Printed in the Okolona Messenger dated Mar 23 1944
Final Tribute Paid Lt. Whitman
On February 8 at George Field, Ill., in the presence of his young wife, his mother, his mother-in-law and a large assemblage of interested person, Edward Whitman, Jr. received his silver wings and his commission as a second lieutenant in the United States Army Air Corps.
On last Sunday morning these same relatives, a number of others and hundreds of sorrowing friends gathered in the Methodist Church before a flag covered casket and a chancel banked with flowers and paid final tribute to this beloved and courageous 27 year old officer, who, exactly six weeks from the day he was commissioned, met death in a plane crash. The impressive service was conducted by the pastor, the Rev. W R Hammontree, assisted by the American Legion. Active and honorary pallbearers were Legionnaires.
Burial was in the I O O F Cemetery (March 18, 1944) with full Military honors.
First reports reaching Okolona were that the plane, which was being tested by Lieut. Whitman and another officer who was piloting, had exploded in midair and that the bodies had been blown to bits. These reports proved erroneous. The plane crashed on a farm near Lawrenceville but did not explode. The bodies, while badly crushed, were recovered.
The tragedy, following closely the announcement that Captain Earl Hill, Marine dive bomber pilot, son of Mr. and Mrs. E I Hill, was missing in action, has cast a deep gloom over the town. While realizing that America has lost, at least two fine young officers, Okolonians are thinking only of two little boys, friendly, courteous little boys, who grew up here, went to Sunday School and school, shot marbles and played football--boys whose families are a part of the town and whose grief is shared by every individual.
Few of Edward's high school classmates were present at his funeral. All of the boys and one girl of the class of '36 are in different parts of the world serving the cause for which Edward died.
Among those from out of town who attended the services were: Lt. and Mrs. Jerome Gorman, Sgt. and Mrs. Allen Scott, of George Field, Ill., Mr. and Mrs. R M Smith, Mr. and Mrs. Carl E Harris, Little Rock Ark; Mr. and Mrs. W L Smith, Billy and Nancy Smith, Mr. and Mrs. James L Smith, Mr. and Mrs. Jack Lee, Gladys Lee, Mr. and Mrs. Wm Johnston, Jackson, Tenn.; Mr. and Mrs. W A Whitman, Chicago, Ill.; Mr. and Mrs. Robert Duvall, Mobile, Ala.; Pvt. Reginald Duvall, Eagle Pass, Tex.; Mr. and Mrs. Vaughn Grisham, Beth and Lewy Grisham, Louisville.
Mr. and Mrs. John L Duvall, Mrs. R L Duvall, Amory; Mr. and Mrs. Harold Pitman, Harold, Ann, Gordon and Rebecca Pitman, Mrs. James B Clark, Pensacola, Fla.; Pvt. James B Clark, Ruston, La.
Final Tribute Paid Lt. Whitman
On February 8 at George Field, Ill., in the presence of his young wife, his mother, his mother-in-law and a large assemblage of interested person, Edward Whitman, Jr. received his silver wings and his commission as a second lieutenant in the United States Army Air Corps.
On last Sunday morning these same relatives, a number of others and hundreds of sorrowing friends gathered in the Methodist Church before a flag covered casket and a chancel banked with flowers and paid final tribute to this beloved and courageous 27 year old officer, who, exactly six weeks from the day he was commissioned, met death in a plane crash. The impressive service was conducted by the pastor, the Rev. W R Hammontree, assisted by the American Legion. Active and honorary pallbearers were Legionnaires.
Burial was in the I O O F Cemetery (March 18, 1944) with full Military honors.
First reports reaching Okolona were that the plane, which was being tested by Lieut. Whitman and another officer who was piloting, had exploded in midair and that the bodies had been blown to bits. These reports proved erroneous. The plane crashed on a farm near Lawrenceville but did not explode. The bodies, while badly crushed, were recovered.
The tragedy, following closely the announcement that Captain Earl Hill, Marine dive bomber pilot, son of Mr. and Mrs. E I Hill, was missing in action, has cast a deep gloom over the town. While realizing that America has lost, at least two fine young officers, Okolonians are thinking only of two little boys, friendly, courteous little boys, who grew up here, went to Sunday School and school, shot marbles and played football--boys whose families are a part of the town and whose grief is shared by every individual.
Few of Edward's high school classmates were present at his funeral. All of the boys and one girl of the class of '36 are in different parts of the world serving the cause for which Edward died.
Among those from out of town who attended the services were: Lt. and Mrs. Jerome Gorman, Sgt. and Mrs. Allen Scott, of George Field, Ill., Mr. and Mrs. R M Smith, Mr. and Mrs. Carl E Harris, Little Rock Ark; Mr. and Mrs. W L Smith, Billy and Nancy Smith, Mr. and Mrs. James L Smith, Mr. and Mrs. Jack Lee, Gladys Lee, Mr. and Mrs. Wm Johnston, Jackson, Tenn.; Mr. and Mrs. W A Whitman, Chicago, Ill.; Mr. and Mrs. Robert Duvall, Mobile, Ala.; Pvt. Reginald Duvall, Eagle Pass, Tex.; Mr. and Mrs. Vaughn Grisham, Beth and Lewy Grisham, Louisville.
Mr. and Mrs. John L Duvall, Mrs. R L Duvall, Amory; Mr. and Mrs. Harold Pitman, Harold, Ann, Gordon and Rebecca Pitman, Mrs. James B Clark, Pensacola, Fla.; Pvt. James B Clark, Ruston, La.
Printed in the Okolona Messenger dated Mar 23 1944
Final Tribute Paid Lt. Whitman
On February 8 at George Field, Ill., in the presence of his young wife, his mother, his mother-in-law and a large assemblage of interested person, Edward Whitman, Jr. received his silver wings and his commission as a second lieutenant in the United States Army Air Corps.
On last Sunday morning these same relatives, a number of others and hundreds of sorrowing friends gathered in the Methodist Church before a flag covered casket and a chancel banked with flowers and paid final tribute to this beloved and courageous 27 year old officer, who, exactly six weeks from the day he was commissioned, met death in a plane crash. The impressive service was conducted by the pastor, the Rev. W R Hammontree, assisted by the American Legion. Active and honorary pallbearers were Legionnaires.
Burial was in the I O O F Cemetery (March 18, 1944) with full Military honors.
First reports reaching Okolona were that the plane, which was being tested by Lieut. Whitman and another officer who was piloting, had exploded in midair and that the bodies had been blown to bits. These reports proved erroneous. The plane crashed on a farm near Lawrenceville but did not explode. The bodies, while badly crushed, were recovered.
The tragedy, following closely the announcement that Captain Earl Hill, Marine dive bomber pilot, son of Mr. and Mrs. E I Hill, was missing in action, has cast a deep gloom over the town. While realizing that America has lost, at least two fine young officers, Okolonians are thinking only of two little boys, friendly, courteous little boys, who grew up here, went to Sunday School and school, shot marbles and played football--boys whose families are a part of the town and whose grief is shared by every individual.
Few of Edward's high school classmates were present at his funeral. All of the boys and one girl of the class of '36 are in different parts of the world serving the cause for which Edward died.
Among those from out of town who attended the services were: Lt. and Mrs. Jerome Gorman, Sgt. and Mrs. Allen Scott, of George Field, Ill., Mr. and Mrs. R M Smith, Mr. and Mrs. Carl E Harris, Little Rock Ark; Mr. and Mrs. W L Smith, Billy and Nancy Smith, Mr. and Mrs. James L Smith, Mr. and Mrs. Jack Lee, Gladys Lee, Mr. and Mrs. Wm Johnston, Jackson, Tenn.; Mr. and Mrs. W A Whitman, Chicago, Ill.; Mr. and Mrs. Robert Duvall, Mobile, Ala.; Pvt. Reginald Duvall, Eagle Pass, Tex.; Mr. and Mrs. Vaughn Grisham, Beth and Lewy Grisham, Louisville.
Mr. and Mrs. John L Duvall, Mrs. R L Duvall, Amory; Mr. and Mrs. Harold Pitman, Harold, Ann, Gordon and Rebecca Pitman, Mrs. James B Clark, Pensacola, Fla.; Pvt. James B Clark, Ruston, La.
Final Tribute Paid Lt. Whitman
On February 8 at George Field, Ill., in the presence of his young wife, his mother, his mother-in-law and a large assemblage of interested person, Edward Whitman, Jr. received his silver wings and his commission as a second lieutenant in the United States Army Air Corps.
On last Sunday morning these same relatives, a number of others and hundreds of sorrowing friends gathered in the Methodist Church before a flag covered casket and a chancel banked with flowers and paid final tribute to this beloved and courageous 27 year old officer, who, exactly six weeks from the day he was commissioned, met death in a plane crash. The impressive service was conducted by the pastor, the Rev. W R Hammontree, assisted by the American Legion. Active and honorary pallbearers were Legionnaires.
Burial was in the I O O F Cemetery (March 18, 1944) with full Military honors.
First reports reaching Okolona were that the plane, which was being tested by Lieut. Whitman and another officer who was piloting, had exploded in midair and that the bodies had been blown to bits. These reports proved erroneous. The plane crashed on a farm near Lawrenceville but did not explode. The bodies, while badly crushed, were recovered.
The tragedy, following closely the announcement that Captain Earl Hill, Marine dive bomber pilot, son of Mr. and Mrs. E I Hill, was missing in action, has cast a deep gloom over the town. While realizing that America has lost, at least two fine young officers, Okolonians are thinking only of two little boys, friendly, courteous little boys, who grew up here, went to Sunday School and school, shot marbles and played football--boys whose families are a part of the town and whose grief is shared by every individual.
Few of Edward's high school classmates were present at his funeral. All of the boys and one girl of the class of '36 are in different parts of the world serving the cause for which Edward died.
Among those from out of town who attended the services were: Lt. and Mrs. Jerome Gorman, Sgt. and Mrs. Allen Scott, of George Field, Ill., Mr. and Mrs. R M Smith, Mr. and Mrs. Carl E Harris, Little Rock Ark; Mr. and Mrs. W L Smith, Billy and Nancy Smith, Mr. and Mrs. James L Smith, Mr. and Mrs. Jack Lee, Gladys Lee, Mr. and Mrs. Wm Johnston, Jackson, Tenn.; Mr. and Mrs. W A Whitman, Chicago, Ill.; Mr. and Mrs. Robert Duvall, Mobile, Ala.; Pvt. Reginald Duvall, Eagle Pass, Tex.; Mr. and Mrs. Vaughn Grisham, Beth and Lewy Grisham, Louisville.
Mr. and Mrs. John L Duvall, Mrs. R L Duvall, Amory; Mr. and Mrs. Harold Pitman, Harold, Ann, Gordon and Rebecca Pitman, Mrs. James B Clark, Pensacola, Fla.; Pvt. James B Clark, Ruston, La.
Inscription
2LT, US ARMY AIR FORCES WORLD WAR II
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
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