Carl Eugene Anderson’s short life traced a path from Depression-era Tuscarawas County to a distant Pacific battlefield. Carl Eugene Anderson (1922-1942) was born in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, the son of George William Anderson (1884-1967), a coal miner, and Mabel Marie Collar Anderson (1889–1974). He entered the world as the Anderson family was growing and firmlyContinue reading “Fallen Heroes: PFC Carl E. Anderson”
Tag Archives: world war two
Fallen Heroes: Flight Sergeant Paul F. Brawley
Born in Newcomerstown, Ohio, Paul Franklin Brawley rose from orphaned youth to wartime aviator. Paul Franklin Brawley (1914-1942) was born in Newcomerstown, Ohio, the only child of Edward Brawley (1860-1922) and Lydia Miller (1876-1928). His parents married, three years before Paul’s birth, in Stark County, Ohio. It was Edward’s second marriage after the death ofContinue reading “Fallen Heroes: Flight Sergeant Paul F. Brawley”
From the Bizarre Crime to the Heroic Death of Norman J. Hollis
A Dover man, torn by rejection, planned a horrible crime only to have it lead to his heroic death. Born in 1924, Norman James Hollis (1924-1944) was the second child of Floyd James Hollis (1900-1983) and Bessie Lovett (1906-1970), who married four years earlier in Wayne County, Tennessee. Around the time of Norman’s birth, theContinue reading “From the Bizarre Crime to the Heroic Death of Norman J. Hollis”
One House’s Story: The Herbert Family Tragedy
The Herbert family’s story, rooted in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, is one of immigration, hard labor, wartime service, and unexpected tragedy. Content warning: This post contains references to suicide. If you or someone you know has a mental illness, is struggling emotionally, or has concerns about their mental health, there are ways to get help. Click here forContinue reading “One House’s Story: The Herbert Family Tragedy”
Fallen Heroes: Seaman 2nd Class Robert L. Hammersley
The story of this fallen hero traces a young Ohioan’s journey from his small-town roots to his ultimate sacrifice at sea during World War II. The Hammersley family’s roots were firmly planted in Ohio by the time Thomas E. Hammersley (1896–1957) was born in Coshocton County. The family moved to Wheeling Township, Guernsey County whereContinue reading “Fallen Heroes: Seaman 2nd Class Robert L. Hammersley”
Fallen Heroes: Staff Sergeant Joseph A. Pancheri
Joseph Pancheri’s life, marked by dedication to his family and country, ended tragically during one of World War II’s most devastating and long-concealed maritime disasters. Severino Pancheri (1893–1957) immigrated from an Italian speaking territory in Austria in 1913, arriving in New York harbor on March 23 that year aboard the SS Niagara. Severino initially settledContinue reading “Fallen Heroes: Staff Sergeant Joseph A. Pancheri”
Fallen Heroes: Private Thomas J. Forbes
This family had two older sons, both of whom volunteered to serve in the United States military during World War Two. Each would be sent to the Philippines to combat the Japanese, and each would die while a prisoner-of-war. This is one of those sons’ stories. Determining when this branch of the Forbes family treeContinue reading “Fallen Heroes: Private Thomas J. Forbes”
Fallen Heroes: Seaman 1st Class Jack K. Kellogg
This fallen hero’s family had only resided in Tuscarawas County a short time when the Second World War began and their only son enlisted in the United States Navy. That son, like many sailors before him, met his fate on the seas and his ship serves as his tomb. The Kellogg family arrived in NewContinue reading “Fallen Heroes: Seaman 1st Class Jack K. Kellogg”
Fallen Heroes: 2nd Lieutenant Clara A. Young
Not surprisingly, given the nature of warfare in the past, the majority of fallen heroes are young men. There are, however, examples where servicewomen find themselves on or near the front lines, or in roles that put their lives in danger. In the case of this fallen hero, though she prepared and trained for serviceContinue reading “Fallen Heroes: 2nd Lieutenant Clara A. Young”
A “Blue Devil”: Joseph Aloysius Downey
As much as I enjoy researching the family histories of other people, my greatest satisfaction comes from exploring my own family’s history. It is especially satisfying when that research helps answer questions that may have been left unanswered for decades. This is one of those times. James Downey (1847- c. 1910) was born in IrelandContinue reading “A “Blue Devil”: Joseph Aloysius Downey”