Readers Learn Of Deaths, Death-Defying Service

------------------------------------------------------------------ Fifty years ago this month: Part of The Seattle Times series, appearing the first Sunday of each month, highlighting the events and people making the headlines in wartime Washington State. James R. Warren, director emeritus of the Museum of History and Industry, is an Army veteran and former German POW. ------------------------------------------------------------------

Pacific Island invasions, infantry advances in Italy and air raids on Europe make headlines in The Seattle Times in March 1944.

A few weeks after battles involving U.S. forces, the armed services release the names of men from Washington who are dead, missing and wounded. Because of wartime censorship, there's not much detail. However, the heartache and loss felt by the families and friends of the men are obvious to readers.

Hometown heroes

Among the many heroes mentioned in the newspaper:

-- First Lt. Samuel Bruce, pilot with the 99th Negro Squadron and former Garfield High School football player, was killed Jan. 27 while on his 57th mission over enemy territory in Europe. His survivors include his mother, Mrs. Martha Davis, of Seattle, and his widow and the 5-month-old daughter he never saw, who live in Greensboro, N.C. Bruce attended Greensboro A and T College and received his commission from the Army's Tuskegee Flying School. (March 2)

-- A recent War Department telegram informed Dr. and Mrs. H.F. Yancey, that their son, 2nd Lt. Robert Yancey, was killed in action in Italy Jan. 26. He was a forward observer with a field-artillery battalion in the American Fifth Army at the time of his death. A graduate of Roosevelt High School, he was called into the Army in 1942 while a junior at the University of Washington. (March 2)

-- Lt. (j.g.) Edith Munro, who enlisted in the same service for which her son gave his life, will leave Seattle Sunday for Houston, where she will christen a ship named in his honor. Munro is commanding officer of the U.S. Coast Guard Women's Reserve (Spar) Barracks at the Assembly Hotel in Seattle.

The Navy destroyer escort vessel Munro will honor the memory of Douglas Munro, signalman first class, who lost his life off Guadalcanal on Sept. 27, 1942. Munro, whose hometown was Cle Elum, is the only Coast Guardsman ever to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor. (March 2)

-- Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Morris received word yesterday that their only son, Pvt. Frederick L. Morris Jr., was killed Feb 21 "while in the defense of his country" at Saidor, New Guinea. Pvt. Morris, a Cleveland High School graduate, is survived by his parents and a sister. (March 2)

-- First Lt. Donald Scavotto was killed during a bomber raid on Kiel, Germany, June 13, 1943, a War Department telegram informed his parents yesterday. He previously had been listed as missing. His father, James Scavotto, is a Seattle City Councilman and nominee for mayor.

Young Scavotto was not in his own Flying Fortress, Rat Killer, at the time of the raid but had volunteered to fill in as tail-gunner in another "fort" that was short one man. During the raid the tail section of the plane was shot away, but hope was maintained that Scavotto had parachuted to safety.

The 26-year-old pilot, who held the Air Medal with Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster, is survived by his wife, Kathleen, and 1-year-old daughter Susan Donneen, whom he did not live to see. Lt. Scavotto graduated from Franklin High School and the University of Washington Law School. (March 4)

-- Although Lt. Armin Herold's 53rd combat mission brought flak, which hospitalized him, it also brought him the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Purple Heart. Lt. Herold, 23, bombardier with the Fifteenth Air Force, is the son of Col. Armin Herold, Sr., commanding officer at McChord Field.

Herold was a student at the University of Washington when he enlisted three years ago. He landed in Africa in 1942 and held the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Clusters before his last mission. His father received the Purple Heart after being wounded in World War I. (March 6)

Awards galore

Not all the news was tragic. Among the happier items:

-- A commendation for meritorious service is given Maj. Einer Prestrud for his service in Cairns, Queensland, Australia. The award is for his diligent efforts to organize and operate the Water Transportation Division. Before entering the Army, Prestrud was a sea captain with the American-Hawaiian Steamship line. His wife lives in Seattle and their son, Stewart Prestrud, is attending the Navy Language School in Boulder, Co. (March 2)

-- Navy Ensign Arthur Glauer is awarded a Gold Star in lieu of a second Navy and Marine Corps Medal for heroic conduct and outstanding performance of duty. The citation from Navy Secretary Frank Knox states that Glauer's "extraordinary skill and tenacious perseverance" as mine-disposal officer "saved many lives and contributed materially to the success of American operations in the Aleutian Islands."

Glauer received his first Navy and Marine Corps Medal in 1942 when he saved a 10,000-ton freighter that had been shelled by a German submarine and was sinking. Then a chief gunner's mate and diver, Glauer dived and plugged submerged shell holes with blankets and planks, enabling the ship to be towed safely to port. (March 9)

-- Maj. Edward Nollmeyer is relaxing at his Everett home today after earning almost every award for fliers while completing 88 missions over enemy territory in the China-Burma-India theater. The 23-year-old major spent 23 months flying a P-40 fighter plane and has credit for destroying at least five enemy planes and probably four others. He has won the Distinguished Flying Cross, three Silver Stars and the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster. (March 10)

-- A United Press dispatch from London reports that Maj. Donald Hillman of Seattle today led a squadron of dive-bombers in an attack on French airdromes.

"We screamed down from 20,000 feet to 3,000 before releasing our bombs and then followed the bombs right on down, popping away with incendiary cannon shells," he is quoted as saying. "The barracks went up in smoke and flame. We ground-strafed on the way back, flying through plenty of German anti-aircraft fire."

Hillman is the son of Mr. and Mrs. C. Kirk Hillman. (March 21)

(Don Hillman later was shot down over Germany and escaped twice from German stalags. Today he lives in Kirkland.)

-------------- More resources --------------

Most units active in World War II have veterans organizations. If you wish information about an organization, send the name of the unit in which you served and your name, address and phone number to James R. Warren, Seattle Times, Box 70, Seattle, WA 98111.