Raymond was wounded and died on Guadacanal Island in the South-West Pacific. He was first interred in Europe; it was possibly 5 years later, Raymond's mother had his body returned home and finally rested with military honors.
The following is the statement under the newspaper clipping to the right.
SALUTE TO THE END OF A JOURNEY
A firing squad from the American Legion Post at Fort Belvoir fires into the air in final tribute to Pfc. Raymond R. Pierce, the first war victim from Leesburg, whose body was returned here for final rites at the Union Cemetery last Sunday afternoon.
__________________________________________________________
PUBLISHED:
The Washington Post
Washington, District of Columbia
5 March 1948 (page B2)
Raymond R. Pierce
Funeral services for Pvt. (First Class) Raymond Russell Pierce, USA, who was killed on Guadalcanal in 1943, will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Colonial Funeral Home in Leesburg, Va. Burial will be in Leesburg Union Cemetery. Pvt. (First Class) Pierce was the first war casualty from Leesburg and the second in Loudoun County. He is survived by his mother, Mrs. Henry J. Beales of Leesburg, one sister and two brothers.
This copy of the obituary was found by contributor, L. K. Perry.
__________________________________________________________
A written conversation from 2003 between Raymond's brother, Alvin (Sonny) Beales and another relative was found. I've rephrased the conversation some while keeping the context intact so outsiders could perhaps understand better, as follows:
Sonny stated that he was going on 8 years old and remembered little of Raymond, but only heard good about him. Sonny said that he remembered when the military came to the door to tell Raymond's mother about Raymond, that he lived 3 days after being wounded and that Raymond saved the life of another soldier when he jumped into a occupied foxhole. That "saved" soldier came to meet Raymond's mother and the family after the war and he said that Raymond had saved his life.
___________________________________________________________
Wouldn't we love to know who that soldier was?
The following is the statement under the newspaper clipping to the right.
SALUTE TO THE END OF A JOURNEY
A firing squad from the American Legion Post at Fort Belvoir fires into the air in final tribute to Pfc. Raymond R. Pierce, the first war victim from Leesburg, whose body was returned here for final rites at the Union Cemetery last Sunday afternoon.
__________________________________________________________
PUBLISHED:
The Washington Post
Washington, District of Columbia
5 March 1948 (page B2)
Raymond R. Pierce
Funeral services for Pvt. (First Class) Raymond Russell Pierce, USA, who was killed on Guadalcanal in 1943, will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Colonial Funeral Home in Leesburg, Va. Burial will be in Leesburg Union Cemetery. Pvt. (First Class) Pierce was the first war casualty from Leesburg and the second in Loudoun County. He is survived by his mother, Mrs. Henry J. Beales of Leesburg, one sister and two brothers.
This copy of the obituary was found by contributor, L. K. Perry.
__________________________________________________________
A written conversation from 2003 between Raymond's brother, Alvin (Sonny) Beales and another relative was found. I've rephrased the conversation some while keeping the context intact so outsiders could perhaps understand better, as follows:
Sonny stated that he was going on 8 years old and remembered little of Raymond, but only heard good about him. Sonny said that he remembered when the military came to the door to tell Raymond's mother about Raymond, that he lived 3 days after being wounded and that Raymond saved the life of another soldier when he jumped into a occupied foxhole. That "saved" soldier came to meet Raymond's mother and the family after the war and he said that Raymond had saved his life.
___________________________________________________________
Wouldn't we love to know who that soldier was?
Raymond was wounded and died on Guadacanal Island in the South-West Pacific. He was first interred in Europe; it was possibly 5 years later, Raymond's mother had his body returned home and finally rested with military honors.
The following is the statement under the newspaper clipping to the right.
SALUTE TO THE END OF A JOURNEY
A firing squad from the American Legion Post at Fort Belvoir fires into the air in final tribute to Pfc. Raymond R. Pierce, the first war victim from Leesburg, whose body was returned here for final rites at the Union Cemetery last Sunday afternoon.
__________________________________________________________
PUBLISHED:
The Washington Post
Washington, District of Columbia
5 March 1948 (page B2)
Raymond R. Pierce
Funeral services for Pvt. (First Class) Raymond Russell Pierce, USA, who was killed on Guadalcanal in 1943, will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Colonial Funeral Home in Leesburg, Va. Burial will be in Leesburg Union Cemetery. Pvt. (First Class) Pierce was the first war casualty from Leesburg and the second in Loudoun County. He is survived by his mother, Mrs. Henry J. Beales of Leesburg, one sister and two brothers.
This copy of the obituary was found by contributor, L. K. Perry.
__________________________________________________________
A written conversation from 2003 between Raymond's brother, Alvin (Sonny) Beales and another relative was found. I've rephrased the conversation some while keeping the context intact so outsiders could perhaps understand better, as follows:
Sonny stated that he was going on 8 years old and remembered little of Raymond, but only heard good about him. Sonny said that he remembered when the military came to the door to tell Raymond's mother about Raymond, that he lived 3 days after being wounded and that Raymond saved the life of another soldier when he jumped into a occupied foxhole. That "saved" soldier came to meet Raymond's mother and the family after the war and he said that Raymond had saved his life.
___________________________________________________________
Wouldn't we love to know who that soldier was?
The following is the statement under the newspaper clipping to the right.
SALUTE TO THE END OF A JOURNEY
A firing squad from the American Legion Post at Fort Belvoir fires into the air in final tribute to Pfc. Raymond R. Pierce, the first war victim from Leesburg, whose body was returned here for final rites at the Union Cemetery last Sunday afternoon.
__________________________________________________________
PUBLISHED:
The Washington Post
Washington, District of Columbia
5 March 1948 (page B2)
Raymond R. Pierce
Funeral services for Pvt. (First Class) Raymond Russell Pierce, USA, who was killed on Guadalcanal in 1943, will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Colonial Funeral Home in Leesburg, Va. Burial will be in Leesburg Union Cemetery. Pvt. (First Class) Pierce was the first war casualty from Leesburg and the second in Loudoun County. He is survived by his mother, Mrs. Henry J. Beales of Leesburg, one sister and two brothers.
This copy of the obituary was found by contributor, L. K. Perry.
__________________________________________________________
A written conversation from 2003 between Raymond's brother, Alvin (Sonny) Beales and another relative was found. I've rephrased the conversation some while keeping the context intact so outsiders could perhaps understand better, as follows:
Sonny stated that he was going on 8 years old and remembered little of Raymond, but only heard good about him. Sonny said that he remembered when the military came to the door to tell Raymond's mother about Raymond, that he lived 3 days after being wounded and that Raymond saved the life of another soldier when he jumped into a occupied foxhole. That "saved" soldier came to meet Raymond's mother and the family after the war and he said that Raymond had saved his life.
___________________________________________________________
Wouldn't we love to know who that soldier was?
Inscription
Virginia, PFC 145 Inf, World War II PH
