Categorie: 1944

Rank and Name, Private Elbert Bernhard Alexander.

Unit/Placed in, 2^nd Battalion 9^th Marine Regiment.

Elbert was born on Dec. 25, 1927 in Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee.

Father, Frank E. Alexander.

Mother, Etheleen A. (Shelton) Alexander.

Sisters, Frances R. , Eva M. and Jane Alexander.

Brothers, Frank E. and James E. Alexander.

Elbert enlisted the Navy in Tennessee with service number # 433730.

Elbert B. Alexander was Killed in Action during the Landing/Fights over Bougainville,He was in a L(anding) V(erhicle) T(racked) that was shot by Japanese gunfire near Cape Torokina (Piva/Numa Numa Trail), on Nov. 7, 1944 and he is honored with a Purple Heart,

Elbert is buried/mentioned at Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, Manila, Metro Manila,
National Capital Region, Philippines.

Thanks to http://www.2ndbattalion9thmarines.org/ Jean Louis Vijgen, ABMC,  https://abmc.gov Info P.O.W.

Wes Injerd, Dwight Rider: http://www.mansell.com/pow-index.html

NavyLog, http://navylog.navymemorial.org Philippine Scouts Heritage Society, Sean Conjenos, http://www.philippine-scouts.org/

Familysearch.com, https://www.familysearch.org Navy Marines Info Geoffrey Roecker, https://missingmarines.com/ Medals Info, http://www.honorstates.org Website, https://hendrikswebdesign.nl/

Rank/Name,  Lieutenant Manne Perry Adams.

Unit/Placed in, 3rd Battalion 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, Marine Corps.

Manne was born  on Nov. 14, 1917 in Fitzgerald,Ben Hil County, Georgia.

Father, Joseph M. Adams.

Mother, Sarah (Manne) Adams.

Manne entered  the service from Florida with service number # 0-114093.

Manne died during at the raid off Koiari, Bougianville (Operation Cartwheel), on Nov 29, 1944, he is honored with a Silver Star, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal and the WWII Victory Medal.

Manne is buried/mentioned at Manila American Cemetery and Memorial  Manila, Metro Manila, National Capital Region, Philippines.

Wall of the missing.

Thanks to http://valor.militarytimes.co http://valor.militarytimes.com/recipient.php?recipientid=55172m/recipient.php?recipientid=55172 ABMC, https://abmc.gov  http://navylog.navymemorial.org Familysearch.com  https://www.familysearch.org Philippine Scouts Heritage Society http://www.philippine-scouts.org/ Honorstates http://www.honorstates.org,   Geoffrey Roecker https://missingmarines.com/ P.O.W. Info: http://www.mansell.com/pow-index.html  and Jean Louis Vijgen.

Listed in the World War II section is Lt. Manne Perry Adams, was the first Sebring man killed in battle in the South Pacific during that war, according to a newspaper article.

The article said that in his last letter home to his parents, Dr. and Mrs. Joseph Morris Adams of Sebring, he asked them to settle his affairs.

“Don’t be uneasy,” he wrote. “This settling up of my affairs does not mean that I am in any danger. The chances are I’ll be killed by falling out of a coconut tree or being run over by a jeep or dying from boredom.”

But, he was killed in battle on Nov. 29, 1943, apparently a day before the letter was delivered to his parents.

A subsequent article said that Adams was killed while administering blood plasma to a wounded man. For his bravery, Adams posthumously received the Silver Star.

In a citation quoted by the newspaper article, Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox wrote that the medal was issued “for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidbility during action against numerically superior enemy Japanese forces near Koi-ari, Bougainville, British Solomon Islands, on Nov. 29, 1943. Attached to a company, which was under extremely heavy machine gun and mortar and sniper fire, Lt. Adams repeatedly ministered to wounded men while under fire.

“On one occasion, he unhesitatingly exposed himself directly to Japanese sniper fire in order to administer blood plasma to a severely wounded man and was instantly killed while performing his task. Lt. Adams’ courageous spirit, of self-sacrifice in behalf of the men under his professional care, and his valiant conduct in the face of grave peril were in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.”

Rank and Name, First Lieutenant Major Fitzhugh Alford Jr.

Unit/Placed, Marine Fighter Attack Squadron VMSB-235, United    States Marine Corps.

Major was born in, 1920 in DeRidder, Louisiana.

Parents and Siblings, No Record Available.

Major enlisted the service in Louisiana with service number # O-21643.

Major’s crew-members and their position on-board the plane a SBD-5 were;

1^st Lt. Major F. Alford Jr Pilot

Corp. Gene T. Baur Radio Operator/Gunner

Major F. Alford Jr.  was Killed in Action during the strike in Simpson Harbour, Bouganville, the plane took heavy AA Fire and prob. crashed , on June 16,  1944 and he is honored with a Purple Heart. Air Medal, American Campaign Medal and the WWII Victory Medal.

Major is buried/mentioned at  Manila American Cemetery and Memorial  Manila, Metro Manila, National Capital Region, Philippines

Thanks to https://www.pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/sbd/36913.html ABMC, https://abmc.gov Find a Grave https://www.findagrave.com/ Philippine Scouts Heritage Society http://www.philippine-scouts.org/ Honorstates http://www.honorstates.org,   Geoffrey Roecker https://missingmarines.com/ Rolland Swank and jean louis vijgen,Terry Hirsch.