robert Thompson, pilot of a P-51, killed in Italy. Paratrooper Pvt. William Linkhart, killed in Holland; Pvt. William Lamar of the Marines, killed on Iwo Jima, and Robert Oglesbee of the Infantry, who died in France.
Two others attended New Vienna high school: Kenneth Hamilton, a paratrooper killed on Corregidor; and Pfc. Charles Perry.
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1st Lieut. Wendell H. Binkley, born 1920, graduate of NVHS in 1938, pilot of a B-24 Liberator bomber, was killed in action over Italy on Christmas day 1944, when his plane crashed into a mountain.. He was survived by his wife, Mildred Crisenbery Binkley, a son Douglas Binkley, parents Howard and Carrie Fordyce Binkley and a brother, Carlton James Binkley. His body was returned to the USA by Army Transport in 1948 and he is buried at the Sugar Grove Cemetery in Wilmington.
William Henry Burton, 1939 graduate of NVHS, was born in Clark County, Ohio in 1919. He served in the infantry, enlisting in 1942 and died in Europe in January 1945. He was survived by his wife, Mariel Elaine Kelly Burton, his parents, Clifford and Alberta McGillivray Burton, two brothers and four sisters. He is buried in Springfield, Ohio, where his family moved after his high school graduation.
Pvt. Harry Kenneth Hamilton, age 20, died in the Philippine Islands of wounds suffered on Corregidor on Feb. 25, 1945 while serving with parachute division. He had previously lived with his family in the Mt. Olive area near New Vienna and had attended New Vienna school. He was Highland County's 72nd known war casualty since the US declared war in December 1941.
Pvt. William Thomas Lamar, NVHS 1944 graduate, entered the Marines after graduation and was killed in action on Iwo Jima in 1945. He was survived by his parents Thomas & Rosa Lamar and his brother James Edward Lamar, who also served in the Marine Corps.
Pvt. William F. "Billy" Linkhart died in Holland (or Belgium) in January 1945. He was a former star basketball player at NVHS where he graduated in 1938. He served as a paratrooper in the Army. Survivors included his parents, Roy and Etta Beair Linkhart and three brothers, Donald, Paul and Robert. His brother Paul, in Army training camp in Arkansas, suffered a knee injury on the same day his parents got word of his brother's death, Feb. 1, 1945.
Major Robert Oglesbee, pilot of a bomber, was killed instantly in action over Belgium. He joined the Army Air Corps in August 1942, was stationed in England and took part in numerous raids over Germany and other Nazi held countries. Though listed as an alumni of NVHS, his name cannot be found in the graduation rosters. (Perhaps he is another person who attended but did not graduate or his name was inadvertently left off the graduation lists??) According to the 1940 census, Robert Oglesbee was 15 and living in New Vienna, which would indicate he could have graduated in 1942. He was survived by his wife Helen, parents Guy & Grace Oglesbee, and a sister, Frieda Oglesbee (Tibbett).
Pfc. Charles C Perry, born in 1915, died in Oct. 1944 during the Invasion of Italy. He attended NVHS. He was survived by his wife, Helen Louise Achor Perry (Watson Gall Wilson), a son, Charles Leland Perry. his parents Mr. and Mrs. Sam Perry of Logan WV, three sisters, two brothers and his wife's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Achor. Another brother, Ray, was also killed in action in WW2.
2nd Lieut. Robert Franklin Rice, killed in action in France, on Nov. 11, 1944. The former basketball player, in command of an infantry company in the Third Army, was a 1933 graduate of NVHS. He was survived by his [ex?] wife Mrs. Adeline Rice, a daughter Druscilla, his parents, (New Vienna Postmaster) Hamer and Clara Newland Rice and his grandparents, Robert and Jennie Beekman Newland. Previously Robert had been married to Wanda Johnson Rice (Manthey), a 1935 NVHS graduate, and in Aug. 1944 he married Edith Atkinson Haage in Virginia.
2nd Lieut. Wayne M. Steele, 1937 graduate of NVHS, killed in action on April 21, 1944, as navigator on a B-24 bomber which crashed near East Dereham, Norfolk, England while on a mission which targeted an aircraft repair factory at Zwickau, Germany. Steele was a graduate of Ohio State University and also attended Purdue University. He was the son of William and Hattie Morris Steele, of New Vienna. He was also survived by a brother, Herbert, and his widow, Christine Boyd Steele (later McKelvey). Buried in New Vienna IOOF Cemetery.
Lieut. Robert G. Thompson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Thompson, killed in the crash of his F-47 fighter plane in a forced landing on April 20, 1945. President of his senior class, Thompson graduated from NVHS in 1941. He was survived by his parents, Peter and Gertrude Long Thompson. His body was returned to the USA by Army Transport in 1948 and he is buried in New Vienna IOOF Cemetery.
Such terrible loss! I did not know my uncle was a paratrooper or that he liked basketball. I also do not recall seeing that particular picture. I do see some resemblance between he and I. Thank you very much!
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