With Our Boys in the Service from The Sunbury News. . . . | |||||||
Remembering Harlem's Fravels |
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A star was placed in front windows or hung from the front porch to let everyone know a person from that family was serving his country in WWII. Lois Davenport, the widow of John Davenport, had 7 stars on her porch (her 5 sons and 2 sons-in-law). William Clayton, David Grooms and Floyd Fravel each had four stars for their sons in World War II. . Floyd Fravel married Carrie Budd and they had eight children, five were boys. The oldest, David, was married with children so he was not called to serve. |
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Richard Fravel enlisted
in the Army in March 1942. In November he called his mother from Ft.
Bragg for her birthday. In June 1942, Allen Fravel was inducted into Army Air Corps at Ft. Benjamin Harrison. He wrote to The News in July from Jefferson Barracks, MO, “It’s a pleasure to receive the News. We are schooled, drilled and hardened and ready to outwit the enemy.” A year later he sent a picture of himself and a dog noting he was on the right. He was in March Field, CA. His wife, Belva was with him and a telephone operator. In October 1942, Jim was in Camp Butner N.C. cooking for soldiers. He went to California in April 1943 and wrote to the News, “Bill, please remember the news from around home does us boys in the service so much good.” By August he was in New Guinea with the engineers driving a truck. |
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Harlem's
Floyd Boys
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“The only things that worry me are falling coconuts and slipping on banana peels. Otherwise I am safe under my conditions. We see natives and boy am I glad we service men don’t dress as they do.” | ||||||
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In February
1944, Richard was going by boat from Italy to England and was
surprised to meet a former Harlem school mate, Paul Triplett on the
boat. When he got to England Richard had glider training. On June 7,
C-47 planes pulled gliders across the channel and cut them lose. The
Germans threw so much flak at them, many of the crews were
destroyed. “My glider cracked into a tree, we ran to a bridge to
hide. As we started out a German patrol spotted us and opened fire.
It was my duty to cover the retreat of my crew,” Richard continued.
Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Fravel got a telegram from the War Department
saying Richard was wounded in Holland on October 2nd. He wrote to
his parents telling about it on Oct. 20 but it took almost 2 weeks
to reach them. “It could have been worse,” this veteran told his
parents. May 1944, Cpl Allen wrote, “I have just read in The Sunbury News that Lt. Carl Fritsche is here. I almost got to see him the other day but he is on the twenty-four hours I am off and I am on the twenty -four hours that he is off. But was talking to some of the flyers of his crew and they say Carl is doing fine. I have been put in the same squadron that he is in so I may see him yet,” Both boys are at March Field, CA. May 1944, the four boys sent their mother a corsage of gardenias
for Mother’s Day. (Cpl. Allen from March Field, Cpl. James from New
Guinea, Pvt Richard from hospital in England and Pvt. Walter in
Hawaii). |
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Walter was in the hospital recently and got 150
letters and 3 newspapers on one day. He saw in the News Ebert Bordon
is in the islands and looks forward to seeing him. |
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January through March 9, 1945, S/Sgt Richard was
home on furlough from McCloskey General Hospital in Temple, Texas,
after the amputation of his left leg below the knee. At the end of
March he returned to the hospital for more surgery. In March 1945, Cpl James wrote to the News “Just
a Hello to everyone. I hope to see you all before long. Last night
four Philippinos came into our tent and ask for candy. I gave each
one some chocolate Ex-Lax and haven’t seen them since. If the boys
don’t get on the ball over there on the other side, we may end ths
war over here first. |
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Richard Fravel |
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In May 1945, Richard called his parents and said he was coming home. In the same newspaper Corporal Marvin Scholl, who
is guarding German prisoners in France sent his mother German shells
and a French bandana. |
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Richard Scholl (left) and Richard in 1940 |
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Walter Fravel November 1945, Pfc. Walter is one of 610 high point Army veterans who the “Magic Carpet” is bringing back aboard U.S.S. Belleau Wood which left Pearl Harbor October 21 and will dock in San Pedro, CA November 7. |
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James Fravel |
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Allen Fravel January 26, 1946, Sgt Allen was discharged from Camp Atterbury
after 44 months in the military but not quite a year overseas as an
M.P. in Guam, Saipan, and Tinian. “I would not trade Harlem Township
for all the islands in the Pacific.” |
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Richard and the car he got for Military Service |
Richard - 1948 |
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Learn more about the Men and Women in World War Two, on this website. There are lists of soldiers in different cemeteries as well as articles about some of the soldiers. | |||||||
Local
History Index |
(11/8/2019) |