The following are those who died during World War Two who were natives of Adair County or residents thereof when called to military service.

  The first fifty-nine names appear on the Memorial Monument that was "erected by Columbia Post 6097 V.F.W. and the citizens of Adair County" on Armistice Day, November 11, 1947 at the entrance of the Adair County Fairgrounds (also known as Memorial Park.) These names are in the same order as found on the Monument; they are not in alphabetical order.

  Additional names of Adair County war dead follow those from the Monument.

  Only the names appear on the Monument. The additional information comes from other sources, including the Adair County News, Adair County birth record abstracts, military enlistment abstracts ca. 1938 - ca. 1946, and web sites of the following: the  American Battlefields Monuments Commission; the National World War II Monument; the World War II Honor List of Dead and Missing Army and Army Air Forces Personnel; and the State Summaries of War Casualties from World War II for Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard Personnel.

  Generally, military deaths (or mortal wounds inflicted which led to death) which occurred between May 27, 1941 (when President Roosevelt declared an unlimited National Emergency) and early 1946 are considered to be war-related.

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The muffled drum's sad roll has beat

The soldier's last tattoo;

No more on life's parade shall meet

That brave and fallen few.

On Fame's eternal camping‑ground

Their silent tents are spread,

And Glory guards, with solemn round,

The bivouac of the dead.

From Bivouac of the Dead, by Theodore O'Hara

 

 

Acree, F. Ross  -- Sgt. Frank Ross Acree. Son of Mr. & Mrs. Fred Acree; native of Glens Fork. Inducted from Ann Arbor, Washtenaw Co., MI. Killed in action on December 27, 1942, in New Guinea. Remains repatriated 1949; burial in the Mill Springs National Cemetery, Nancy, KY. Sgt. Acree was (I believe) the first Adair Countian killed in action.

 

Allen, Earl -- PFC Earl Allen. Native of Adair Co.; son of Mrs. Bessie Dry Allen. Died May 7, 1944, of non-battle causes; burial Honolulu Memorial, Honolulu, Hawaii.

 

Badger, Dallas L. -- PFC Dallas Lilliard Badger. (Memorial Monument inscribed "Badge, R. Dallas.") Native of West Virginia; son of Mr. and Mrs. Cicero Badger. Inducted August 1941 from Knifley, Adair Co. Killed in action on December 7, 1944 in the Philippine Islands when shot by a sniper. Remains repatriated, date unknown (to me); burial in Caldwell Chapel Cemetery, Adair Co.

 

Bennett, Kenneth R. -- PFC Kenneth Ray Bennett. Son of Mr. and Mrs. W.L. "Willie" Bennett; inducted from Fairplay, Adair Co., KY. Killed in action on May 4, 1945 in the Philippine Islands. Remains repatriated 1948 to Adair Co.; burial in (cemetery variously known as) Norris, Loy, Yates Cemetery, Adair Co.

 

Bottoms, Edward C. -- PFC Edward Clayton Bottoms. Native of Adair Co. KY; son of Mrs. Ida Goodin Bottoms. Inducted October, 1942 in Louisville, Ky. Killed in action on December 25, 1944. Burial Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery, Henri-Chapelle, Belgium.

 

 

Bryant, Gilbert L. -- S/SGT Gilbert L. Bryant. Native of Adair Co.; son of Mrs. Nancy Gertrude Cravens Bryant. Entered service from KY; inducted July, 1943, in Columbus, OH. Killed in action on January 9, 1945 in France. Burial Epinal American Cemetery, Epinal, France.

 

Burton, Harold B. -- PFC Harold Leonard Burton. (Middle initial inscribed as "B." on Memorial Monument.) Son of Mrs. and Mrs. Alec W. Burton. Inducted July 1943 from Christine, Adair Co. KY. Killed in action on April 5, 1945 in Germany. Remains repatriated December, 1948; burial January 2, 1949 in Bearwallow Cemetery, Adair Co.

 

Cape, Arlin -- CPL Arlin N. Cape. Native of the Melson Ridge - Cundiff area; son of Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Cape. Inducted from Adair Co. October 1940. Killed March 7, 1942 at Fort Custer, MI when struck by an automobile. Burial in John Melson Cemetery, Adair Co.

 

Cofer, Charlie W. -- PFC Charlie W. Cofer. Native of Adair Co.; son of Mrs. Mattie Hutchinson Cofer of Cane Valley. Killed in action on February 17, 1945, in the invasion of Corregidor. Burial Manila American Cemetery, Manila, Philippines.

 

Cook, William D. -- PFC William D. Cook. Native of Adair Co.; son of George & Flora Harmon Cook. Enlisted August, 1942. Killed in action on January 12, 1945 at Minien, Luzon, Philippine Islands. Remains repatriated August, 1948; burial Redman (also called Grider) Cemetery, Adair Co.

 

Coomer, Raymond B. -- SGT Raymond B. Coomer. Native of Adair Co.; son of Mrs. Annie Norris Coomer. Died February 14, 1945 from wounds received December 29, 1944, in Belgium. Burial Epinal American Cemetery, Epinal, France.

 

Conover, James W. -- PVT James William "Jim Will" Conover. Native of Adair County; son of Edward N. and Fannie B. Atchley Conover of the Gentry's Mill - Roy area. Inducted February or March, 1941. Killed in action on May 6, 1943 in North Africa. Remains repatriated March, 1949; burial family cemetery (called the Conover Cem. in "Cemeteries of Adair County, Kentucky," Vol. 3), Adair Co.

 

Cundiff, William R. -- PVT. William Richard Cundiff. Native of Adair Co.; son of Finis and Lena Smith Cundiff, of Cane Valley, and husband of Christine Page Cundiff. Enlisted September, 1943. Died on October 1, 1944 in a hospital in southern France from injuries received in France on September 20, 1944 when shot by a German sniper. Remains repatriated May, 1948; burial Cane Valley Cemetery, Adair Co.

 

Edrington, Wilbur M. -- PFC Wilbur M. "Budge" Edrington. Native of Adair Co.; son of Claude C. and Bertha Dillingham Edrington (Bybee.) Enlisted September, 1942. Killed in action on April 16, 1945 on Luzon, Philippine Islands. Remains repatriated October, 1948; burial Columbia City Cemetery.

 

Enyard, Bernard L. -- PFC Bernard L. Enyard. Native of Adair Co.; son of Mr. John R. and ----- Tucker Enyard. (His mother's name given variously as Lissie, Linnie, Tiny & Fanny.) Enlisted from Adair Co. KY, August, 1942. Killed in action October 27, 1944; burial Manila American Cemetery, Manila, Philippines.

 

Floyd, James M. -- SGT James Manuel Floyd. Native of Adair Co.; son of James D. & Vona (or Vera) Bryant Floyd, of Garlin. Inducted June, 1941. Killed in action on August 13, 1944 in France; burial Brittany American Cemetery, St. James, France.

 

Giles, Vince -- PVT Vincent R. "Vince" Giles. Native of Adair Co.; son of Arthur O. & Lizzie Roberts Giles, of Knifley. Inducted June, 1942. Killed in action in North Africa on February 14, 1943; burial North Africa American Cemetery, Carthage, Tunisia.

 

Gilpin, Herbert -- PVT Herbert Gilpin. Native of Adair Co.; son of Austin and Clara Rowe Gilpin of Sparksville. Inducted September, 1941. Died February 17, 1942 in Hawaii from gunshot wounds accidentally inflicted at Schofield Barracks, near Honolulu. Remains repatriated October, 1947; burial Antioch Cemetery, Adair Co. Herbert was the first Adair County soldier to die after the formal declaration of hostilities on December 8, 1941. By chance or by design, his remains were the first repatriated to Adair Co.

 

Grider, Edward -- PFC Edward Grider. Native of Adair Co.; son of Ernest and Ida Knight Grider of Garlin. Inducted January, 1944. Died February 11, 1945 from wounds received in battle in the Philippine Islands (one source states Luzon Island, another Barari [sic] Island.) Remains repatriated June, 1948; burial Grider Family Cemetery, Adair Co.

 

Harmon, Edwin M. -- S/SGT Edwin Morris Harmon. Native of Adair Co.; son of U.S. and Mary Smith Harmon of R.F.D. 1, Columbia. Inducted September, 1942. Killed in action on July 10, 1943 while serving as a waistgunner on a Flying Fortress in a raid over France (one source states over Paris, another states over Evreux.) Remains repatriated May, 1949; burial Columbia City Cemetery.

 

Harper, Alfred -- PVT Alfred Harper. Native of Adair County; son of Bert and Montra Yarberry Harper of Columbia and husband of Elizabeth Montgomery Harper. Inducted February, 1944. Died November 25, 1944 from wounds received November 21 while fighting on the German front, near Cologne, Germany. Remains repatriated December, 1947; burial Columbia City Cemetery.

 

Hughes, Duard D. -- PVT Duard D. Hughes. Native of Clinton Co.; son of Mrs. Eliza Mills Hughes of Columbia. Inducted October, 1943 from Columbia, KY. Died on February 14, 1945 in Germany from a heart attack. Remains repatriated in April, 1949; funeral at Columbia Nazarene Church; burial Akers Cemetery. (The Akers Cem. may be in Clinton Co.)

 

Humphress, Forest R. -- PFC Forest R. Humphress. Native of Adair Co.; son of James T. and Susan White Humphress and husband of Dorothy Gum Humphress. Inducted November, 1942. First declared missing in action and later declared killed in action. His name appears on the tablets of the Missing at Luxembourg American Hospital, Luxembourg City. Luxembourg. His death date is given as March 15, 1945 but almost certainly, that was the date on which the military declared him legally dead. That generally was one year and one day after a soldier was reported missing in action.

 

Johnson, Lee B.--  PVT Lee Bolin Johnson. Native of Adair Co.; son of Robert and Fanny Johnson, of near Columbia. (Another article stated they lived in the Roy community.) Inducted October, 1943. Killed in action on July 16, 1944 in France. Remains repatriated July, 1948; burial Columbia City Cemetery.

 

Joines, William B. -- PFC William B. Joines. Native of Adair County; son of Thomas R. and Martha Adams Joines of Knifley. Inducted from Adair Co. May 1943. Killed in action on August 11, 1944 in France. Place of burial unknown (to me) but remains apparently repatriated.

 

Judd, Emanuel -- PFC Emanuel Judd. Native of Adair Co; son of Mr. and Mrs. Grover Judd and husband of Minnie Lou Baker Judd. Inducted August, 1943. Killed in action on February 24, 1945 (his 34th birthday) in Germany. Burial Netherlands American Cemetery, Margraten, Netherlands.

 

Kerns, Glen -- PFC Glen Kerns. Native of Adair Co.; son of Hobert and Pearl Coffey Kerns of Webbs Cross Roads. Inducted March, 1941. Killed on March 21, 1942 in a vehicle wreck near Columbia on the way home for a weekend pass from Fort Knox. Burial in the family cemetery, Miller Fields community.

 

Lawless, Curtis T. -- PFC Curtis Taylor Lawless. Native of Adair Co.; son of Osbern and Bertha McKinley Lawless. Inducted September, 1942. Killed in action September 28, 1944 on Peleliu Island "while fighting the Japs." Remains re-patriated October, 1948; burial Mill Springs National Cemetery, Nancy, KY.

 

McClister, Oliver E. -- TEC 4 Oliver Eldridge McClister. Native of Adair Co.; son of F. Onan and Susie Blair McClister. Inducted from Fairplay, KY, February, 1942. Died March 13, 1945 from non-battle injuries received in Aachen, Germany. (One source states he was "killed on the 13th while in the line of duty.") Remains repatriated November, 1946; burial McClister Cemetery. 

 

Nardine, Marion P. -- PFC Marion Paul Nardine (surname also spelled Nordine.) Native of Iowa; son of Adolph and Mabel Nardine of Madrid, Iowa. He had moved to Adair Co. to work on the Wolf Creek Dam project. Husband of Frances Maupin Nardine of Columbia. Inducted May, 1943 from Adair Co.. Killed in action at Nor-mandy on D-Day, June 6, 1944. Place of burial unknown (to me) but his remains ap-parently were repatriated, possibly to Iowa.

 

Perkins, Russell --  T/SGT Russell Perkins. Native of Adair Co. Son of Porter and Pansy Perkins of Knifley. Inducted September, 1940. Conflicting information in newspaper and other records: the Adair County News stated he was killed in action "last week" (mid-August;) military records indicate he died from non-battle causes; and the death date on his grave marker is June 6, 1944. Remains repatriated March 1949; burial National Cemetery, Lebanon, KY.

 

Pollard, Lester L. -- PVT Lester L. Pollard. Native of Adair Co.; son of Mont L. & Emma Garmon Pollard, of near Columbia. Inducted October, 1943. Killed in action on July 27, 1944 at Normandy, France. Remains repatriated June, 1949; burial Columbia City cemetery.

 

Reliford, Charles W. -- PFC Charles William Reliford. Native of Adair Co.; son of C. Hayes & Lena Reliford of Sparksville and husband of Dorothy Keltner Reliford of Wapello, Iowa. Inducted October, 1942. Died from spinal meningitis October 10, 1945 in an army hospital in France. First buried at the American Military Cemetery, Champigneul, France. Remains repatriated November, 1948; burial in the Antioch Church Cemetery, Adair Co.

 

Redmon, Otis E. -- PFC Otis Elmer Redmon. Native of Adair Co.; son of Otha and Fetina Kimbler Redmon. Inducted March, 1941. Died June 19 (other accounts give June 10 and June 17), 1945 of injuries received some days earlier in battle near Manila, Philippine Islands. Remains repatriated February, 1949; burial Redmon Family Cemetery, Adair Co.

 

Roberts, Owen F. -- PVT Owen F. Roberts. Native of Taylor Co.; mother Laura Mings Taylor. Inducted December, 1942. Killed in action January 8, 1945; burial Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery, Henri-Chapelle, Belgium.

 

Robinson, Ivan S. -- T/SGT Ivan Haskell Robinson (middle initial inscribed as "S." on Memorial Monument.) I believe he was a native of Casey Creek, Adair Co. and that he was the son of Mrs. Rosa Eastridge Robinson. Inducted January, 1944. Killed in action April 15, 1945; burial Lorraine American Cemetery, St. Avold, France.                                                     

 

Rogers, Avery C. -- PFC Aery Clifford Rogers (name inscribed as "Avery" on Memorial Marker.) Native of Adair Co.; son of Simon and Macedonia Parnell Rogers, formerly of Kemp,  and husband of Maxine Phelps Rogers of Ohio. Died on July 27, 1944 in France from battle wounds received July 10. Remains repatriated October, 1948; burial National Cemetery, Lebanon, KY.

 

Rubarts, Elmer R. II -- CPL Elmer Ray Rubarts (Military records give his rank as Cpl.; newspaper accounts give it both as Sgt. and Cpl.) Native of Adair Co.; son of Elmer Ray Rubarts of Columbia  and Bonnie Neal Rubarts White of Knifley. Inducted July, 1940. Killed in action on July 4, 1944 "on the battlefields of France." Rmains repatriated July, 1948; burial in the Tabernacle Church Cemetery, Adair Co.

 

Shipp, Gene K. --  1 LT Gene Kenneth Shipp. Native of Adair Co.; son of William H. and Callie E. Barber Shipp; husband of Carrie Walker Shipp; and great-grandson of Colonel Frank Wolford. Inducted July 1942 in the Air Force Reserves. Killed in action on January 21, 1945 while serving as lead navigator on a B-17 Flying Fortress on a bombing mission near Stuttgart, Germany. Remains repatriated November, 1948; burial Columbia City Cemetery.

 

Shirley, Archie W. -- CPL Archie W. Shirley. Native of Adair Co.; son of Harry O. and Ada Skaggs Shirley, of Milltown. Inducted March, 1942. Killed in action in France on December 4, 1944. Remains repatriated September, 1948; burial National Cemetery, Lebanon, KY.

 

Stone, Clyde H. -- PFC Clyde Henry Stone. Native of Cane Valley, Adair Co.; son of James W. "Jim Will" and Ethel Nell Karnes/Carnes. Inducted March, 1941. Killed in a vehicle wreck on August 4, 1943 near Brownsville TN. He had been home on furlough and was returning to Camp Livingston, LA. Burial Cane Valley Cemetery, Adair Co.

 

Thrasher, William -- PFC William Thrasher. Native of Taylor Co.; son of Delessie Sallee Thrasher. Inducted from Adair Co. October 1941. Killed in action June 28, 1944. Remains (?re)interred February, 1949 in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, Ohua, Hawaii.

 

Todd, James H. -- CPL James Henry Todd. Native of Cane Valley, Adair Co. (born Taylor Co.); son of Rollin and Mary Sublett Todd. Inducted October, 1940. Killed on July 17, 1941 in a vehicular accident near Fordsville, KY while on division maneuvers. Burial Cane Valley Cemetery, Adair Co. James was the first Adair County soldier to die after President Roosevelt declaration of unlimited national emergency in May, 1941.

 

Troutman, Robert A. -- PFC Robert A. Troutman. Native of Adair Co.; son of Fred and Effie Turpin Troutman. Inducted from Adair Co. March, 1943. Died on September 13, 1944 from injuries sustained that day in a Jeep wreck fifteen miles of Camp Livingston, LA, where he was stationed. Burial Columbia City Cemetery.

 

Willis, Ray G. -- TEC 5 Ray G. Willis. native of Adair Co.; son of Wesley and Fannie Bryant Willis, both deceased, of the Absher community. Inducted late October or early November, 1939, at Ft. Sheridan, IL. Killed in action on March 12, 1945 in France. Remains repatriated December 1948; burial Absher Cemetery, Adair Co.

 

Wheat, Doyle --PFC Doyle Wheat. Native of Glensfork, Adair Co.; son of Lafayette and Zettie Morgan Wheat. Inducted from Adair Co. September 1943. Killed in action on September 24, 1944 in Italy. Remains repatriated November 1948; burial Columbia City Cemetery.

 

Adamson, Kenneth -- PFC Kenneth Horace Adamson. Native of Adair Co.; son of Dave H. and Luella Cravens. Inducted June 1942 from Dayton, Sheridan Co., WY. Killed in action on October 17, 1944 on Peleliu Island. Burial Manila American Cemetery, Manila, Philippines.

Austin, Garnett C. -- S1C (Seaman 1st Class) Charles Garnett Austin.  Native of Adair Co; son of Mrs. Letha Rubarts Austin and grandson of Mr. & Mrs. C.R. Rubarts. Induction date unknown (to me.) His grandparents received a telegram on May 30, 1943, stating he was missing in action. April 3, 1946 edition of the Adair County News (Pellyton newsletter) stated "his ship was sunk by the Japs." One source gives May 23, 1943, as the date the ship was attacked. The Tablets of the Missing at Honolulu Memorial, Honolulu, gives his death day as May 25, 1944; that date almost assuredly is the date on which he was legally declared dead by the military (usually one year and one day after the soldier or sailor was reported missing in action.)

 

Cole, Newman Leon -- PFC Newman Leon Cole. Native of Adair Co.; son of Felix and Ora Reece Cole, of Weed. Inducted May 1942. Died March 31, 1945, in the O'Reilly General Hospital, Springfield, MO, from injuries received in battle in Germany on September 27, 1944. Burial Moore Cemetery, Adair Co.

 

Campbell, David E. -- S1C (Seaman 1st Class) David Edward Campbell. Native of Adair Co.; son of Mrs. Mae C. Epperson Campbell, of the Dirigo community. Inducted in the late summer or early fall (probably October), 1942. A letter from the Navy Department to his mother stated the vessel he was aboard "was torpedoed by the enemy near Noumea, New Caledonia, May 24, 1943." Another source states the attack occurred on May 23, 1943. The Tablets of the Missing at Honolulu Memorial, Honolulu, gives his death day as May 25, 1944; that date almost assuredly is the date on which he was legally declared dead by the military (usually one year and one day after the soldier or sailor was reported missing in action.)

 

Farris, Marvin H. -- PFC Marvin H. Farris. Native of Adair Co.; son of J.P and Mollie Farris, formerly of Cane Valley. Inducted June 1943 from Fayette Co. KY. Killed in action in France on Thursday, August 10, 1944. Burial Brittany American Cemetery, St. James, France.

 

Grant, James Hindman -- S/SGT James Hindman Grant. Native of Adair Co.; son of Ira E. and Mattie Bryant Grant. Inducted May,1942 in Louisville but apparently a resident of Marion Co. IN. Died from non-battle causes on October 30, 1945; burial Lorraine American Cemetery, St. Avold (Moselle), France

 

Harmon, William T. -- PFC William T. Harmon. Native of Adair Co.; son of Mont and Mary Shepherd Harmon. Killed in action in Italy on June 14, 1944; burial Florence American Cemetery, Florence, Italy.

 

Jessie, William P. -- SGT William Paul Jessie. Native of Adair Co.; son of Virge and Lula Wilson Jessie, of Toria. Inducted April 1941 from Chicago, Cook Co., IL. Killed in action on August 6, 1944, in France. Remains repatriated January, 1949; burial Jessie Family Cemetery, Adair Co.

 

Kerns, Rufus -- PFC Willie Rufus Kerns. Native of Adair Co.; son of Mont and Cora Adkins Kerns, of Ella. Inducted November, 1942. Killed in action in Germany on March 24, 1945. Remains repatriated November, 1948; burial in New Hope Cemetery, Adair Co.

 

Sparks, Carl Clyde -- SGT Carl Clyde Sparks. Native of Adair Co.; son of L.W. (Lee) and Laura Fudge Sparks. Inducted July, 1942. Reported missing in action on February 21, 1945 in Germany; he was never heard from again. A memorial marker in the Fudge Cemetery, Adair Co., gives his death date as February 22, 1945. The Tablets of the Missing at Luxembourg American cemetery, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg, gives the death date as February 22, 1946; that almost assuredly is the date on which he was legally declared dead by the military.

 

Thompson, Tyler L. -- PVT Tyler L. Thompson. Native of Adair Co.; son of William and Mary Willan Thompson of Adair Co. Residing in Louisville when inducted in January 1944. Killed in action on November 22, 1944 in France. Remains repatriated February 1949; burial in the Columbia City Cemetery.

 

Grant, Coby --  PVT Lemon Coby Grant. Native of Chance, Adair Co.; son of Charles and Elsie Spoon Grant. Inducted January, 1944 from Adair Co., US Marine Corps. Killed in action on Iwo Jima on February 22, 1945. Remains repatriated November 1948; burial Columbia City Cemetery.

 

Edwards, Ray O. -- A3C (Airman 3rd Class) Ray O. Edwards. Resident of Adair Co.; son of Verdie P. and Lula Moore Edwards, of Bliss. Inducted September, 1942. Served two years in World War Two; had recently returned stateside from a one-year tour in Korea. Killed June 2, 1953 in Centralia, IL in a car wreck. Burial Columbia City Cemetery.

 

 Inscribed on the Memorial Monument between the names of Tyler L. Thompson and Coby Grant: "Erected by Columbia Post 6097 V.F.W. and the citizens of Adair County."

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 In addition to the 59 names on the Memorial Monument of soldiers and sailors who died, four more appear on the Honor Roll Board in the Court House. They are:

 

Feese, Rollin M., Jr. -- S/SGT Rollin M. Feese, Jr. Nephew of Mrs. M.L. Grissom and Mrs. C.L. Hutchison of Columbia. He had lived with the Grissoms for "several years," was a graduate of Columbia High School, had attended Lindsey Wilson and had worked at the Adair Co. News. Inducted February, 1942 from Pulaski Co. Reported missing in action in April, 1943. In April, 1944, the Somerset Common-wealth reported,  "He was on a plane en route from Australia to New Guinea at the time he disappeared." His name appears on the Tablets of the Missing at Manila American cemetery, Manila, Philippines, and his death date given is April 8, 1943.

 

Harvey, Delbert Wayne -- PFC Delbert Wayne Harvey. Native of Adair Co.; son of George A. and Sarah Effie Campbell Harvey and husband of Allene/Aline Kessenger Harvey. Inducted December, 1943 from Jefferson Co. KY. Killed in action on March 26, 1945 in Germany. Remains repatriated December 1948; burial Columbia City Cemetery.

 

Hurt, William Kirtley -- CPL William Kirtley Hurt. Native of Breeding community; son of Sanford and Edna Hawkins Hurt, of Louisville, formerly of Breeding. Inducted Army Air Forces late 1942 or early 1943. Killed June 18, 1944 in an air mishap while on a routine training flight off the Florida coast. Remains never recovered. A memorial marker in the Columbia City Cemetery is inscribed "Lost at sea."

Keen, John Samuel -- EM1C (Electrician's Mate 1st Class) John Samuel Keen. Former resident of Adair Co.; son of Travis Keen & step-son of Lyda Keen. Mrs. Lyda's Keen's obituary (Adair County News, May 19, 1943) stated "[h]er husband, Travis Keen, died in 1926, two years after the family moved to Columbia." Inducted U.S. Navy from Kentucky, specific place and date unknown (to me.) Killed in action on November 13, 1942 when the ship he was aboard, the USS Juneau, was torpedoed and sank in the vicinity of Guadalcanal. His name appears on the Tablets of the Missing at Manila American Cemetery, Manila, Philippines.

 

 

 At least four others who were natives of Adair County died during World War Two:

 

TEC 4 James Arthur Bailey -- Native of Adair Co.; son of James A. and Mary Burton Bailey and husband of Dorothy Thompson Bailey, all of Christine. Inducted June 1940, place unknown (to me); he was a resident of Casey Co. at the time. Killed in action on July 11, 1944 in France. Remains repatriated June 1948; burial Redmon Cemetery, Adair Co.

 

SGT Haskell M. Garrett -- Native of Adair Co.; son of Ulis and Rosa Sparks Garrett. Inducted October 1942 from McHenry Co. IL. Killed in action (apparently) in the spring of 1945 on Luzon, Philippine Islands. Death date not stated; it was men-tioned in the May 30, 1945 Adair County News both in the Glensfork and the Picnic newsletter. Remains repatriated September 1948; in the Adair County News, September 22, 1948, Breeding newsletter: "Mrs. Sanford Hurt returned home last week from Harvard, Ill., where she attended the funeral of her nephew, Haskell Garrett, who body was returned from overseas." In another entry, Mrs. C. Powell of Glensfork was mentioned as his aunt.

 

SGT Owen W. Robinson -- I believe (but have no proof) he was born Adair Co. 1920 or 1921. One article states he was the grandson of Charlie Robinson of Christine, and that he "was left an orphan in infancy and was reared by Mr. and Mrs. Huse Cannon of Crofton." Inducted December 1940 from Todd Co. KY. Died of wounds on May 30, 1945 from wounds inflicted by a German sniper on April 25, 1944. Remains repatriated November 1949; burial Bearwallow Cemetery, Adair Co.

 

2 LT Joseph William Shaw -- native of Adair Co.; son of Mrs. Lela (or Lila) Burk Shaw. Died on May 16 or 17 (records vary) at March Field, CA. from non-battle causes "while in the service of his country." Survivors included an aunt, Mrs. J.C. Spears, of Adair Co.

 

 In addition to the men above, several other war-related deaths affected the lives of Adair Countians. These include (partial listing only):

 

SGT Crawford Walter Bell -- killed in action on June 8, 1944 in the South Pacific. His father had served as pastor of the Columbia Baptist Church. Sgt. Bell was a graduate of Columbia High School.

 

CPL Robert Frazer Cabell -- killed in action on February 11, 1945 on Luzon, Philippine Islands. Nephew of Mrs. Kate Patteson and cousin of Mrs. Huston Price and Miss Eva Frazer, all of Adair Co. Remains repatriated June 1948; funeral in Greensburg, Ky., place of burial not stated.

 

S/SGT James Caldwell -- killed in action on February 12, 1945 in Germany. Son of Ray and Evelyn Keltner Caldwell of Taylor Co., formerly of Adair Co. (Birth record states James was born Taylor Co.; newspaper article states he was born in Adair Co. near Milltown and lived there "until a few years ago...") Survived by several uncles and aunts who lived in Adair Co. Remains repatriated December, 1948; burial National Cemetery, Lebanon, Ky.

 

1 LT Overton L. Conrad -- killed in action on August 3, 1944 in France. Son of Dr. O.L. Overton, who was practicing medicine in the Glensfork community at the time.

 

PFC William Grant Dickman -- killed in action on July 15, 1944 in France. Husband of Evelyn W. Page Dickman; she and her parents, Russell P. & Flora Wilson Page, all were natives of Adair Co.

 

---- Veston (or Vester) W. Franklin, grade unknown (to me) -- drowned (date not specified) while on duty with the 7th Navy Construction Battalion in the South Pacific. (From a brief article in the August 22, 1945 edition of the Adair County News.) Brother of Mrs. Alfred (Dorothy) Franklin Loy of Columbia.

 

1 LT Robert Conover Frazier -- killed in action; date not specified. Reported as missing in action over Japan since January 27, 1943. (He was lead navigator on a B29 Superfortress.)  Father Frank Conover was a native of Adair Co.; survived by four aunts of Columbia: Mrs. W.L. Willis, Mrs. J.W. Browning, and Misses Agnes and Annie Conover.

 

S1C Terry M. Hagan --  died of non-battle causes on May 23, 1945 in Long Beach, CA. Nephew of Mrs. Louis Merkley of Columbia.

 

1 LT Daniel A. Hart -- declared missing in action on November 8, 1944; his plane went down over Germany. (He was a bombardier.) He was legally declared dead by the military in November, 1945. Husband of Marie Powell and son-in-law of Mrs. Ina Powell, both natives of Adair Co.

 

AVC Luther Wade Jones -- killed on April 2 or 3 (records vary), 1942 when the training craft he was aboard crashed near Merced, CA. 1940 graduate of Lindsey Wilson Junior College.

 

1 LT Fred McCloskey -- killed in action on January 16 in Italy (place of death implied, not stated; he was a P-38 pilot with the 15th AAF in Italy.) Cousin of Mrs. S.M. Burdette and Mr. Fred P. Hill of Columbia.

 

PVT George O. Patterson -- died  on February 26, 1944 on a training flight in Nevada. "He was the husband of Mrs. Ruth Young Patterson, of Onagra, Ill., formerly of Columbia, a daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. J.A. Young [of Adair Co.]"

 

PFC Guy L. Polston -- killed in action on August 1, 1944 in France. His father, Joe Polston, was a resident of the Toria community at the time of Guy's death.