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Robert Lee Messick, SN2, U.S. Navy, of Andalusia, is currently stationed at the Navy Supply Depot, at Pearl Harbor Naval Base, Honolulu, Hi. Funneling supplies to the vast Pacific Fleet is the important task of SN2 Messick and others at the depot. Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz, Commander of the Pacific Fleet, has emphasized the importance of the Navy Supply Depot when he said, “All problems of logistics is a problem of, ‘beans, bullets and oil,’ and is handled by the Naval Supply Depot.” This depot is the most important Pacific link in the chain of supply for mighty Pacific Fleet, now battering at the doors of Tokyo.

Otis C. Curry, PFC, U.S. Army Air Corps, son of Mr. and Mrs. O. C. Curry of Red Level, has been promoted to Corporal. He currently serves with the 1879th Engineer Battalion in Manila, Philippines, and has been overseas for 15 months. Corporal Curry has served in operations in New Guinea, Leyte and Luzon in the Philippines and has been awarded with the Good Conduct ribbon, the Asiatic-Pacific ribbon with one bronze star and the Pacific Liberation ribbon with one bronze star. He attended schools in Midway, Al., and Red Level, Al., and was employed by the Alabama Drydocks in Mobile, before entering the service.

Ray Butler, PFC, U.S. Army, son of Mr. and Mrs. G.W. Butler, RT. 3, Andalusia, is a member of a “triple-threat” anti-aircraft battery in Gen. Walter Krueger’s 6th Army. Butler and his crew landed with the 6th Army on D-Day in Luzon and were kept busy, blazing away at enemy planes that attacked the troops at the beachhead. As the troops moved inland, Butler and his men used their guns to blast the Japs from caves. His battery also organized patrols to help in mop-up operations against the enemy soldiers who had been by-passed. They accounted for more than a score of enemy soldiers killed. After Ray graduated from Andalusia High School, he worked on the farm for two years before joining the Army. He is married to Mrs. Irene Davis Butler who is currently residing in Winter Garden, Fl.

Edward E. Smith, Staff Sgt., U.S. Army Air Corps, son of Mr. and Mrs. Eugene C. Smith of Leesburg, S.C., and husband of Mrs. Lettie F. Smith, who resides at 200 Packer St., Andalusia, is a gunner on a B-17 Flying Fortress with the 95th Bombardment Group. He has recently been awarded the first oak leaf cluster to the Air Medal for meritorious achievement while participating in the 8th Air Force bombing attacks on vital targets in Germany. The presentation was made by Col. Jack E. Shuck of Caspar, Wy. Sgt. Smith is a member of the Fortress group which was cited by the President for leading the first American bombing attacks on Berlin in 1944. The group had previously been cited for its outstanding bombing assault on the railroad marshaling yards in Munster, Germany. Smith and his air group, as part of 3rd Air Division, also shared in the Presidential citation for its historic England-Africa shuttle bombing of an important Messerschmitt fighter plane plant in Regensburg, Germany in Aug. 1943. The 95th Bombardment Group has dropped more than 17,000 tons of bombs on Germany and German-held targets.

James M. Smith, Jr., SGT, U.S. Army, husband of Mrs. Frances K. Smith, Rt. 4, Andalusia, has recently been promoted to Staff Sergeant. Smith is serving with the 141st Infantry Regiment of the 36th “Texas” Infantry Division.

Isaac H. Suggs, Corporal, U.S. Army, husband of Mrs. Ollie Suggs, Rt. 4, Andalusia, has recently been promoted to Sergeant. He is currently stationed at Indiantown Gap Military Reservation, Pa. Sgt. Suggs was inducted in July 1944 and was previously stationed at Ft. Benning, Ga. 

Bobbie Lee Phillips, PHM3, U.S. Navy WAVES, daughter of Mrs. R.L. Phillips and the late Mr. Phillips, 529 S. Cotton St., Andalusia, is stationed at Naval Air Station, Clinton, Ok. She joined the WAVES in June 1943 and completed boot camp at Hunter College, N.Y. She trained at the Hospital Corps School, Great Lakes, Il., before being assigned to the Naval Air Station where she works in the operating room at the Dispensary. Miss Phillips graduated from Pleasant Home High School in 1941 and worked at the Andalusia Telephone Co. prior to joining the Navy.

Bronze Medal Awarded Major Guy B. Wilder

Guy B. Wilder, Major, U.S. Army, a native of Andalusia, has been awarded the Bronze Star.

The award reads: “When one of the batteries of his battalion was subjected to an intense artillery barrage, Major Wilder left his position of comparative safety to supervise the rapid displacement of the men and equipment of his unit. His display of leadership and disregard for personal safety won him the respect and confidence of the men in his battalion.”

Major Wilder is Executive Officer of the 933rd Field Artillery Battalion with the 5th Army Division. He has spent more than 20-years serving with the Alabama National Guard, more than four years of which he has served in active service with Army of the United States. For more than a year, he has been in combat with the 5th Army in Italy, and the 1st and 7th Armies in France. Major Wilder’s battalion has been awarded the Croix de Guerre with Vermillion Star by the French government in recognition of its outstanding service.

Major Wilder is a graduate of the Command and General Staff school at Ft. Leavenworth, Ks., and the Field Artillery School at Ft. Sill, Ok. Before being assigned to active duty with the Army, Wilder attended the University of Alabama, and also served on the Andalusia City Council.

Legion of Merit Awarded to Major Don S. Mathews

Don S. Mathews, Major. U.S. Army, a native of Andalusia, has been awarded the Legion of Merit. Major Mathews is S-3 Officer for the 933rd Field Artillery Battalion. The citation reads: “On two different occasions when the fire direction center was subjected to heavy enemy fire under circumstances that did not permit its removal, Major Mathews set an example of courage that was inspirational to the officers and men of the entire battalion, thereby reflecting great credit upon himself and the armed forces of the United States.” In addition to the Legion of Merit, Major Mathews also wears four bronze battle participation stars on the European-African-Middle Eastern campaign ribbon.

He was instrumental in his battalion’s record of having fired more than 100,000 rounds of medium artillery ammunition. Along with his battalion, Major Mathews has been awarded the Croix de Guerre with Vermillion Star decoration for serving with the French troops in the Italian campaign. Major Mathews was inducted into the Alabama National Guard in Nov. 1940 and has spent 19 months overseas, more than a year of that in combat, first with the 5th Army, then later with the 1st and 7th Armies of France. Major Mathews is a graduate of the Command and General Staff school at Ft. Leavenworth, Ks., and the Field Artillery school at Ft. Sill, Ok.

John Vick