Lt. Joseph W. Werley Killed in Mid-Air Collision, 1944

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Joseph William Werley was born on 5 July 1924, in Marion, Ohio. His parents are Carl & Dorothy I. (Curran) Werley. Joseph W. Werley graduated in 1942, from St. Mary Parochial High School. While at St. Mary’s, he played football and basketball. After graduation went to attend Bowling Green State University. He spent some time working with his father in the candy and cigar business.

Joseph had a sister and two brothers serving in the military as well. His sister was Lt. Francis Werley, Army Nurses Corps. (ANC). Brothers ; Tech Sgt. Carl F. Werley, Jr. USMC, and Pvt. John Werley.
Joseph W. Werley entered service on 20 March 1943, at Fort Hayes, Columbus, Ohio. He attended training at training at Camp Robinson, Arkansas; Florida; Moorehead, Minnesota; and Santa Ana, California. He was then sent to England.

Second Lieutenant Joseph W. Werley completed his orientation course in England, to prepare him for service against the Germans. Lt. Werley served as a Navigator, on the “Julie Mae” B-17 #42-97170. He was serving with the 527th Bomber Squadron, 379th Bomber Group, Heavy, U.S. Army Air Corp.
While over France the Julie Mae suffered a mid-air collision with B-17 #42-97833 “Silver Dollar” on 09 December 1944. The Julie Mae went down in Romilly Sur Seine, France. The crew of the Silver Dollar was able to make it back to base, making a crash landing. All members of the Silver Dollar survived the collision.

Lt. Joseph W. Werley was killed in action on 9 December 1944, in France. He is buried in the Saint Mary’s Catholic Cemetery, Marion, Ohio. It appears that Lt. Werley was posthumously promoted to First Lieutenant.

Lt. Joseph W. Werley is remembered on the Honor Roll, at the Veterans Memorial Park, in Marion, Ohio; on the west wall of the Marion County Courthouse; and on the World War Two Memorial Wall, at the Marion Cemetery.

Airmen who perished on “Julie Mae” B-17 #42-97170:
Sgt. Turell A. Benson, Radio Operator, Washington
2nd Lt. Arthur J. Gordon, Co-Pilot, Michigan
2nd Lt. Robert M. Kennewick, Pilot, Washington
Sgt. Donald A. LaRose, Waist Gunner, Washington
Sgt. Arthur D. Reynolds, Nose Gunner, Michigan
Sgt. Ralph Weiss, Ball Turret Gunner, Maryland
2nd Lt. Joseph W. Werley, Navigator, Ohio

Cpl. Forest J. Williamson Died of Scarlet Fever, 1917

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Forest J. Williamson was born on 6 November 1891, in Concord Township, Delaware, Ohio. His parents are James K. & Alice O. (Hamilton) Williamson. It appears Forest was one of seven children. Two of his brothers; Robert E. and Harold E. Williamson were serving in France, at the time his remains returned to Marion, Ohio. The family was living in Marion before Forest left for Jefferson Barracks, Missouri, where he enlisted into the Army.

He then went to Fort Columbia, Washington, prior to departing for the Philippines. He had been serving with the Coast Artillery for over three years. He was serving as a Corporal (Cpl.) in a machine gun company of the 27th Infantry Regiment later nicknamed “Wolfhounds.”

Cpl. Forest J. Williamson died of scarlet fever on 22 December 1917. But his parents did not learn of his death until five weeks after he had died in the Philippines. His remains arrived back in the United States at San Francisco, California, on 18 September 1918.

Cpl. Forest J. Williamson is buried in the Marion Cemetery. He is remembered on the Honor Roll, at the Veterans Memorial Park, in Marion, Ohio; and on the World War One Honor Roll, located on the second floor of the Marion County Courthouse.

Cpl. Carl W. Shepherd Died of Wounds Received in Action, 1918

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Carl W. Shepherd was born on 2 October 1894, in Franklin County, Ohio. His parents are Sam & Mary E. Shepherd of Marion, Ohio. In the 1917 Marion City Directory, Carl was listed as a machinist. On his draft card he was listed as employed as a repairman with the Able Auto Company, in Marion, Ohio.

Carl entered service with the Ohio National Guard (O. N. G.), in Marysville, Ohio, on 14 July 1913. He was serving as a private with E Company, Fourth Infantry, O. N. G. The Fourth Ohio later entered federal service and was reorganized as the 166th Infantry Regiment with the 42nd Infantry Division “Rainbow.” On 5 April 1918, he was promoted to the rank of Corporal (Cpl). Cpl. Carl W. Shepherd was a veteran of the Champagne-Marne; Aisne-Marne; St. Mihiel and the Meuse-Argonne.

Cpl. Carl W. Shepherd died of wounds received in action. His death occurred on 2 August 1918.
Carl W. Shepherd was first buried in a temporary grave in American B/A Cemetery, Mareuil-en-Dole, Aisne. His remains were disinterred and on 28 September 1918, reburied in Oise-Aisne American Cemetery, Seringes et Nesles, Aisne.

On 3 May 1921 Cpl. Carl W. Shepherd’s remains were once again disinterred and later transported back to the United States aboard the U. S. A. T. Wheaton. His remains arrived in Hoboken, New Jersey on 2 July 1921. Cpl. Carl W. Shepherd then arrived in Columbus, Ohio, on 5 August 1921 and was laid to final rest at Union Cemetery, Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio.

Carl W. Shepherd is remembered on the Honor Roll, at the Veterans Memorial Park, in Marion, Ohio; and on the World War One Honor Roll, located on the second floor of the Marion County Courthouse.
Note: his last name is spelled “Sheperd” on the Marion memorials. He signed his name “Shepherd” on his draft card.

Pvt. Roy R. Price Died of Lobar Pneumonia, 1918

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Roy Russell Price was born on 1 May 1896, in Pleasant Township, Ohio. His parents are L. Wilbur &
Rosa M. (Miley) Rider Price.

Roy R. Price entered service on 28 August 1918, in Marion, Ohio. He was serving as a Private (Pvt.). Pvt. Price had been in training with 52 Company, 13 Battalion, 159 Depot Brigade. On 2 October 1918, he was assigned to Camp Knox, Kentucky. He served in Battery A, 72nd Field Artillery.

On 13 October 1918, Pvt. Roy R. Price died of lobar pneumonia, at Camp Taylor, Kentucky. Pvt. Price was returned to Prospect, Ohio, for burial in the Prospect Cemetery.

Roy R. Price is remembered on the Honor Roll, at the Veterans Memorial Park, in Marion, Ohio; and on the World War One Honor Roll, located on the second floor of the Marion County Courthouse.

S1C Richard W. Shields, Lost at Sea, 1943

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Richard Wesley Shields was born on 14 June 1925, in Caledonia, Ohio. His parents are Arnet M. & Wave M. (Henry) Shields, of Marion. He had a brother who was also serving in the United States Navy, Machinists Mate Second Class Mervin W. Shields. Richard was a senior at Harding High School in 1943. He was employed with the Huber Manufacturing Company while part of a vocational course since 1942. He withdrew from Harding, after completing his requirements to graduate, while only seventeen. He then enlisted into the United States Navy, in February of 1943.

Richard W. Shields attended boot camp at the Great Lake Naval Station, Illinois. Shields received the rank of Seaman First Class (S1C) and served on a gun crew aboard a tanker. Since, S1C Richard W. Shields was not able to return home to attend his gradation at Harding High School, his mother was allowed to receive his diploma for him, at the graduation.

On 20 October 1943, two tankers collided off the Atlantic coast and caused a fire. The tankers SS Gulfbelle (1936) and SS Gulfland (1918) collided off Lake Worth Inlet, Florida. The ships were en route to Houston, Texas. the Gulfland exploded and showered the Gulfbelle with flaming gasoline. The fire was fought by a Coast Guard fire fighting crew. S1C Shields was serving on a gun crew aboard one of these tankers.The fire spread across the water and the tanker. Of the 116 crewmen, 88 died or were lost at sea. His family did not receive official word of his being lost at sea until January of 1944.

Shields’ mother did receive a visit from S1C Calvin E. Norris of Carey, Ohio, three weeks after the accident. S1C Norris was home on leave and said he was a friend and shipmate of S1C Shields. He stated that he witnessed the drowning of her son, Richard W. Shields.

The Marion Star reported:

Shields was in the mess hall at the time the order came to abandon ship, and how he had to leap before he had time to slip on a life belt. Norris said Shields appeared dazed, didn’t speak but managed to stay afloat for some time. Norris said he helped him and other survivors nearby for a time, but was unable to keep Shields above water.

S1C Calvin E. Norris received a Navy and Marine Corps Medal for his actions that day.

S1C Richard W. Shields was killed in the line of duty on 10 October 1943, off the Atlantic Coast. His body was not recovered. He is memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing, East Coast Memorial, Battery Park, Manhattan, New York.

Richard W. Shields is remembered on the Honor Roll, at the Veterans Memorial Park, in Marion, Ohio; on the west wall of the Marion County Courthouse; and on the World War Two Memorial Wall, at the Marion Cemetery.

Tablets of the Missing, East Coast Memorial, Battery Park, Manhatten, New York