GM3C Carl N. Burdett Lost at Sea, 1944

marionohioveterans1 Comment

Carl Nelson Burdett was born on 7 July 1925, in Marion, Ohio. His parents are Nelson O. & Florence (Seiter) Burdett of Marion, Ohio. Carl N. Burdett attended school at Harding High School. He then was employed with McDaniel Motor Company.

Carl N. Burdett entered service on 23 April 1943, entering the United States Naval Reserve. He attended basic training at Great Lakes Training Station, Illinois. He then attended the first class to complete the 16-week gunners school. They completed the traininng in 12 weeks. He was further trained at Norfolk, Virginia. He was then assigned to the USS Barr (DE-576). Burdett’s rank was Gunners Mate Third Class (GM3C).

The USS Barr was assigned to the Atlantic area. After the USS Barr and crew completed the shakedown cruise, they were sent on their first combat mission. The mission was with hunter-killer group TG 21.11. They were to provide a screen for USS Block Island (CVE 21). On 29 May 1944, a German U-Boat (U-549), made it’s way into the group. U-549 then was able to strike with a German Naval Acoustic Torpedo (GNAT). A GNAT homed in on the noise of ships’ propellers. The Barr was struck in the stern. Initially 16 men were killed or Missing in Action and 14 injured.

USS Barr (DE-576)

On 29 May 1944, U-549 slipped undetected through the screen of the hunter-killer group TG 21.11, formed around USS Block Island (CVE 21) and at 20.13 hours fired three T-3 torpedoes on the carrier, one or two of them struck and she sank northeast of Canary Islands. At 20.40 hours, USS Barr (DE 576) was damaged in the stern by a Gnat and a second Gnat missed USS Eugene E. Elmore (DE 686). But U-549 was then attacked and sunk by the latter and USS Ahrens (DE 575).

USS Barr (DE 576), which was on her first war voyage, lost 16 dead and 14 injured. On the following morning the injured and some personnel were transferred to USS Eugene E. Elmore (DE 686), which took the badly damaged destroyer escort in tow. Assisted by USS Wilhoite (DE 397) and the Dutch tug Antic they arrived in Casablanca on 5 June. After preliminary repairs, USS Barr (DE 576) was towed by USS Cherokee (ATF 66) to Boston, arriving there on 25 July.

From U. S. Naval Records

GM3C Carl N. Burdett was lost at sea in the attack. He was reported as Missing in Action. His parents would be notified a year later that his status was officially changed to Presumed Dead. GM3C Carl N. Burdett’s remains were never recovered. GM3C Carl N. Burdett is memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing, North Africa American Cemetery, Tunisia.

Carl N. Burdett 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 II Veterans Memorial Wall, at the Marion Cemetery.

USS Barr After Being struck by a GNAT

TSgt. Elvis L. Greer Missing in Action, 1945

marionohioveteransLeave a comment

Elvis “Bill” Lowe Greer was born on 15 January 1920, in Milan, Tennessee. His parents are Ernest & Emma (Lowe) Greer of Milan, Tennessee. Elvis married Sarah V. (Fisher) of Rutherford, Tennessee. Elvis came to Prospect, Ohio, to live with his Aunt, Mrs. H. D. Chapman. He lived here for three years, prior to his entering service while in Marion County, Elvis was an employee with the Marion Steam Shovel Company.

Elvis L. Greer enlisted into the Army Air Corps, in April 1942, from Marion, Ohio. He attained the rank of Technical Sergeant (TSgt.) and was an aerial engineer. He was assigned to Bergstrom Army Air Field, Austin, Texas. In May of 1944, he was sent overseas. TSgt. Elvis L. Greer was assigned to the 3rd Combat Cargo Group,10th Combat Cargo Squadron, China-Burma-India. He was a crew chief aboard a C-47 Dakota.

On 27 May 1945, while flying a shuttle mission between Shingbwiyang and Warazup, Burma, his C-47A (#42-92981) is believed to have gone down in the Hukawng Valley, Burma. The crew was listed as Missing in Action. In February of 1946, TSgt. Elvis L. Greer was officially declared, Killed in Action, his remains were never recovered.

TSgt. Elvis L. Greer is remembered, at the sight of his parents grave, by a memorial marker. This is located at the Oak Grove Baptist Church Cemetery, Milan, Gibson County, Tennessee. He is also memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing, Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, Manila, Capital District, National Capital Region, Philippines.

Elvis L. Greer 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 II Veterans Memorial Wall, at the Marion Cemetery.

Pvt. Herbert E. Montgomery Died in Service, 1944

marionohioveteransLeave a comment

Herbert Edward Montgomery was born 1 Sep 1916, in Indianola, Illinois. His parents are John E. & Flo (Donovan) Montgomery. Herbert attended the Bahalia schools. He was a National Guardsman while in Marysville, Ohio. He was employed in Galion as a machinist with the North Electric Company. He was a resident of Caledonia, Ohio. He married Mary A. (Warford) on 15 September 1940, in Marion, Ohio.

Herbert E. Montgomery entered service in Marysville, Ohio, on 25 February 1943. He attended training at Camp Swift, Texas. Herbert was serving as a Private. He was sent overseas in October of 1943. Pvt. Montgomery was serving in I Company, 2nd Infantry Regiment, 5th Infantry Division “Red Diamond.”
Pvt. Montgomery became ill, while in Rostrevor, Ireland. He died there of a heart ailment.

Pvt. Herbert Montgomery died on 23 May 1944, in Rostrevor, Ireland. He is buried in Raymond, Cemetery, Raymond, Union County, Ohio.

Herbert E. Montgomery 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.

Sgt. Frank R. Mann, Jr., Died in Service, 1944

marionohioveteransLeave a comment

Frank R Mann, Jr. was born on 28 December 1920, in Marion County, Ohio. His parents are Dr. Frank R. & Anna E. (Dennison) Mann, of Marion. Dr. Frank R. Mann, Sr. practiced as a dentist in Marion, Ohio. Frank R. Mann, Jr. was a 1938 Graduate of Harding High School. While in high school he was a member of the Glee Club, Hi-Y, Press Club, Senior Play; and Prom Committee.

Frank R. Mann, Jr. was employed with Marion Steam Shovel Company. Mann attended Ohio Northern University, Ada, Ohio. Here he was a member of the Sigma Pi fraternity. Mann graduated in 1943, with the Bachelor of Science degree, in mechanical engineering. On 7 October 1943, Frank R. Mann, Jr. married Marian (Setterfiled), of Rochester, Ohio. They were wed at the Mann home on S. Vines St. She was formerly employed at the Scioto Ordnance Plant.

Frank R Mann, Jr. had enlisted on 7 December 1941. Mann was trained at Boca Raton, Florida. Mann attained the rank of Sergeant (Sgt.). He was assigned at Wright Field, Ohio, where he served as a project engineer at the power plant laboratory. Sgt. Mann specialized in aircraft engines and was often called upon to make test flights with the pilots. On 3 August 1944, he was called to assist pilots on a test flight, aboard a twin engine bomber out of Wright Field. He was with four lieutenants on the flight that experienced motor trouble as they returned to Wright Field the plane crashed on the farm of Robert Wolfe, on Yellow Springs road, northeast of Dayton, Ohio. All on board perished; Lt. Roland DuFrene, pilot; Lt. John S. Stewart, co-pilot; Lt. Stanley W. Penna; Lt. William S. Crawford; and Sgt. Frank R. Mann.

Sgt. Frank R. Mann died in service on 3 August 1944, he is buried in the Marion Cemetery.
Frank R. Mann, Jr. 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.

Cpl. Ralph E. Coffey Died in Service, 1941

marionohioveteransLeave a comment

Ralph Elliott Coffey was born on 1 March 1921, in Marion, Ohio. His parents are George & Della (Northrup) Coffey, also of Marion. Ralph E. Coffey attended Harding High School. He married Mary (Brewer), formerly of Green Camp, Ohio. They were married on 3 September 1940, in Greenup, Kentucky.

Ralph E. Coffey enlisted into the Ohio National Guard, D Company (Marion), in 1939. While in Marion he was employed at Marion Steam Shovel Company until D Company was activated. Coffey left for Camp Shelby, Mississippi, in October of 1940. He had attained the rank of Corporal (Cpl).

While at Camp Shelby for training, Cpl. Coffey became ill. He spent time in the Hospital at Camp Shelby. Prior to being admitted to the hospital he was in line for promotion to Sergeant.

His wife spent several months with while he was ill. He was diagnosed and died in service of Aplastic anemia. His parents were called in when his condition became grave. Cpl. Ralph E. Coffey died on 17 July 1941, La Graude Hospital, New Orleans, Louisiana. He was the first guardsman, from Marion, to die since the company was activated.

Cpl. Ralph E. Coffey is buried in Price Cemetery, Essex, Ohio.
Ralph E. Coffey 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.