S-1C Clifford E. Conrad – MIA, 1944

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Clifford Edward Conrad was born 4 July 1912, in Marion, Ohio. His parents are Charles & Bierth M. Conrad. His mother died in October of 1943, before Clifford entered service. Clifford attended schools in Mansfield, Ohio. His family relocated to Marion, and Clifford would graduate with the class of 1932, at Harding High School.

Clifford E. Conrad worked at the Scioto Ordnance Plant in the Hospital Department, after high school. He was also employed with the United States Rubber Company and then with the King Beverage Company. Conrad married Mary F. (McAndrew), and they had two children, Patricia and Michael.

Clifford E. Conrad entered service on 26 April 1944. He attended basic training at Great Lakes Naval Training Station. He would go to Gulf Port, Mississippi for further training before receiving orders for overseas duty. He did get to come home for Christmas with his family before his departure overseas.
Conrad attained the rank of Seaman First Class (S-1C). He served on a ship in the British Isles. He was assigned as a gunner, onboard the Steam Merchant Roanoke.

On 2 August 1944, while on a transport mission in the Irish Sea, the Roanke would be attacked by the German Submarine, U-1055 (Rudolf Meyer). S-1C Clifford E. Conrad was killed in action along with 3 others in this attack. S-1C Conrad was lost at sea, missing in action presumed dead. A brief account of the attack is below.

Between 16.10 and 16.40 hours on 11 Jan, 1945, U-1055 attacked some ships from a just dispersed coastal convoy in the Irish Sea west of Anglesey and reported two ships sunk. A first torpedo exploded behind the Yugoslavian steam merchant Senga, while other torpedoes sank the Roanoke and Normandy Coast.
The Roanoke was struck by one torpedo between the #4 hold and the stern, which was blown off by the explosion. The #3 and #4 hatches were blown out and the crew quarters, radio shack and the machinery were destroyed. She sank by the stern within three minutes although the bow remained on the surface for about one hour. Two crew members and two armed guards were lost. The survivors among the 38 crew members and 25 armed guards on board abandoned ship in two lifeboats and one raft and were picked up after about three hours by the Senga and the British patrol ship HMS PC-74 and landed at Holyhead on 11 and 12 January.

Source Unknown

S-1C Clifford E. Conrad left behind his wife and two children, aged eight and four years of age. His wife was employed at the Marion Engineer Depot, at the time of her husband’s death.
S-1C Clifford E. Conrad’s remains were not recovered. He is remembered on the Tablets of the Missing, Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial, Coton, South Cambridgeshire District, Cambridgeshire, England.
S-1C Clifford E. Conrad 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.

Harlan S. Simpson – Marion Fire Department Line of Duty Death, 1939

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Harlan Stephen Simpson was born on 1 July 1877, in Marion, Ohio. His parents were John W. & Mary (Coffey) Simpson. Harlan and both of his parents were native Marion County residents. Harlan had three brothers; Bert Simpson, Ray R. Simpson and William K. Simpson.
Harlan S. Simpson married Minnie M. (Smeltzer), on 25 October 1899, in Marion, Ohio. They had son Paul Simpson, and two daughters; Audrey Simpson and Mary E. Simpson .
In the year 1900, Harlan had purchased a grocery, in the storeroom on South Main St. At the time of his death it was occupied by Kroger Master. Kroger Master had bought out Simpson’s brother, William. Harlan later worked in the warehouse of the Bindley Grocery Company, located on North State Street. He left this job after gaining employment at the Marion Fire Department.
Around 1917, Harlan S. Simpson became employed with the Marion Fire Department.

Harlan S. Simpson’s name is found on the original charter for the Marion Fire Fighters Association 379 Marion Ohio, dated 8 January 1934. This was to officially recognize the City Fire Fighters Union, as members of the International Association of Fire Fighters. His name is one of 27 other Marion Fire Fighters on the Charter.

On the evening of 9 January 1939, the Marion Fire Department received a report of fire at 697 North Main Street. The address was north of Fairground Street. Of those responding to the report of fire were; Fire Chief T. J. McFarland and Firefighter A. D. Boyd of Central Station; Captain Fred L. Reiff and company from the Mark Street Station. Fire equipment was parked across the street from the Malo home and other firefighters had crossed over to check the home and determine what equipment was needed. The Marion Star reported that Captain Reiff met Chief McFarland and Boyd as they were crossing to the home of Hugo L. Malo. As Captain Reiff reported to the Chief, while standing on the west curb, they heard a loud thud. Reiff who was facing the street saw the vehicle, driven by Edwin S. Wilson, strike Firefighter Harlan S. Simpson. Reiff said that the vehicle lights had temporarily blinded him, so he was unsure as to who was struck. McFarland and Boyd turned around just in time to see Simpson being thrown through the air. The driver of the car, Edwin S. Wilson, was returning from Bucyrus with passenger, R. M. Schaffer. They estimated the vehicle to traveling at 20-35 miles per hour at the time of the accident. Wilson had stated to police that he saw McFarland and Boyd as they crossed the street, but did not see Simpson until he was about five feet from him and Wilson immediately applied the brakes. Schaffer, the passenger, said he did not see Simpson, until the car was almost upon him. Wilson was immediately able to identify Simpson as the fireman struck when he got out of the car. Wilson and Simpson, both being grocers, were well acquainted with each other.
After the Wilson car struck Simpson, Simpson was thrown to the ground and the vehicle continued for about twelve feet. Boyd said that after he heard the thud, he turned and saw Simpson being dragged under the car. He stated that Simpson was partially under the car’s bumper. He said that both of Simpson’s shoulders were under the front bumper and the rest of his body between the tires and under the car. Several firefighters then lifted the car as the vehicle was backed away from Simpson.
Several different calls were made for an ambulance, three being dispatched. The Boyd Funeral Home ambulance took Simpson to the City hospital.
Upon being admitted to the hospital, Simpson was conscious, but slowly deteriorated through the night. The hospital staff stated that he had fractures of the right arm, right ankle, right leg, three rib fractures, severe scalp lacerations and internal bleeding. Harlan S. Simpson died of his injuries at 7:30am on 10 January 1939.
The fire was found to be located in a box of papers in the attic of the Malo home. It was extinguished shortly after the accident occurred.

The funeral was held on 12 January 1939, at Calvary Evangelical Church. And a Guard of Honor was conducted for the late Harlan S. Simpson. The following may be the first recorded details of a Marion Fire Department Honor Guard.

Guard of Honor on 11 January 1939:
Were the following:
12:00pm-2:00 Charles Erow of Central Station and Burdette E. Bindley of No. 3 Station;
2:00-4:00 Capt. O. C. Stafford and Charles W. Thompson of No. 2 Station;
4:00-6:00 Richard M. Miller of Central Station and Henry Reid of No. 3 Station;
6:00-8:00 Capt. A. O. Dennis of No. 3 Station and James R. Riddell of No. 2 Station;
8:00-10:00 Wesley R. Issleib and Robert B. Swisher of Central Station.

Captain Rynn and Mr. Boyd of Central Station were on guard at the funeral home in the morning of 12 January 1939.

At the Church on 12 January 1939 (Day of the Funeral)
The Guard of Honor was composed of the following firemen:
12:00pm-12:30 Capt. O. A. Sifritt and Harold W. Monnette of Central Station;
12:30-1:00 George F. Fetter of Central Station and Edgar D. Cook of No. 2 Station;
1:00-1:30 Gloyd Lattimore and Charles J. McDonough of Central Station;
1:30-2:00 John F. Cocherl and Theodore E. Brownlee of Central Station;
2:00-2:30 Capt. Reiff and Mr. Hunter.

Pallbearers were: Captain J. J. Rynn and A. D. Boyd of Central Station;
Captain George A. Kelly and George C. Haines of No. 2 Station;
Captain Fred J. Reiff and Dewey H. Hunter of No. 3 Station.

Harlan S. Simpson was laid to rest at the Marion Cemetery, Marion, Ohio.
He is also remembered on the Honor Roll, on the Marion County Firefighters Memorial, located at the front of the Marion Cemetery.

Marion County Fire Fighter Memorial

Update:

As of 9-16-2023, Harlan S. Simpson is remembered on the International Association of Fire Fighter’s Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial, Colorado Springs, Colorado. His name was officially added during the September Ceremony in 2023.

I. A. F. F. Memorial in Colorado Springs, Colorado

Spec5 Robert E. Higdon Died in Service, 1970

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Robert E. Higdon, Jr. was born on 21 February 1949 and was the son of Robert E. Higdon, Sr. & Marion R. Higdon of Marion, Ohio. Higdon attended school at Harding High School and graduated with the class of 1967.

Robert E. Higdon, Jr. entered service in October of 1967. Higdon was a Specialist 5 (Spec5) while serving as a dental assistant in Okinawa, Japan. While serving in Okinawa, Higdon was involved in an accident in which it was reported that he was struck by an automobile. He would later succumb and die of his injuries on 6 January 1970.

Robert E. Higdon would leave behind his parents, two sisters, Sandi (Higdon) Buckley; Mrs. B. J. Buckley, and a fiancee Miss Dianna Browning of Marion.
Spec5 Robert E. Higdon, Jr. is buried in the Marion Cemetery. Robert E. Higdon is remembered for his death while in service during the Vietnam Era, on the Honor Roll, at the Veterans Memorial Park in Marion, Ohio.

Sgt. Jack E. Lewis – Died in Service, 1970

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Jack Edward Lewis born 26 June 1946, was the son of Marion M. Lewis of Marion and Joyce Mary Middlemiss of Prospect. Jack E. Lewis was a graduate of Harding High School, with the Class of 1964. While at Harding, Lewis was on the basketball team, they were the State Runners-up in 1963. After graduating from Harding, Lewis would attend Ohio University and graduate with a degree in education. He would then teach in the Cleveland Public School system.

While in the army, Jack E. Lewis served in Vietnam and Germany. At the time of his death he was serving with the First Infantry Division “Big Red One,” in C Company, 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment. Lewis was on his way home from Fort Riley, Kansas, when he was involved in an automobile accident. The accident occurred near London, Ohio. He would die of head injuries on 27 December 1970.

Lewis had been awarded the Air Medal, and the Army Commendation Medal for meritorious service.
Sgt. Jack E. Lewis is buried in the Marion Cemetery and is remembered on the Honor Roll, at the Veterans Memorial Park in Marion, Ohio.
Note:
Jack E. Lewis was also the nephew of a World War Two veteran, Thomas W. Middlemiss. Thomas had a step-son who was killed in action, in World War Two.

Cpt. Jacob B. Yazel – Marion Fire Department, Line of Duty Death, 1935

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Jacob Boyd Yazel was born 7 September 1877, Auglaize County, Ohio. His parents were John Q. & Rebecca A. (Shellengarger) Yazel. Jacob B. Yazel married Alma A. Johnston, on 25 December 1898, in Marion, Ohio. Jacob started out driving laundry in the early 1900s. He would later be listed as an electrician. Yazel became one of the first electrical contractors in Marion, Ohio. He also worked as an automobile mechanic. In February of 1910, he was employed as a fireman at the Marion Fire Department.

Jacob B. Yazel supported his family while working at the Marion Fire Department. Tragically on 27 December 1935, he would lose his life in the line of duty.

Two days after Christmas 1935, a fire was reported at 135 Clover Avenue. Captain Jacob B. Yazel, 58 years old, and another fireman, Charles Erow, would ride to the scene of the fire with Chief T. J. McFarland in his car. It was reported that the Fire Chief and Yazel entered the house “with chemicals” to slow the fire. This may have been referring to carbon tetrachloride extinguishers. They were trying to slow the fire until the trucks arrived.
When the trucks arrived, Yazel took a hose-line upstairs. Later, Chief McFarland stated that the heat and smoke were terrible. This was prior to when breathing apparatus were used routinely in structure fires. Yazel would hand the line off to another firefighter and exit the house. When he exited the home he was ill and firemen had to carry him to the chief’s car. Deputy Gene Geissler and Gayle H. Owens attempted to take Yazel to the Central Fire Station. Jacob B. Yazel would die enroute to the station. Two doctors were called to attend to him. One of the doctor’s stated that he died just as the deputy and Owens arrived at the station. The doctor stated Yazel had died of a heart attack and had also suffered chronically from heart disease.

Jacob B. Yazel (Center)

Capt. Jacob B. Yazel was the head mechanic of the department at the time of his death. He left behind, his wife and seven children. At his funeral, fellow fireman Robert Swisher, would sing. Among those attending his funeral were both off-duty and on-duty firemen.
Capt. Jacob B. Yazel is buried in the Marion Cemetery. Capt. Yazel is remembered on the Marion County Firefighters Memorial, located in the Marion Cemetery, Marion, Ohio.