Evening star., 1945-02-08
Killed

killed in England on January %, tn
War Department notified hi
mother, Mrs. Ethel Macarthur, 283
Sixth street NE. She has receive,
no further details on his death.
Mr.. Macarthur attended Centra
High School and worked for th'
American Express Co. before enter
ing the service in November, 1942
He went overseas last November.
He is also survived by his father
John T. Macarthur, Arlington, Va
and two sisters Mary Ann Mac
Arthur and Mrs. Edward w. Mere
dith, whose husband was wounded
In action over Germany on Januar!
16. 1t. Meredith, B-24 navigator
entered the AAF with Mr.. Mac
Arthur in 1912. The two flyers hae
not seen each other for two year.
until they met in England just be.
fore last Christmas.
Pvt. Eugene r. Umberger, 36, o.
Germantown, Md, was killed ii
action January l in Belgium, hi!
wife, Mrs. Dorothea Umberger, ha!
been notified by the War Depart.
ment.
Pvt. Umberger had been oversee!
only few days when he was killee
in battle. On Christmas Day h.
wrote his wife that he had beer
sleeping on cement floor sine,
arriving in France. In this letter
he said his unit was being moved
into another sector.
Before entering the Army, Pvt
Umberger served as Sunday schoo
superintendent of the Germantown
Baptist Church, a post his 9-year.
old daughter has filled since hel
fathers absence.
Surviving are his widow, two
daughters, Jean Arlene, 9, and Shir.
ley Joan, 7; his parents, Mr.. and
Mrs. Samuel Umberger; five brothers
Paul and Garnett, serving with the
Army overseas; Samuel, jr.; Joseph
and Earl Umberger, and three sis
ters, Miss Marie Umberger. Ger
mantown; Mrs. Virginia Frazier
Middlebrook, Md, and Mrs. Lonnie
Neal, Germantown. So
Pfc. George w. Purcell, "a, iafan-
tryman, whose wife, Mrs. Mary v
Purcell, lives at 1908 S street Sc
was killed in action in Belgium
December 10, the War Department
has informed his wife. His parents
Mr.. and Mrs. John e. Purcell, live al
4914 T street Sc.
A District native, Pvt. Purcell
attended school in Bradbury Heights
Md, and worked for r. K. Ferguson
Inc, contractors, before he entered
the Army in August, 1943, hi.
mother-in-law, Mrs. v. P. Talbert
of the S street address, said. Pvt
Purcell went overseas in August
1914. His wife works for the Labor
Department.
Wounded
Corpl. Milton Colvin, 81, son OF
Mr.. and Mrs. H. Milton Colvin o1
1916 Veazey street NV, was
wounded in the leg in Belgium, his
parents have been informed by the
War Department.
A paratrooper, Corpl. Colvin was
wounded December 20 and is now
hospitalized in England. He has
been in action since January, 1914
and served at Anzio. Rome, Northern
Italy, France and Belgium. He was
student at Yale University when
he left to enter the Army in Febru-
airy, 1943.
Tech. Sergt. Robert w. Downs, in
fantry, was wounded in action
october 81 on Leyte, according to
his parents. Mr.. and Mrs. Tyson
Downs of Brookeville, Md. He Is
recovering at Thomas M. England
General Hospital in Atlantic City.
Sergt. Downs enlisted in the Army
in May, 1898. He served in the Pan
anna Canal area for two and one-han
years. He went to the Pacific theateI
in December, 1941, and participated
in three campaigns. He holds the
Combat Infantryman Badge and
Purple Heart. His brother Stanley
is serving with the Signal Corps in
Italy.
Missing
Sergt. Purvis L. Stacks, 20, son OF
Mr.. and Mrs. Joseph E. Stacks, 1871
Pierce street north, Arlington, Va.
has been missing in action over
Germany since December II, the
War Department has notified his
family. He is an aviation engineer
Sergt. Stacks was born in the
District. He was graduated from
the Red Hill High School in North
Garden, Va. In June, 1943, he en-
tered the Army. He went overseas
last September.
His brother Is Pvt. Joseph E
Stacks, jr.. on duty at Camp Lee
Va. His father served overseas dur.
ing the World War.
Pfc. w. Harvey Smither, 33, sor
of Mrs. Bertha E. Smither, formerly
of 308 Taylor street NV, now liv.
ing in Richmond, Va, has beer
missing in action in France since
January 20, the War Department
has notified his mother.
He is a native of Middlesex Coun.
tv Va HIT had lived here from