Imperial Valley press., 1944-04-07

Completing a five-months course
in aircraft maintenance and re-
pair, Pvt. Raymond A. Veliquette
was graduated last week as an
aircraft mechanic from Seymour
Johnson Field in North Carolina.
He is a son of Mr.. and Mrs. Fred
N. Veiquette of FL Centre. He was
sworn into the army Sept. 20, 1912.
He attended Central Union High
school.
H. Mathis, brother of Mrs. Dale
Nice of Ell Centre, is a seaman first
class with the navy and is stationed
in Australia. He enlisted Nov. 6,
l94l and was sent to Pearl Harbor
week after the japanese attacked
it. He was gone seven months. He
fore he was called out again. He has
been away almost two years. During
his residence in Australia he mara
ried an Australian girl.
Hans Merklein, former Ell Gen.
tran, has been promoted to the
grade of master sergeant at Camp
Carson, Colo.
Pvt. Luther Reed, who formerly
lived on a ranch near Imperial, Is
stationed at Camp Gordon john
ston, Fla. Pvt. Reed has been in
the service for more than three
years, being with a harbor craft
training group.
Officers at Camp Polk, La. an
nounced that Cpl. Hugh S. Ritter
of Ell Centro has been awarded the
good conduct medal
Among the men recently CiS-
charged from the army was Thom-
as j. Mullera.
At Camp White, Ore, Staff Serg-
cant Paul A. Whelan, son of T'hom-
as A. Whelan, has qualified as an
expert shot with the MI (Garand
rifle). He now is entitled to wear
the experts badge.
Mr.. and Mrs. Lorenzo Adams of
the Seeley area received letter
from their son, Sgt. Jack Adams,
who is near Labrao or, saying that
he is we'll and might get a furlough
in April. Sgt. Adams enlisted after
the Pearl Harbor attack and was
graduated from the Rising Sun
school Of aeronautics in Philadel-
phia, Penn. Lately he has been in
Maine. He has been stationed near
Labrador for Is months.
1t. Col. H. j. Gregg. former CAL
exico physician, is at present at
the naval training school at Tue
son, Ariz. He is in the medical
corps.
Robert Small. petty officer Sec
ond class, metalsmith with the
navy air corps, has been transfer
red to Key West, Fla. from GUAM
set Point, r. I. His brother, Jack
Small. is In rest camp after see
ing action in the Marshall Islands.
He is in the twenty-third marines.
Another brother, Jim, is with the
signal corps in Hawaii They are
sons of Mr.. and Mrs. Ernest S.
Small of 523 Holt avenue, Ell Gen.
tro.
Now on leave at the home of his
parents, District Attorney and Mrs.
Charles G.. Halliday, is Staff Serg-
cant Gordon Halliday. He just fin
isheo an aviation students course
at the University of Nevada. He ex-
poets to report back there at the
close of his Today leave for assign
ment to another station.
In telegram to his parents, Mr..
and Mrs. w. f. Hancock. Charles
l.. Hancock said he had passed
final examinations at the Univer-
sity OF Pennsylvania and hopes
SOON to pilot plane over Germany
as a contrast 10 his many months
OF tank experience against the JAP
anese at Guadslcanal and other
points in the Pacific war zone
Charles had just returned to the
east coast fom Dutch arbor, Alas
ka when the japanese attacked
Pearl Harbor. He was among the
first marines rushed to the far
Pacific. Last summer Charles was
hospitalized at San Diego. After
that he did clerical work at the
San Diego marine base and now
takes to the air.
tuesday of this week John Sic.
pert, son OF Mr.. and Mrs. F.. F.