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A V-mail letter this week comes from Pvt. Clarence McCain and is date-lined from somewhere in Iran. Clarence, whose mother Mrs. Estella McCain, lives in Ringhurst, Ind., is well known in Terre Haute from his eight years’ employment at the Penn sylvania ticket office, and is also re membered throughout the railroads’ St. Louis division as he spent many years as extra agent and clerk, work ing at almost every station on the division. He entered service last Au gust and was stationed at Camp Clai borne, La., for several months, leav ing for overseas early this year. He writes: ‘We arrived here a short while ago after a very long and tiresome jour ney and I guess we are at our desti nation—for awhile. I sure hope so. I am okay and gained a lot of weight on the trip—I am where Lloyd Holt is but haven’t seen him yet. I think I will like it here. Our camp is lo cated on the edge of a city and we are allowed passes out when we are off duty. I have been into town once. It doesn’t look much like one of our cities. We are not even close to where there is any trouble. My job is some thing I’ve never done before but I have been trying my best—Tell all that I say hello and write me all the news.” Sgt. Lloyd Holt is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Holt, 2608 Fenwood avenue. He entered the Army over 18 months ago and is also with a rail operators’ battalion. While he was stationed at Camp Scott, Ind., he and his wife, the former Norma Jean Gasaway, made their home in Fort Wayne. She returned here in No vember and is living with her par ents, Mr. and Mrs. Harold Gasaway, 41 South Twenty-fourth. Lloyd spent a few weeks at Camp Stoneman, Calif., and probably went overseas at the same time Clarence McKain made the trip. Lloyd was safely on the other side at the time of his first wedding anniversary for he cabled his wife on that date. Lloyd’s brother, Frank Holt Jr., has been in Alaska for several months. Mrs. Tillie Welch, 46 South Twelfth, has received word of the promotion of her son, John C. Welch, to the rank of sergeant. Sergeant Welch entered the Army just two days before Christ mas and was stationed at Camp Lee, Va., until recently. At present he is at Camp Sutton, N. C., in the grave registration department of the Quart ermasters Corps. John’s brother, Pfc. Carl T. Welch, who entered the Army a year ago in February, is now somewhere in North Africa with a Medical detachment. His mother received word of his ar rival there a few weeks ago. John Hickey, son of Mrs. John Hickey, 1500 South Center street, and Robert Brettell, son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Brettell, 427 Washington ave nue, who entered training in the Army Air Corps last April, are now attend ing Syracuse university at Syracuse, N. Y., according to word received here this week by Mrs. Hickey. The boys, friends through grade school and high school, consider themselves very fortunate to be taking their training together since their enlistments were some weeks apart. Bob was sworn in last September and expected to be called somewhat ahead of John but their luck was in and both were sent to Keesler Field, Biloxi, Miss., at the same time. This transfer to Syra cuse is particularly fortunate for John who has a sister, Mrs. James Burns, living in Albany, a matter of very few miles from the university. John was a student at the Indiana Uni versity School of Law at the time he was called for training. Bob, who at tended Indiana State Teachers col lege, was employed in the laborator ies at Commercial Solvents when he received his orders to report. Both boys are graduates of Wiley. Ensign Kester E. Pratt, son of Mr. and Mrs. J. Walter Pratt, 2229 Franklin avenue, returned to Pensa cola, Fla., this weekend after spend ing two weeks here with his parents. Ensign Pratt won his “Wings of Gold” and his commission in the Naval Re serves on May 7, following completion of the prescribed training at the Navy’s “Annapolis of the Air.” He was called to duty in June, 1942, while a student at Indiana State Teachers college, and took his preliminary training at Lambert Field, St. Louis. He was sent from there to Pensacola in October. He has been assigned to duty as a flight instructor for the present and will go on active duty at one of the Navy’s air operational training centers before being assign ed to a combat zone. Ensign Frank R. Briggs left Wed nesday to return to the east coast after a short visit here with his wife and baby daughter who have been making their home with ‘Mrs. Briggs’ parents, Mr. and Mrs. H. L. Burnett, 945 South Twenty-fifth. Mrs. Briggs accompanied him and will remain as long as practicable. Ensign Briggs’ visit was a surprise to himself as well as to his family. He just re cently returned from an eventful round trip to England as officer in charge of a Navy armed guard crew aboard an American merchant ship. The calm of the trip over was in terrupted in mid-ocean when sub marines attacked the convoy at night. Escort vessels and Navy gunners aboard the merchantmen managed to beat off the U-boats and Briggs’ ship came through without damage. En sign Briggs enjoyed a brief leave in London so did not expect another up on his return to the United States. He was commissioned in the Naval Reserve approximately seven months ago and the North Atlantic crossing was his first. Ensign Briggs is a graduate of In diana State Teachers college, where he earned his master’s degree in 1940 and was teaching journalism at West minster college, New Wilmington, Pa., when he entered the Naval Reserve. His parents, the Rev. and Mrs. Frank R. Briggs Sr., reside in Whiting, Ind., where Rev. Briggs is pastor of the Whiting Methodist church. Ensign Briggs had a nice visit with Ensign and Mrs. Richard Bash be fore coming to Terre Haute, dining with them just prior to his plane’s departure. They also accompanied him to the airport. Ensign Bash is now an instructor at Harvard university and they make their home at Cam pridge, Mass. Mrs. Bash is the daughter of Mrs. John M. Lowry, 2411 North Ninth. Nelson R. McDonald, son of Mrs. Stella Mae McDonald, 2015 Washing ton avenue, is somewhere in Austra lia and writes that he likes it “down under” and never felt better in his life. Nelson has been overseas since late last fall although he did not en ter Navy training until September. He received his boat training at the Great Lakes and was sent from there
Newspaper Details
Terre Haute Saturday Spectator
Terre Haute, Indiana, US
Sat, May 22, 1943
Page 6
Full Page
Clipped by
Phoebe G.
USA 08 Jun 2026
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