Plymouth Pharmacist and Sportsman Will Be Buried at Trucksville

Funeral services for Richard A. Harris, Plymouth druggist and owner of Forest Hills Park, Sweet Valley, will be held Tuesday afternoon at 2:30 from the home Main Street, Plymouth. Rev. Wheaton Webb, Plymouth Methodist Church, will officiate. Burial will be in Trucksville Cemetery.

Mr. Harris was 57 years of age and conducted a business in Plymouth for the past 37 years. He was a member of Good Will Hose Company No. 2 and served as treasurer of that organization for many years.

He was a registered pharmacist from the time he was 18. At the age of 15 he entered the employ of Druggist George Ross, late of Luzerne, and after five years became manager of the store of Benjamin Haight, Hughes Street, Swoyerville. Later he conducted the pharmacy of Mrs. Netherton, Scott Street, city. Subsequently he conducted the Punxsutawny Cherry R Tree, Reynolds Hill.

In 1907 he went to Plymouth where he purchased the drug store of John B. Rickard, 400 West Main Street. He remained there until 1913 when he moved to 383 West Main Street.

Mr. Harris was a life member of Luzerne County Pharmaceutial Association and was a director of the Pennsylvania Drug Company. He was an honorary member of the Police Executives Association of Pennsylvania and was active in rod and gun clubs.

He was also a member of Henderson Gaylord Council 316 Jr. OUAM and numerous civic and fraternal organizations. He was a member of Methodist Church, Luzerne.

Survivors are his widow and his father, Richard A. Harris, Kingston; brothers, George, Pittsburgh; William, Luzerne; sister, Edith Wellington, Pasadena, Calif.

Wilkes-Barre -- William M. Patterson.

Hunlock Creek -- Edward B. Vosler

Duryea -- Joseph M. Mikluschak.

Above is pictured the youngest son of Mr. & Mrs. John Zofcin, of Rock View avenue. Robert is serving in the mortuary division of the armed forces. In a recent letter to his parents, he tells of a meeting with his brother, Cpl. John Zofcin, Jr., in France. They are separated by ten miles and will take advantage of the opportunity to see each other for the time being. In the gun crew of Cpl. John Zofcin are several Shickshinny boys.

John J. Kadtke, S 1/c, is spending a 30-day furlough with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Emil Kadtke of Valley road. Seaman Kadtke has seen service in the South Pacific war area.

Pvt. William Andrews, who was stationed at Camp Lejuine, N.C., after receiving his boot-training at Parris Island, S. C., was transferred to Camp Pendleton, Oceanside, Calif. He has since been shipped to the South Pacific war area. His final destination has not yet been received by his mother, Mrs. Ida Andrews. Pvt. Andrews is not yet 18 years of age. He is a brother of Pfc. Roy Andrews, who was killed in the African campaign.

Baker 3/c Albert J. Yonick observed his 20th birthday anniversary at his home, 128 Poplar Street. In the Navy since October 21, 1943, he recently returned from the South China area and the Philippine Islands. He served aboard the submarine USS Ratan, at present docked at Staten Island, N.Y., for Navy Day.

U. S. Naval Air Station, Jacksonville, Fla., Oct. 31-- James R. Dodson, 119 West Union Street, Shichshinny, Pa., recently graduated from the Aviation Storekeeper’s school here and was promoted to Aviation Storekeeper Third Class in the U. S. Navy.

Entering the navy march 23, 1944, he received his recruit training at Bainbridge, Md., before being transferred to the Naval air Technical Training Center here.

Dodson is now a qualifies Aviation Storekeeper and will probably see service with a Naval Air Unit.

Staff Sergeant Ralph (Bud) Thomas returned to this country recently after completing 30 missions over enemy territory, including missions over Munich and Berlin, and was over France twice on D-day. S/Sgt. Thomas is a nose gunnermechanic on a Liberator bomber, and was stationed in England. He received the Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, two bronze stars, and the Distinguished Flying Cross. After spending a 21-day furlough with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Guy Thomas, of Nescopeck, R. D. 1, he will report to Atlantic City, N. J., for re-assignment.

Two local young men serving with the United States forces have been reported by the War Department as casualties, one missing in action and the other killed in Africa.

They were:

Lieutenant Donald Jenkins, son of Mr. and Mrs. A. C. Jenkins, 151 Fort street, has been missing since August 1.

Private Albert Gregalis, son of Mrs. Anna Menchinsky and the late Joseph Menchinsky, 150 Carroll street, Pittston.

His oldest brother, Captain Arthur C. Jenkins, Jr., is a captain of field artillery. He was graduated from Fort Sill School. He enlisted in 109th Field Artillery in 1940.

Capt. Harry Jenkins is with the Air Corps and was in Africa. He has one year of foreign service. He was commissioned in 1941.

The three brothers were Eagle Scouts. All were graduated from Forty Fort High School and left college to enter the war.

When a messenger appeared at the Menchinsky home in Pittston with a telegram the mother reared to open it. John Tierney, 186 Carroll street, who was passing, opened the envelope, and found the fears of the mother confirmed. The message read:

"The Secretary of War desires that I tender his deepest sympathy to you in the loss of your son, Pvt. states he was killed in action on the 10th of July in Northern Africa. Letter will follow.

"Ulio."

Private Gregalis had been in the service 18 months.

He had been in North Africa since June. A brother, Peter Menchinsky, sexton at St. Casimir’s Lithuanian Church, was recently inducted and is stationed at Fort Lewis, Tocoma, Washington.

Through the florists’ telegraph delivery service Pfc. Gregory remembered his mother on Mother’s Day with a large plant with three flowers. Glenn is serving somewhere in Italy.

Pfc. Lamoreax is a son of Mr. and Mrs. C. Lamoreaux.

Pfc. Ralph Lamoreaux has returned to Bowman Field, Kentucky, after spending a ten-day furlough with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. C. Lamoreaux of Muhlenburg. Ralph will be 22 years old on June 30th.

Pvt. Eugene Zimmerman has arrived safely somewhere in England according to word received by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Zimmerman.

Pvt. Zimmerman left for the service on March 17, 1943. He received his basic training at Camp McCain, Miss. From there he went on maneveurs in Tennessee. He then received advanced training in Indiana and was then sent overseas.

His address now is Co. A 301st Sig. Opn. Bn. APO 571 c/o PM New York, N. Y. ASN 33465506

Edward B. Vosler, Jr., S-2/c, son of Mr. and Mrs. E. B. Vosler, Sr. of Muhlenburg, will celebrate his 18th birthday today at Newport, R. I., where he is attending Yeoman School.

Seaman Vosler enlisted on Oct. 21, 1943 and took his boot training at Sampson, N. Y.

In June, 1943 he graduated from Shickshinny’s Garrison Memorial High School.

During his school years he was active in sports as well as a member of the High School band and orchestra.

Arthur Dungey, pictured above, will observe his 19th birthday on September 2, 1944, somewhere in the Pacific theatre of war. Seaman Dungey enlisted in the service on September 8, 1943. He is the only son of Mrs. and Mrs. Wm. Dungey of Hunlock Creek R. D. 1. He is a graduate of Shickshinny High School, Class of ‘43. His present address is Arthur Dungey, F 1/c, USNR 5th Div. USS Midas ARB No. %, Fleet PO, San Francisco, California.

T/Sgt. James T. Franklin, one of the first Ninth Troop Carrier crew chiefs to cross the English Channel, has been awarded the Aid Medal for "meritorious achievement" while participating in "D day" combat flights over Normandy. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. James T. Franklin, Of Harveyville.

The citation by Brig. Gen. Paul L. Williams, head of the Ninth Troop Carrier Command, praised Sergeant Franklin for his "superb performance in the initial Troop Carrier phases of the invasion of the European Continent." It also went on to say: "The admirable manner in which he performed his assignment helped to produce exceptional results in the greatest and most successful airborne operation in the history of world aviation."

Sgt. Franklin is a graduate of the Huntington Mills High School and before entering the service in July, 1942, he was employed as an assembly line operator at the AC&F plant in Berwick.

Sgt. John Miller, 255 Rutter avenue, Kingston, has arrived in Africa, according to word received by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Miller. In the Army air force since January 5, 1942, he was graduated from Chanute Field, Rantoul, Illinois, and was made crew chief before he left this country. He worked for Hess Goldsmith silk Corporation, city, before entering the service.

Richard Vernon Stevens, 20, son of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Mark Stevens, of 1129 Woodruff avenue holds the petty officer rating aviation metalsmith, third class, e his graduation from the naval Technical Training Center, lo..ted at Navy Pier in Chicago, Ill. Stevens is now stationed some..ere in North Atlantic.

Lt. Robert W. Barrall, 24, native of Nanticoke, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Barrall, Berwick, was officially reported "killed in action" on August 31 in the European war zone by the War Department.

Lt. Barrall was decorated by the government on four different occasions for gallantry in action. He was a bombardier on a "Flying Fortress," and had scores of missions to his credit when he made the supreme sacrifice. His decorations included the Purple Heart, coveted Distinguished Service Cross, Oak Leaf Cluster and Silver Bar.

He was a graduate of the Berwick High School and worked for the American Car and Foundry plant when he entered the service.

The promotion of John W. Rittenhouse from the rank of Pfc. to Corporal was announced recently somewhere in England, by Major General Hugh J. Knerr, Commanding General of the Air Service Command, United States Strategic Air Forces in Europe.

Cpl. Rittenhouse has been overseas for one year and is an Air Field controller, Control Tower Operator.

He recently met Cpl. Bob Stevens of Broadway, in a chow line He was the first person he had seen from home, since he has been overseas.

Pvt. Wm. Adkins, who was recently awarded the good conduct medal, was here for a week end visit to his parents. He is at Fort Monmouth, N. J.

Pfc. David Curtis Crockett, son of Mrs. David Crockett, of Broadway, observed his 21st birthday anniversary on May 31, somewhere in England, where he is stationed with the 204th A.A.A.

He entered the services on Jan. 16, 1943, and received his basic training at Camp Edwards, Mass., Long Island, and Fort Devens, Mass.

His address is Pfc. David C. Crockett, 33460671, Bat. A, 204th AAA, AW Bn, APO 654, New York, N.Y.

LIEUT. CLAUDE IPHER. (No date given)

Huntington Mills aviator was Lost In Bombing Rumanian Oil fields--Text of Citation

The Distinguished Flying Cross, aviation’s highest award, was presented to Mrs. Phoebe Wiant, at her Huntington Mills home on Tuesday morning for gallantry in aerial operation displayed by her son, Second Lieutenant Claude H. Ipher , Army Air Force, now listed as missing in action over Central Europe.

The decoration was presented to Mrs. Wiant by Captain Fenton D. Lamb, president of the aviation cadet examining board, Wilkes-Barre induction station.

Accompanying the medal was the following citation directed to the local officer as well as other officers and men of his bombardment squadron:

"For distinguished and meritorious achievement while participating in the operations against the Ploesti Oil Refineries of Rumania on August 1, 1943.

"In carrying out a low-lever, long-range attack on an enemy target of extraordinarily great importance, these men under conditions of great difficulty and danger, contributed immensely to inflicting on the enemy one of the most damaging blows it has yet received. Flying through one of the world’s heaviest barrages of flak, and amid swarms of enemy fighter planes, they strafed and bombed their objectives, causing very extensive destruction.

"The fearlessness, devotion to duty and indomitable fighting spirit they exhibited constitute a magnificent example of heroism for all the men of the United States Army Air Forces.

A Purple Heart medal will be awarded to PFC George R. Callender, 20, of Northumberland, according to a dispatch from a U. S. Station Hospital in England. The award will be made for battle wounds suffered between Carenton and St. Lo, in Normandy, on July 12. PFC Callender, son of Mr. and Mrs. H. L. Callender, Northumberland, is a grandson of Joseph Newitt, 318 Ridge Avenue, Kingston, and a nephew of the late George R. Newitt, who lost his life in World War I while fighting with the U. S. Marines.

He was a radio operator and forward observor for a 105 mm. howitzer platoon, and went ashore in France on June 17 with a radio transmitter strapped to his back. He was wounded on July 12....serving artillery fi.....outskirts of St. Lo f... top position.

PFC. Callender s...wounded at 8 in ... and before dawn...way to Englan...LST.

Pvt. Luke B. Lamoreaux observed his 19th birthday anniversary October 10 somewhere in the South Pacific area. He is a son of Mrs. Mabel Lamoreaux of Hunlock Creek, and the late Luke B. Lamoreaux, veteran of World War 1. On e of 14 cousins in service, 11 of whom are overseas, he received his basic training at Camp Blanding, Fla.