The Ones Who Didn’t Return: World War II Memorial at Calvin, Okla.

Calvin, OK

MELVIN AVERY
1918-1943
Lieutenant, Army Air Force
China, Burma, India Battle Theater
Co-pilot of a B-24 bomber in the 10th Air Force
Shot down during a mission over Burma on July 2, 1943. Missing in Action, later changed to Killed in Action

JIM EDWARDS
Died: June 7, 1944
Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army 120th Field Artillery, 32nd Infantry Division, Pacific Theater
Buried at Manila American Cemetery, Philippines

ALBERT MCCLAIN
1915-1944
U.S. Navy Radioman 2nd Class, European Theater
Missing in Action, later changed to Killed in Action
Radioman McClain was on USS Dorchester, a troop ship sunk by German torpedoes on Feb. 3, 1944. This ship is remembered for the four Army chaplains who gave their lifejackets to save others before they themselves died.

J.T. STANTON
Information unavailable

THOMAS N. CLEMENS
1911-1945
Private First Class, U.S. Army, 8th Infantry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, Pacific Theater
Died at Luzon. Buried at Manila American Cemetery, Philippines

CASPER MARTIN
1907-1936
Private, 11th Field Artillery
(The 11th Field Artillery defended Oahu’s north shores after WWI, during Pearl Harbor and into the late ‘40s)
Individual stone at Calvin Cemetery

ROBERT SMITH
1910-1945
U.S. Army Air Force
Served in Philippines, Pacific Theater
Individual stone at Calvin Cemetery

DERONDA SELF
1925-1945
Signalman, U.S. Navy
Died of wounds following action at sea; Battle of Peleliu, Mariana Islands, Pacific Theater
Even though there are published reports that Deronda was buried in a U.S. cemetery on Peleliu Island, there is no confirmation of this in official records. I do remember older community members sharing that he was buried at sea. Thank you to anyone who can clarify this.

HAROLD WRIGHT
1911-1943
West Point Graduate
Colonel, U.S. Army Air Force
China, Burma, India Theater
Died in transport plane crash at Accra, British West Africa
Buried at North Africa American Cemetery in Carthage, Tunisia
Colonel Wright was poised to take command of a fighter squadron when he was killed; this promotion would have made him the youngest general in the Army Air Force
Wright posthumously received the Legion of Merit Medal. This high honor is one of the nation’s two “neck” awards. The other is the Medal of Honor. A short time after his death, the Navy christened a repair ship USS Col. Harold B. Wright.

Calvin’s WWII Memorial honors nine heroes who gave their lives to protect our freedom. It reminds us that wars aren’t fought by politicians. Wars are fought by young people from small towns like Calvin, Okla. Thank you to all the men and women who have served and protected our country.

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Works Cited attachment available upon request.

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