USA > Maine > Aroostook County > Bridgewater > History of Bridgewater, Maine > Part 8
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During the summer months Mr. Mckinnon cleared his farm and planted his crops, and for nine winters he worked in the lumber woods for E. E. Milliken.
A few years ago he bought the old schoolhouse which was on his farm and remodeled it into a very comfortable home where he lives with his daughter and her husband, Mr. and Mrs. Blake.
Three of William's brothers, Thomas, Neil, and David, came to town a few years later. Although they did not live on the West Road, they will be included in the Mckinnon family. They all worked for E. E. Milliken, either in the woods or at the sawmill.
Thomas had charge of the woods crews for many years. After Mr. Milliken stopped lumbering, Thomas moved to Houlton to live. He married Edith McDonald, sister of Cyrus. They had three sons and five daughters, none of them living in town.
David also moved to Houlton. He married Clara Webber; they had two daughters and one son.
Neil married Jane Mckinnon, his cousin, and they had four sons and three daughters. The oldest, Percy, owns the Herman McIntire farm on the Boundary Road. Some of the others live in town.
1894
Frank Kimball
Although Frank Kimball was born in town, the son of Absolem Kim- ball, he moved to the West Road in the year 1894, having bought a small farm from Pennington, the first farm beyond the village on the south side of the road (see Kimballs.)
Shortly after moving here he found out that Will McKinnon had
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come to his farm on the same day and, strange as it may seem, they were also married on the same day and for many years Mr. Kimball and Mr. Mckinnon celebrated one of the events, at one home or the other.
John Delong 1894
John Delong came from Lansdown, N. B., and bought a lot of wild land next to the last lot on the road, north side, from G. W. Collins. By hard work and with the help of his nine sons he was able to clear a nice farm. He sold the farm a few years before his death to Guy Twitchell. He was married to Isa McDonald. Their nine sons are Goffery, Arthur, Charles, Frank, Wellington, Jasper, Harold, Otis, and Merle. There are three daughters: Viola, who married Eli Sharp, now deceased; Arvella, wife of Charles Hallett; and Nellie, living in New York City.
George Pryor 1894
George Pryor moved here and bought a farm from Pennington. He lived here about twenty-five years, then sold and moved to town to live. His children are Ellie and Pauline. The farm is now owned by Ray- mond Cullins.
Henry Welch 1896
Henry and Joseph Welch, brothers, came from Bradford, Maine, where they had been working in the tannery. They immediately got jobs in the tannery in town and bought farms on the West Road.
Henry bought the Connley farm from R. J. Kimball, who had taken it over after Connley left, and also land from Pennington. There was a log house on the place and a few acres cleared. Henry tore down the log house and built a large frame house and barns, and spent most of his life clearing the farm.
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He married Gertrude Stackpole of Monticello, Maine. They had two sons, Bernard and Forest.
Forest and his father farmed together until the latter's death, after which Forest managed it alone. He married Roxie Murphy, who died a few years ago leaving two daughters. He then sold the farm to Paul Kilcollins, and now works at the State Experiment Farm at Presque Isle. Bernard lives in town.
1897
Joseph Welch
The next year Joseph bought a farm from Pennington. There was no land cleared, so the first thing he had to do was to clear land for a house and barns. The rest of his life he spent his time and energy in clearing his farm.
He married Priscilla Scott. They had three children, Walter, Guy, and Lena. Walter and his father operated the farm together until Joseph died, and then Walter carried on alone. Walter died a few years ago. The farm is now owned by Ben Brooker.
Walter married Zella Dickinson; they had several children. One daughter, Madeline, married Ferdinand Bradstreet and lives in town. Guy and Lena live in Massachusetts.
Guy Morse 1897
Although Guy Morse was born in Bridgewater he did not come to the West Road to live until 1897 when he bought a lot of land from Wilson Estabrook. He kept this farm five years, then sold it to Wil- liam Webber and moved to Seattle, Washington. In 1909 he returned and bought another lot from the Charles Bradstreet estate, which he sold to Frank Sharp and moved to Massachusetts in 1920.
1900
Elisha Shaw
Elisha Shaw bought the Frank Sharp farm by the brook this year. He had a large family of boys and two daughters. Mrs. Shaw is still
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living. She is over ninety years of age and very smart. She lives with her daughter, Mrs. Henry Hartley.
1901
William Webber
William Webber bought the Guy Morse farm in 1901. After his death it was carried on by his son John Webber. He also had a son, Henry, and two daughters, Bertha and Hannah. The boys are now dead and the girls live in other parts of the state.
1903
Pennington McKeen
Pennington McKeen, son of John McKeen, bought a farm from Pennington, which he cleared. His son Lewis lives on the farm with his mother. Lewis married Violet Mckinnon, and they have two sons.
There are a few other settlers who came to this road, there was a man named Connley who settled on the Henry Welch farm, but noth- ing is known about him today.
The farm east of the Dickinson place was called the Prosser farm. No information could be obtained about Mr. Prosser.
Some of the others have been mentioned in other parts of the book: Finnemores, Kinneys, and McNinches. Many have homes on the road, but do not own farms.
From Present Owner to First Owner
Let us now trace the owner of each farm on West Road back to the first owner. Starting on the south side of the road at the eastern end, the first farm is now owned by Charles Simonson. This was formerly the Frank Kimball farm.
Walter Clark and Charles Finnemore own the next two small farms.
Lewis McKeen lives on the farm first settled by his father, Penning- ton McKeen.
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Paul Kilcollins now owns the Forest Welch farm which his father cleared and settled. This was first owned by a Mr. Connley.
Raymond Cullins has the farm that was cleared by George Pryor.
Next is a wood lot that is owned by "Doss" Morse, which he bought from Pennington.
Ben Brooker owns the Walter Welch farm which his father, Joseph Welch, cleared from virgin forest.
Austin Kinney lives on his father's farm, which his father, Gilbert Kinney, bought from Albert Chandler.
Lawrence Stitham owns the Wilson Estabrook farm, the first to be settled on the road in 1880.
Mr. McClain has the John Webber farm. His father, William, bought it from Guy Morse, who bought it from Wilson Estabrook.
Guy Twitchell has the farm that was owned by Dalbecks, who got it from Asa H. Bradstreet, who bought it from George Cole.
This completes the south side of the road. Now let's start at the eastern end of the road again on the north side.
The first farm is owned by Ralph Stackpole, who got it from his father, H. G. Stackpole. This is the farm that was known as the Prosser place.
The second farm is now owned by Perry Carmichael. This was also owned by H. G. Stackpole and was originally the Norman Dickinson farm.
The third farm is that of Ray Yerxa. Before him it was owned by Harold Beals, Elisha Shaw, and Frank Sharp.
Lloyd Mckinnon has the next place, which was known as the James Gray place.
Earl Mckinnon lives on his father's farm. William McKinnon lives on the farm also, at the top of the hill.
The next farm is also owned by Guy Twitchell. This was the John Delong farm.
The last farm on the road is that of Joshua "Doss" Morse, which was owned by his wife's father, Frank Sharp, who bought it from Guy Morse.
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Important Individuals and Organizations Judge Nathaniel Tompkins
Judge Nathaniel Tompkins, son of Nathaniel and Emma Sargent Tompkins, was born in Bridgewater May 17, 1879. He graduated from Ricker Classical Institute, Houlton, in 1898, from Colby College in 1903, and from Harvard Law School in 1907. He did not have much money for his college education, so he worked his way through school.
He married Ragnhild Iverson of Portage Lake, Maine, in 1913. They had one daughter, Miss Sigred Tompkins, who is now a practicing lawyer in Portland, Maine.
He practiced law in Houlton where he became Judge of Superior Court. He served as Representative and Senator in the Maine State Legislature. He was Speaker of the House and became President of the Senate.
Judge Tompkins finally attained the highest position a lawyer may hold in the state, that of Judge of the Supreme Court of Maine.
He traced his ancestry to the early settlers of the town, his paternal grandfather having been Samuel Tompkins, who came here in 1850. His paternal grandmother was Sally Rideout, daughter of Nathaniel Rideout, who came here in 1845. His maternal grandfather was Joseph Sargent, who came here in 1854.
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Veterans of World War I
Beckim, Arthur E.
Mckinnon, Ernest J.
Brown, Waldo E.
McIntyre, Beecher F.
Bulley, Beecher
McNinch, Daniel
Bulley, Vernal R.
McNinch, Harrison
Dobson, Edgar
McNinch, Harvey
Dow, Glenwood
McNinch, Howard
Esty, Elwood
Milliken, Charles M.
Esty, Horace
Milliken, William L.
Farley, Albert C.
Parks, Theodore F.
Green, John
Putnam, Ervin E.
Hallett, Charles W.
Sanderson, Arthur G.
Hume, Col. Frank M.
Seeley, Forest
Kilcollins, Fred
Shaw, Archie
Kilcollins, Ira R.
Shaw, James E.
Kimball, Richard J.
Slipp, Francis
Kingsbury, Bedford H.
Stiles, George
Kingsbury, Fred
Welch, Guy
Kingsbury, Sandy
Whited, Ernest A.
McKeen, Lewis A.
Whited, Fred F.
The following veterans served in the Canadian Army:
Bragg, Percy Kilcollins, Charles Porter, Ralph
Clark, Elvin McDonald, John C. Tracey, Clarence
Kilcollins, Amasa
Plourde, Fred Niles, Beecher
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McNinch, Roy
Veterans of World War II
Brigadier General C. M. Milliken
Allen, Gordon
Delong, Russell
Bean, Curtis
Delong, Wellington
Bean, Herbert
Delbeck, Oscar
Belyea, Hayden
Dyer, Winslow
Benner, Phillip
Edmunds, John, Jr.
Berquist, Albert
Farley, Edwin
Blake, Max
Fletcher, Stanley
Boyd, George, Jr.
Fullerton, David
Bradbury, Elden
Gardiner, Perley
Bradbury, Leon
Gee, Robert
Bradbury, Gerald
Green, Merle
Bradstreet, Augustus
Hallett, Ashley
Bradstreet, Frank
Harding, Robert
Bradstreet, John
Hartley, Ralph
Bradstreet, Warren
Holmes, Glenwood
Bruce, Lawrence
Hotham, Horrace
Bruce, Lloyd
Jamison, Eddie
Brewer, Floyd
Jamison, Jack
Brewer, Gerald
Keegan, Ernest
Brewer, Herman
Kimball, Charles
Brewer, Merrill
Kinney, Elmer
Brewer, Rex
Kinney, John Henry
Brooks, Byron
Kinney, Ralph
Bulley, Vernal
Kirkpatrick, Dana
Burtt, Clayton
Larmer, James
Chase, George
Lawrence, Donald
Chase, Ralph
Corey, Glenwood
Lewis, Max
Delong, Charles
Lewis, Merle
Delong, Leo
Lewis, Vaughn
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Lynch, Charles
O'Neil, Fred
Malley, Harold
O'Neil, Gerald
McCleary, Austin
Packard, Albert
McCleary, Clarence
Packard, David
McCleary, Willis
Parks, Charles
McDonald, David
Parks, Shirley
McDonald, Leon McKeen, Elwood
Raymond, Delbert
McKeen, William
Raymond, Merrill
Mckinnon, John, Jr.
Rideout, Clair
McKinnon, Kenneth
Rideout, Ralph
McNinch, Cecil
Roberts, Merton
McNinch, Garfield
Scott, Bertt
Miller, Joe
Sharp, Frank
Millier, Patrick
Sharp, John
Milliken, Dana
Shaw, Carl
Milliken, Leighton
Shaw, Charles
Mooney, Richard
Shaw, Floyd
Morse, Elmer
Shaw, James, Jr.
Morse, Max
Smith, Charles
Murphy, Edgar
Smith, Ollie
Murphy, Errol
Stackpole, Maurice
Murphy, Ira
Taylor, Clair
Nelson, Fred
Tidd, Kenneth
Nelson, Guy
Turner, Leslie
Nelson, Llewellyn
Turner, Stetson
Nelson, Merrill
Wallace, Linton
Niles, Earl
Weeks, Eugene
Niles, Laurel
Weeks, Ralph
O'Neil, Alvin
Whited, Harris
Girls in the service:
Barnette, Evelyn, WAVE
Bradstreet, Velma, R.N.
Baston, Betty, WAC
Burns, Alta, R.N.
Harvey, Muriel, WAC
Prest, Eugene
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Colonel Frank M. Hume
Colonel Frank M. Hume, the son of Bedford Hume from Wood- stock and Lottie Kidder, was the commander of the old 2nd Maine Infantry and of the 103rd Infantry in World War I. He is a native of Bridgewater, Maine, born January 7, 1867, and a resident in April 1917 of Houlton.
He served overseas from September 25, 1917, to April 7, 1919, being discharged May 21, 1919, at Camp Devans, Massachusetts.
He participated in the following engagements: Chemin des Dames, Toul Sector, Second Battle of the Marne, St. Mihiel drive, Argonne- Meuse offensive.
Colonel Hume suffered from shell concussion on February 28, 1918, in the Chemin des Menes fight, and suffered loss of hearing in one ear. He received on June 16, 1918, the decoration of the French Croix de Guerre and D.S.C.
Previous to the World War he served in the National Guard, being commissioned captain in the 2nd Maine Infantry April 2, 1894, and assigned to Company L; commissioned Major on June 7, 1897; commis- sioned Lieutenant-Colonel on July 14, 1903; commissioned Colonel on July 17, 1910. He served during the War with Spain as Captain of Battery B, 1st Battalion, Heavy Artillery, Maine Volunteers, from June 29, 1898, to March 31, 1899, and as Colonel he commanded the 2nd Maine Infantry during its services on the Mexican Border from June 19, 1916, to October 25, 1916.
Some time after the war he served as Collector of Customs at the Port of Portland.
Brigadier General C. M. Milliken U.S. Army, Retired
Charles Morton Milliken, son of Elmer E. and Bertha (Lawrence) Milliken, was born in Bridgewater, August 4, 1888. After finishing grade school and one year at Bridgewater Classical Academy, he en- tered Ricker Classical Institute, Houlton, in the fall of 1904. Like other boys he was interested in hunting, fishing, and athletics. He was cap- tain and shortstop on the baseball team, quarterback on the football
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team and manager of the basketball team, and president of his class. He graduated in 1907.
He attended U. S. Military Academy at West Point, from which he was graduated in the class of 1914. While there he played on the base- ball team and was captain of the team his senior year.
Upon graduation he was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant in the U. S. Army and was stationed with the 30th Infantry in San Francisco, Cali- fornia. In 1915 his regiment was transferred to Plattsburg Barracks in New York, where he served as an instructor in General Wood's first Businessmen's Camp.
It was while he was here that he met Frances Painter from Ten- nessee, who was visiting her sister. She became his wife in September 1916. To them were born three children, Morton E., William Seth, and Jane Frances.
He served in World War I in France and Germany. He graduated from Command and General Staff School and was retained four years as instructor. From there he went to the Army War College, and then became Director of Signal Corps School at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, from 1937-1940. He was Chief Signal Officer, 6th Army Corps, 1941. Then he did a one year tour in Washington.
In 1943 he was in command of the Training Center, Camp Crowder, Missouri. Following this he spent some time in the Pacific Theater. His next assignment, after V. E. Day, was Commanding General of Training Center at Fort Dix, New Jersey.
C. M. Milliken passed through all the grades from 2nd Lieutenant to Brigadier General. He received the Legion of Merit with the Oak Leaf Cluster (which means two Legions of Merits), besides numerous Service Ribbons and Battle Stars.
When he was in command at Camp Crowder, Missouri, he gave a Christmas Message, which he had printed on the dinner menus, and received a letter from one of his privates in reply. Of the many letters of commendation which Brig. General Milliken has received he says this letter is one he prizes most.
' The Message and the letter are printed below:
CHRISTMAS MESSAGE 1943
THE MOST BEAUTIFUL, THE MOST IMPORTANT WORD IN ANY LANGUAGE IS THE WORD - SERVICE. CIVILIZATION
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1
ITSELF HAS BEEN DEFINED AS THE ABILITY OF HUMAN KIND TO COOPERATE. THE CONDITION OF OUR WORLD TODAY PROVES THAT WE HAVE LITTLE UNDERSTOOD THIS GREAT TRUTH. HOWEVER, THE VERY FACT THAT THERE ARE STILL POWERFUL NATIONS WILLING TO FIGHT, SUFFER, AND DIE FOR THE RIGHTS OF MAN, IS EVI- DENCE THAT THE INSPIRED MEANING OF SERVICE HAS NOT BEEN ENTIRELY LOST. THIS HOPEFUL FACT WILL BECOME CLEARER AND MORE APPRECIATED AS OUR PRESENT CONFLICT IS INTENSIFIED. AFTER THIS WAR IS OVER, WITH THE HIDEOUS ENEMY OF MANKIND DESTROYED, PEACE WILL AGAIN REIGN IN THE WORLD BUT THERE WILL STILL BE NO PERMANENT ADVANCEMENT OF CIVILIZATION UNTIL THE PRINCIPLES OF SERVICE, HOPEFULESS, AND HONESTY, INFLUENCE OUR INDIVIDUAL, NATIONAL, AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS.
LET US, IN THE PRESENT EMERGENCY, BE TRUE TO THE HERITAGE OF THE PAST; LET US, THE PEOPLE OF THE AMERICAS, BE LEADERS, NOT FOLLOWERS; LET US BRING THE TRUE IDEAL OF SERVICE INTO OUR OWN LIVES NOW, AS AN AID IN HELPING TO MEET OUR DAILY PROBLEMS; IN THIS WAY WE CAN INSURE EARLY VICTORY IN THE PRESENT LIFE AND DEATH STRUGGLE AND CAN BUILD A SOUND, JUST, AND HAPPY WORLD IN THE DAYS TO COME.
TO EVERY OFFICER, CADREMAN, TRAINEE AND CIVILIAN EMPLOYEE OF THIS COMMAND, I DESIRE AT THIS TIME TO EXPRESS MY SINCERE APPRECIATION FOR THE LOYALTY, INDUSTRY AND WILLING COOPERATION WHICH HAS MADE THE YEAR 1943 SO SUCCESSFUL FOR THE REPLACEMENT TRAINING CENTER. WHEREVER YOU MAY SERVE IN 1944, YOU HAVE MY BEST WISHES FOR SUCCESS, SAFETY, HAPPINESS AND PROMOTION.
C. M. MILLIKEN BRIGADIER GENERAL, U.S.A. Commanding.
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Following is the letter he received: U.S. Army
Christmas Day, 1943
C. M. Milliken, Brigadier General, U.S.A. Commanding, C.S.C.R.T.C., Camp Crowder, Mo.
Dear General Milliken:
If it is a violation of the military prop- erties for a very lowly private to wire a General in sincere appreciation for his Christmas Message, I trust the breach may be pardoned this one time.
I'm new here, but your "Christmas Dinner Menu" message was re-assuring reminder that I belong here, among men who have a common bond. With your permission, I hope to obtain extra copies of the menu with your message, which emphasizes the dignity of man with forceful simplicity.
I want to send these copies to some erst- while Washington colleagues who sometimes speak too loosely of the so-called "Authoritarian mind" of Army Officers.
A Happy Christmas, Sir,
Respectfully yours, /s/ Maurice Feuerlicht
ASN 42952571 Co. A-28th Sig. Tng. Bn. Bar. 1577 CSCRTC - Camp Crowder, Mo.
Brigadier General Milliken received his statutory retirement for age, September 1, 1948. He is now living in Johnson City, Tennessee. He is greatly interested in gardening, both vegetable and flower, and is making a study of birds and their life and of the many different kinds of trees.
He has six grandchildren, four girls and two boys.
His wife died in June 1949.
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Lieutenant Fred H. Barrett
Fred Hanington Barrett, son of Edna A. Hannington of Glassville, N. B., and Dennison E. Barrett of Bridgewater, Maine, was born in Bridgewater, Maine, on January 12, 1918. He attended school in Bridgewater until he had completed the eighth grade. He then went to Presque Isle where he attended high school, graduating in 1936. While attending high school he lived with an aunt and uncle, Mr. and Mrs. Myran Williams. While in Presque Isle he joined the St. John's Epis- copal Church. He then spent a year at Ricker Junior College in Houl- ton, Maine.
In January of 1939 the Barrett family moved to South Warren, Maine. On March 6, 1939, Fred joined the National Guard, Battery F., in the neighboring town of Thomaston, Maine. He was discharged from the National Guard on December 24, 1939.
Fred then enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps January 19, 1940, and was one of the twenty-five students from the Army Air Corps base at Mitchell Field, Long Island, selected to take a course in air mechanics at the Roosevelt Aviation School, Roosevelt Field, Mineola, Long Island.
After passing the examinations at Roosevelt Field, he reported to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, to begin his training to become an Aviation Cadet. From there he went to Montgomery, Alabama, and on February 7, 1941, he graduated in a class of 102 and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the U. S. Air Corps at Maxwell Flying Field. At this time he received his wings, which his mother still wears. Following his graduation he received an intensive ten-day training course at Roose- velt Feld, Mineola, Long Island.
Fred was a pilot instructor at Maxwell Field, Montgomery, Alabama, for a few months and, still as a pilot instructor, he was transferred to Cochran Field, Air Corps Basic Flying School, Macon, Georgia.
On July 15, 1941, Lieut. Fred H. Barrett, age twenty-three, and Air Cadet Frank E. During of Hollywood, California, were killed in a plane crash a mile north of Macon, Georgia. His body was brought home and after a military funeral he was buried in the family lot at Bridgewater, Maine.
He was married in May 1941 to Carrie-Sue Warr of Montgomery, Alabama.
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A Tribute
Written by the Rev. H. B. Pulsifer St. John's Church Thomaston, Maine
The late Lieut. Fred Barrett, who so recently met an untimely end, was very well known to Father Pulsifer of St. John's Church, Thomaston. He was bap- tised by him while he was rector of St. John's Church in Presque Isle.
Fred Barrett made friends very easily and was exceedingly popular. Neverthe- less he was unconscious of the extent of his influence and was greatly respected by the boys and young men because of his great consideration for others. He threw himself most heartily into the organization of St. John's Boys' Club which attained a membership of 22 young men. Because of his tact and abilities he was unanimously elected president of this club over and over again. He helped or- ganize the sports and was most helpful in having a good literary program at every meeting.
He was a young man of deep religious convictions and absolutely unafraid. He brought many young men to the Sacraments who had never before had any religious affiliations. Boys who were having a hard time found in him a very en- couraging friend. He trained the boys as waiters for large church suppers and assigned them tasks in caring for the church property. He worked in the choir and stimulated the boys by his consistent loyalty so that they were regular attend- ants at church and frequently made visits at all times of day and night for their private devotions.
Although he lived a short time, yet in a brief period he accomplished much. He was very devoted to his family and at the time of his father's sudden death a few months ago, he shouldered the heavy responsibilities of looking after his mother, sisters and brothers. He had a great spirit of adventure and no sacrifice or labor was too arduous for him when a worthy end was in view. The memory of his vigorous life and his unusual facility in doing fine team work will ever remain with his friends.
Lieutenant David L. Packard
Lieut. David L. Packard was born in Florenceville, N. B. He at- tended the schools in Bridgewater, then went to Unity where he was graduated from high school. After graduating from high school he went to Hartford, Connecticut, where he was employed by the Hartford Times as district manager.
He enlisted February 17, 1941, as a Paratrooper and received his training at Fort Benning, Georgia. He went overseas in March 1943, received wounds in action in June, but soon returned to active duty.
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He was killed in action during the Italian invasion in Italy, Octo- ber 6, 1943.
He received the Silver Star for gallantry in action. The commenda- tion reads in part:
In saving the captured town of Arnone, Italy, from severe enemy counter-attacks Lieut. Packard, with total disregard for his own safety exposed himself to enemy fire to distract attention of the enemy from his own scouts who were enabled to approach within grenade position of Nazi weapons and neutralize them.
Lieut. Packard received the Purple Heart posthumously.
CHAPLAIN'S OFFICE 505th INF. A.P.O. 469, c/o POSTMASTER, N. Y., N.Y. Oct. 22, 1943
Mr. Ellie Packard Bridgewater, Maine
Dear Mr. Packard,
Some time ago I wrote you when your son was in the hospital. Again I write, and already you have been informed of the reason by the War Department. When I heard of David's death I was happy to be among those who went beyond our front lines to obtain his body. With me were men who had been under his command, and they told me of how he had saved the lives of two men by his gallant action. As one enlisted man expressed it: "He was a hell of a brave man."
I felt David's death as a distinct personal loss. He was my roommate through- out our stay in Fort Bragg, and often we burned the midnight oil in happy discus- sions. A mutual exchange of confidences drew us close together.
With shells still flying over us it was my privilege to perform the religious rite for his departed soul. I assure you
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that he is buried with every care and con- sideration possible. A cross has been set up over the grave, and the location of the same has been reported to the proper mili- tary authorities, who will inform you as to the further disposition of the body.
You have often been in my thoughts and prayers, and my heart has gone out to you in your grief, for I know how close you were to your son. But yours can be a proud grief, for David died bravely, in a worthy cause, and doing his duty exceedingly well. I know that your faith in God and in the knowledge of His Son Jesus Christ will turn your grief into joy. This is a time for strong minds and valient hearts, and I hope the enclosed leaflet will help you to achieve that end.
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