The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1944-04-11

AdCer at Cne navy pre-1lgQC SCHOOL
S.-Sgt. Melvin J. Cole, of Water
bury, has been presented with an
Oak Leaf Cluster in addition to the
Exceptionally meritorious service
while participating in five separate
bomber combat missions over enemy
occupied Continental Europe" Col.
Frederick r. Dent, Jr., of Knerr-
vile, Texas, commanding officer of
this well known Liberator group
presents the award which is in rec
ignition of, "the courage, GOODNESS
and skill' displayed by Sgt. Cole on
these occasions. Sgt. Cole has par
ticipated in such celebrated attacks
as those on Ploesti and Wiener
Neustadt. His home address is 46
Starview avenue.
Staff Sergeant Roger ]. Conner
of R. F. D. 2, Waterbury. who is
serving with the Twelfth Army Air
force, was recently awarded the
Good Conduct Medal. He has been
serving with BIS Mitchell group
which has built up an impressive
record in the Tunisian, Sicilian and
italian campaigns.
His group participated in the ia.
nous first mission over Rome, .oper-
ated the first medium bombers from
bases in Italy, was first to hit thu
Balkans and to use the B-25 mount
ing a 75-mm. canon, according tx
a headquarters release. The groul
is credited with having sunk at least
II enemy vessels and damaged 80
and with having felled 81 enemy
fighters.
Aviation Cadet Roger H. Walcott
of SO Elmwood avenue is receiving
pre-dight training at San Antonio
Texas.
Corporal Thomas w. Rush Of 1854
Willow street has complied course
at the gunnery school at Fort
Myers, Fla, where he will remain
as an instructor.
Private First Glass Robert G. Sea-
man has arrived in England, ac-
cording to word received by his wife,
the former Dorothy Beck of Douglas
avenue. He is the son of Mr.. and
Mrs. Robert F. Seaman of II Sud-
bury street, and has been in the
Army since February, 1912.
Nicholas w. Monico Of rs Giles
street has been promoted to cor
poral at Boca Baton field, Fla.
Private Joseph M. Benesevich of
1877 Alder street. has completed four
weeks of training as paratrooper
at Fort Benning,. Ga. He has made
five jumps from plane in FIGHT,
and now wears paratrooper' S
wings and boots.
Private Nicholas DeDousis Of 81
Walnut street has arrived in Italy,
where he will serve with an infan-
try unit.
Private Daniel j. Reardon of 1872
Willow street has completed a
course as an aircraft mechanic at
Seymour johnson Field, N. C. He is
the son Of Mrs. Allen Reardon, and
his wife, the former Alice Lynch,
resides at the present time in New
Haven.
Two Bristol soldiers have been
reported missing in action in the
European area in the latest War
Department release. They are Staff
Sergeant Donald r. Girard and
Staff Sergeant Everett N. johnson.
Also listed as missing in action is
First Lieutenant James A. Ivain OF
Torrington.
A Purple Heart award posthun1-
ously to Robert N. Krakower has
been received by his parents, Mr..
and Mrs. John Krakower Of 1856
West Main street. Serving as fire.
man, first class in the Navy, the
local serviceman was killed in &C
ton on the Juneau at Guadalcanal
in November, 1912.
Major Clarence B. Marsella Of 81
Manchester avenue, former local
policeman, is receiving a physical
check-up at an Army hospital in
Rome, Ga, after completing a phase
Of service with a plane crew in In
dia, Australia, Egypt, Libya, Tunis,
and Italy.
In a letter to his brother. Rev.
Conner r. Lewis, pastor of the third
Congregational church in Water
bury, Rev. DR.. Anthony j. Lewis,
pastor Of the Wolverton Congrega-
tional church, Wolverton, Bucks,
England, Is unstinting in his praise
Of American flyers now stationed
in England. They are wonderful
men," he writes, land words can
never express our admiration for
their magnificent temper and glor-
ious sense Of humor. Though SEEM
ingly carefree, underneatS 1t all they
have an indomitable will"