Pfc. Hartselle B. Scholl
On Christmas Eve, 1944, the Belgian Troopship, S.S Leopoldville was torpedoed by the German sub U-486. The ship sank just 5 1/2 miles from Cherbourg, France. The ship held 2,235 American soldiers. 763 were confirmed dead in the official Leopoldville Disaster List. Pvt. Hartselle B. Scholl, Co. K, 264th Infantry was one of the casualties. Many mistakes were made that night, but the worst one was the descision of the U.S. government to cover it up. It wasn't until 1996 that those files were declassified and made available to the families of those who died. Hartselle was one of only a few whose body was found and buried. He lies in Normandy American Cemetery, Section C, Row 28, Grave 27. These families struggled for years to find out how their loved ones died. Hartselle left behind his parents, a wife, Renata, an infant son, Jerry and many others who loved him. Some of these people died never knowing the fate of this bright, young man.
PFC. HARTSELLE B. SCHOLL was killed in action in the European theater on December 25, 1944. He was inducted in May, 1943 and received his basic training at Camp Robinson, Ark. He transferred to the University of Missouri and into the infantry. He had been overseas since November, 1944. ERNEST ELLIOT and CHALMER FANNIN COLFAX - Corp. Ernest W. Elliot, son of Mr. and Mrs. Luther Wagoner, is stationed in Australia according to a letter received Wednesday by his parents. COLFAX TRIO COLFAX - These three Colfax soldiers were members of the national guard and have been stationed at Camp Forrest. They have all been transferred, Sgt. Spencer Belmar, has been made staff sergeant. He and Sgt. J.C. Johnson, have been sent to Camp Chaffee, Ark. Gerald Garner has been sent to Ft. Leonard, Wood, Mo. ROLLY FORTH, son of Mr. and Mrs. E.E. Hibbs of 102 South Main Street, is nearing completion of a mechanics course at Chanute field. He enlisted Oct. 8. BEASON - Dean H. Mayberry, son of Mr. and Mrs. M.P. Mayberry, has enlisted in the V-1 class of the navy reserve. COLFAX - Pfc. Elmo W. Canute, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Canute, is stationed at Camp Chaffee, Ark. PFC. ELLIS F. ESPEY, son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank S. Espey of 818 West Mill Street, is stationed at headquarters, Sixth corps area, Chicago. DR. GORDON SCHULTZ, Commissioned first lieutenant in the United States army, will leave Sunday for Camp Maxie, Paris, Tex. Mrs. Schultz will join him in a month. Dr. Schultz has been practicing in Bloomington for eight years. Pvt. Donald Walden, who was missing in action in Germany, is a German prisoner according to word received through the Red Cross. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Elton Walden of LeRoy, formerly of Colfax. LETTER FROM JUNIOR JUDD We are printing extracts of a letter from Junior Judd, who is in a German prisoner of war camp. The letter was received by his wife a few days ago. "Dec. 31, 1944 - Happy New Year. I'm all right. It is a bit cold here, but the Red Cross is taking pretty good care of us. Nine of us that were captured are still together. None of the stuff that you or the folks sent reached me, so if anything is received back I would like to open it when I get home. Other fellows have some of my personal items, but they'll probably not be returned. Chocolates and cigarettes are the best to send but this should end pretty soon now. In my barracks we have French, Polish, Spanish and us. Some mess. I'll be seein' you soon I hope. That's what I'm living for. Juddy MRS. E.L. MEECE of 203 East Kelsey street has been appointed by Mayor Hayes to direct the campaign here for the saving of surplus kitchen fats and grease. NEWS FROM THE BOYS IN PACIFIC WAR ZONE Mr. and Mrs. Fred Fruiten, Sr. of 906 North Mason street received a telegram Friday from Hawaii stating that their son, Fred Fruiten, Jr. as well as two other Bloomington boys are safe. The others are Donald James, son of Mr. and Mrs. Roy James, 1101 North Madison street; and Hugh Miller, son of Mr. and Mrs. Albert Miller 508 West Walnut street. The boys enlisted in the army a year ago and are airplane mechanics. Don and Fred are stationed at Hickam field and Hugh is at Wheeler field. SURPRISE FOR HOME FOLKS - Three McLean county boys stationed with the United States army in Hawaii got together recently for a picture. For a surprise for relatives and friends at home, they sent the picture to The Pantagraph for publication. The men are Pfc. Raymond Nice of 521 West Oakland avenue, T. Sgt. Earl Houghton of 607 West Jefferson street, and Pfc. Russell Builta of Leroy. BACK HOME - Sgt. Winston Poulton is home for the holidays. "I was just lucky, that's all." is his favorite expression, as he tells tales about battles over the Pacific. STANFORD - (PNS)- The changes in styles of uniforms for World war I and World war II are shown by father and son; R.M. Dossett and Pfc. Royce C. Dossett. The father served overseas for seven months during the last war and his son is serving now in the chemical warfare division in Fresno, Calif. ENDS FURLOUGH - Mr. and Mrs. N.A. Buckles, 1005 North Main street, have received a wire from their son, Pvt. Nolan A. Buckles, stating that he had arrived safely in California. Private Buckles has been assigned to a coast artillery battery. JOHN FRALEY IN ENGLAND - John E. Fraley has arrived safely in England according to official word received in Normal Sunday. He is a club program director for the American Red Cross. He received his initial training in Washington, D.C. Mr Fraley was assistant professor of biology for 14 years at Illinois State Normal university. He was faculty sponsor for the Blackfriar fraternity and of the committee in charge of the entertainment course. IN ALABAMA - D.H. Falkingham, son of Mrs. Charles Dietz, 1001 North Center street, has returned to Maxwell field, Montgomery, Ala., after spending a month's furlough here. Mr. Falkingham is an aviation cadet. He has completed pre-flight training and will be sent to Jackson, Tenn., for basic training. BRICE AND BRUCE ABBOTT SAYBROOK - Mr. and Mrs. Earl Abbott have just received word from the former's brother, Corp. Brice Abbott of Colfax stating he has been appointed an army mail clerk. Corp. Abbott joined the army Jan. 24, 1942, and has been stationed at the Port Postal section, Charleston, port of embarkation since April 10, 1942, following his basic training. On March 18, 1943, he was transferred to Sec. 2, Staging area, Charleston, S.C., after receiving notice of his appointment. His duty is to issue money orders, sell stamps and accept parcel post and registered mail. The army postal section compares to a third class post office. Corp. Abbott's twin brother, Pvt. Bruce D. Abbott, is in the ordinance depart- ment and stationed at Chambersburg, Pa. At present, he is in the hospital recovering from a severe back strain. RETURNS TO CAMP - Pvt. Elmo Hibbs has been on a furlough visiting his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Lou Hibbs, 1305 North East street. He recently completed his basic training and schooling at Atlanta, Ga. and is now stationed on the west coast. ALASKAN CREW CHIEF FINDS ARCTIC LIFE TO HIS LIKING - T. Sgt. Gordon Lawrence - He's just re-enlisted and wants to stay in Alaska, he informed his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Sydney Lawrence of 216 Willard avenue. Sgt. Lawrence is stationed at Elmendorf field, Anchorage, Alaska, but the routes between Cold Bay, Dutch Harbor, Adak, Kiska, Shemya and Attu are as familiar to him as the route from Bloomington to Peoria is to a Caterpiller plant commuter. CHENOA GIRL MARRIED NEAR DENVER Entire Wedding Party in Uniform CHENOA- (PNS)- Lt. Vae Hogan, granddaughter of Mrs. Margaret Dwyer of Chenoa, was married to Lt. Jack Martin, May 25 in the chapel at Lowry field near Denver, Colo. PVT. MORGAN KILLED IN ACTION ON IWO JIMA - Mrs. Freda Morgan of 914 West Oakland avenue, Wednesday received word from the war department that her son, Pvt. Harold W. Morgan of the U.S. marines was killed in action March 5 on Iwo Jima. He was a machine gunner in the Fifth division. LT. W.B.LAWRENCE HOME ON SHORT LEAVE - First Lt. William B. Lawrence, stationed at Wright-Patterson Field, Dayton, Ohio, is spending a brief leave with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Sydney Lawrence, 406 Summit St., Normal. Lieutenant Lawrence is attached to the judge advocate's department and is serving with the Air Force material command, contracts division. The officer went on active duty in March. He graduated from the University of Illinois School of Law in June, 1951. COLFAX - (PNS) - Sgt. J.H. Claudin is now located on Okinawa as a teletype operator in the Air Force, according to word received by the Pantagraph Friday. He telephoned his wife Wednesday night on her birthday.
LESLIE LAPPIN, RELEASED FROM JAP PRISON CAMP, WRITES
TO HIS MOTHER.
Mrs. Walter Lappin, who now resides near Arrowsmith,
received the following letter from her son Leslie
Lappin, who was recently released from a Jap prison
camp, in the Philippines. Mr. Lappin resided near
Saybrook until he went to the Philippines several
years ago, as an employe of a Pittsburg firm. He had
been a prisoner since the Japs took the island. His
father was killed a few weeks ago in an auto accident
north of Saybrook, and of course Leslie had no word of
his father's death when he wrote the following letter.
Dear Mother and Dad:
Yesterday was the greatest day of my life. By
means of a perfectly executed, spectacular, military
movement, over 2000 of we internees were released by
force in a few hours, from a three-year period of
imprisonment, starvation, and hell. Today it all seems
like a dream, and can't be true, but we are free human
beings again and back on plenty of substantial food.
I'm quite well, a little underfed, but no permanent
effects. Two weeks of good foods and I will be in
perfect condition. I can't give you more details of
our release, other than it's the only one of its kind
in world history, and that could or would be done by
any other nation for its nationals except the good old
USA. What a fine bunch of army lads we have here. Those
who were responsible for our starvation and maltreatment,
the camp Japs have met their just reward.
I hope you are all well,. I don't know what our fate
from now will be after this period of rehabilitation.
We are hoping to be sent home, in which case I'll see
you before long.
I'll have a story then that will fill more than any
two pages, the limit of this message, (our first.) Don't
worry, we are out of the direct combat area and all is
quiet and orderly here at New Bilibid Prison our present
location. Write to me and let me know how you are.
I have not contacted my boss as yet, as we are at a
different location and communication has not been opened.
Best regards to all. I'll write more as soon as possible.
In the meantime I'm pinching myself every few minutes to
see if I am sleeping or dreaming, or if this experience
is the real McCoy. Leslie E. Lappin
SAYBROOK MAN SAILS JULY 17 FOR MANILA
Saybrook - PNS - Leslie Lappin, son of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Lappin
northest of Saybrook, will sail from Los Angeles July 17
for Manila where he will be stationed as an engineer for three
years.
Mr. Lappin was visiting at the San Francisco Golden Gate
exposition Tuesday. He left Saybrook July 5 for Chicago and
left there for the coast Friday night, arriving at San Francisco
Monday. From there he plans to go to Long Beach to visit an
uncle, Harley Lappin, until sailing time.
Mr. Lappin was graduated from the college of engineering.
University of Illinois, in '31. For the last three and a half years
he was employed by the Leland Motor Company in Chicago. He
will be sales inspector in the Diesel morot division of the
Pittsburg Pressed Stell Car company plant in Manila.
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