Veley Mother Has Two Sons MIA – World War Two

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We see in this article the anguish families were forced to endure here at home as their loved ones were suffering in their service to their country in far away lands. Sometimes these times of bad news were multiplied many times as families had to await the fate of their sons, fathers, and brothers for many months.

Later Mrs. Veley would learn of Richard being declared KIA, making her a Gold Star Mother.

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From The Marion Star dated June 23, 1944

2ND SON OF MARION
WOMAN MISSING

Mrs. Ruth Veley Gets Second
Notice in Three Months.

For the second time within three months a Marion woman has received word that a son has been reported missing in action.
Mrs. Ruth Veley of 336 East Church street was notified in a telegram from the war department that her son, Staff Sergeant Robert A. Veley, has been missing in action over Romania since June 6, Robert’s elder brother, Technical Sergeant Richard Veley, has been missing in action over Italy since March 19, but Mrs.. Veley did not receive the word until mid-April.
Robert is a radio operator and gunner on a B-24 Liberator bomber. The operation after which he was reported missing was carried on June 6, fateful D-Day on the western front. Although he never lived in Marion he visited here last December while on furlough from Pocatello, Ida. His mother has lived here over a year.
Both of Mrs. Veley’s sons were graduated from Urichville High school, Richard in 1937 and Robert in 1939. Robert was employed by Goodyear Aircraft corporation in Akron before entering service in January 1943. He was first sent to Fort Myers, Fl., for gunnery training, and in March was transferred to Sioux Falls, S.D., for radio training.
His brother had just completed his radio coarse though and served a week earlier to Las Vegas, Nev., for gunnery training. The only time the two had seen each other since Richard’s induction in October, 1942, was when they both stationed for a short time at Salt Lake City, Utah, in October last year.
Robert arrived in North Africa and was hoping for another meeting with Richard, who had been in Italy since January.. While Robert was still stationed in Africa word came that his brother had been reported missing. Robert moved to the Italian theater in May.
Robert and his brother are both radiomen and gunners on B-2 bombers. Both boys are natives of Urichville. Richard has never visited in Marion and the last time that his mother say (sic) was when he was visiting an uncle in Missouri last June. Richard was employed at the Knapp-Monarch Manufacturing Co. at St. Louis before going into service.
Mrs. Veley is employed at the post engineer’s office of the Marion Engineer depot. The boys’ aunt, Mrs. Ray Bishop, lives at 599 Windsor street.

Sgt. Robert A. Veley POW/MIA Repatriated World War Two

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Robert Alva Veley was born in Bucyrus, Ohio in 1922. Robert worked at Goodyear Aircraft Corporation in Akron, prior to entering service. Robert entered service on 2 January 1943. Robert served in the United States Army Air Corps, during World War II. While serving on B-24 Liberator bomber, Robert was a radio operator and gunner.
Sgt. Robert Veley was reported as Missing in Action over the western front on D-Day 1944. Robert was later captured made a Prisoner of War and then repatriated. Robert A. Veley was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, 24 September 1944. Marion, Ohio, is listed on his Award Card. Robert did survive the war. And although Robert never lived in Marion, Ohio, he is connected by his mother and brother, TSgt. Richard Veley.

More can be read in this link about his Mother and Brother.

Tech. Sgt. Richard W. Veley – MIA – World War Two

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Richard William Veley born in 1920 in Ohio, was serving in the Army Air Corps. as a crewman on a B-24 bomber in Europe. Richard served as a Technical Sergeant on B-24H #41-29296, 740th Bomber Squadron, 455th Bomber Group, Heavy, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.

Richard W. Veley resided in St. Louis, Missouri, prior to the war. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps on September 14, 1942, at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed as a shipping and receiving clerk and also as single, without dependents.

Tech. Sgt. Richard W. Veley was declared “Missing In Action” when his B-24 Liberator, flying out of San Giovanni, Italy, was ran into by another B-24, which had lost an engine, and they both crashed just west of Tremiti Island, in the Adriatic Sea during the war. This accident occurred on 19 March 1944.

On 7 July 1944, The Marion Star reported that Veley’s mother had received word that her son, Richard, was now reported as Killed in Action.

Technical Sergeant Richard W. Veley is listed on the “Tablets of the Missing,” at Sicily-Rome American Cemetery and Memorial, Nettuno, Città Metropolitana di Roma Capitale, Lazio, Italy. And Honored online: American Battle Monument Commission.

TSgt. Richard W. Veley is remembered on the Honor Roll, at the Marion Veterans Memorial Park; World War Two Memorial Wall (Marion Cemetery); and on the west side of the Marion County Court House.

Other crew members of the B-24:

Crew:
Bastow, Robert F 2nd Lt, MA
Beatty, Fred T, Jr S/Sgt, NC
Dixon, John G T/Sgt, TN
Ellerbrook, Leroy W 1st Lt, MI
Hughes, Howard F S/Sgt, CA
Lundwall, Albert A 1st Lt, Pilot, CT
Mahoney, Bruce A S/Sgt, IA
Sapia, Lettimo F S/Sgt, CT
Stepanian, Charles 1st Lt, MA

Veleyart

Pvt. Charles S. Kelly, Jr., Korea Casualty

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Pvt. Charles S. Kelly, Jr., born 15 December 1927. Kelly had lived in Marion since 1932. He was the adopted son of Mrs. Lillian O’Donald and the late Arthur Ray O’Donald. His aunt, Miss Helen Feagans was also listed as a near relative. Prior to enlisting in the Army, Kelly had attended the Central Junior High School in Marion, Ohio. He is recorded as enlisting while in Marion, Ohio. Kelly had first enlisted when he was seventeen years old, in 1945. He served most of his first enlistment in Japan. He returned to Marion when he was first discharged. He worked as an apprentice baker with the Baber Baking Company. He then reenlisted for another three year service. He was returned to Japan where he and his unit would then be sent to Korea.

Pvt. Charles S. Kelly, Jr., was killed in action along the Pusan Perimeter in the southwest on 1 September 1950. Kelly was halfway through his second enlistment when he was killed. Pvt. Kelly was serving with G Company, 2nd Battalion of the 35th Infantry Regiment of the 25th Infantry Division. Private Charles Kelly, Jr. was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal and the Korean War Service Medal.

Private Charles Kelly, Jr. is buried in the Goldengate National Cemetery, San Bruno, California. Charles S. Kelly, Jr. is remembered on the Honor Roll at the Marion Veterans Memorial Park in Marion, Ohio, and on the west side of the Marion County Courthouse.

Ray M. Pinney Veteran of North Africa Dies at Anzio – 1944

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Ray Millison Pinney, Jr., was born 17 January 1917. Ray M. Pinney attended school at Edison Junior High and had worked as a cook at Paulson’s Grill. Ray M. Pinney was drafted into service. Pinney served in the United States Army and was a veteran of the invasions North Africa and Anzio during World War Two. Pinney’s father died on 27 March 1944, only months prior to his own death. Pinney attained the rank of Staff Sergeant and was killed in a vehicle accident while serving in Italy with the 94th Quartermaster Rail-head Division. He died 3 Jun 1944, in Italy.
Staff Sergeant Ray M. Pinney, Jr. is buried in the Marion Cemetery, Marion, Ohio.
Ray M. Pinney, Jr., is remembered on the Honor Roll, at the Veterans Memorial Park in Marion, Ohio; on the World War Two Memorial Wall, at the Marion Cemetery; and on the west wall of the Marion County Courthouse.

From The Marion Star dated June 23, 1944

Soldier From
Marion Killed

Staff Sgt. Ray M. Pinney
Meets Death in Anzio
Beachhead Accident.

pinneyStaff Sgt. Ray M. Pinney Jr., 21, stepson of Mrs. Sadie Pinney of 720 East Center street, and son of the late Ray M. Pinney, was killed in a vehicle accident June 8, in Italy, according to word received by Mrs. Pinney.
No details were given in the telegram received by her from the War Department yesterday afternoon. It stated, however, that a letter would follow.
In the last letter received from Sgt. Pinney, written June 5, he told his mother he was at a small villa near Rome. He had been at Anzio Beachhead with the 94th Quartermaster Railhead Division.
Sgt. Pinney attended Edison Junior High school and before enlisting in the service on March of 1941 was employed as a cook at Paulson’s Grill. He had been overseas since January, 1943, taking part in the invasion of North Africa and Sicily.
Survivors include, with the stepmother, his wife, Mrs. Mae Pinney of 466 West Center street and a sister, Mrs. Wayne Ruby of 563 Henry street.