Clarence Rice, a member of the class of 1938, entered the service in March 1942. He was in the Infantry and had attained the rank of Staff Sergeant.  He was one of those who made the Normandy Beachhead landing, and fought on until he was killed on June 28, 1944.  Clarence’s parents received a Purple Heart which was awarded to him posthumously.

The Oskaloosa Independent Thursday August 31, 1944
    Memorial service for Staff Sgt. Clarence W. RICE were held at 11 o’clock Sunday morning in the Brethren church. Sgt. Rice, son of Mr. and Mrs. George S. Rice, was killed in action in France on June 28. He was a graduate of meriden high school, entered the service on March 26, 1942, and received his basic training at Camp Barkeley, Texas, with the 90th Division. While there he was pitcher for the 357th Infantry baseball league team. he was transferred from Texas to Camp Granitt, Calif., then to Ft. Dix, N.J., and sent from there to England in march, going to France in June.
Besides his parents he is survived by two sisters, Mrs. Ronald FANNING, Grantville, and Miss Grace Rice, Topeka; two brothers, Shirely and Norris Rice of Meriden and a host of friends. The Memorial service address by Rev. Paul LIfe was entitled “Forget-me-nots Gathered from God’s Acre”. “Near to the Heart of God,” “God’s Way,” and “Close to His Side,” were sung by Mrs. Life, Mrs. E.G. BECKER and Leo L. BECKER, piano accompaniment by Miss Rosa BECKER. The pastor read the Twenty-Third Psalm, followed by prayer; and the service was closed with Taps played by Earl BERG.

   Donald Becker, a member of the class of 1939, served in the Tank C  orps.  He entered the service in July, 1941 and received a good part of his training at Camp Carson in Colorado and at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma.  He was a Corporal at the time he was killed in Germany April 25, 1945.  Donald was the son of Mr. Walter Becker.

   John Y. Christy, was a member of the Class of 1935 and served as the president of this class his senior year.  He attended Kansas State College at Manhattan and at the close of the first semester of his senior year he left school to enlist in the United States Army Air Corps as a flying cadet.  This was in February of 1940.  He was a Captain, serving in the China-Burma-India Theater when he was killed in India May 3, 1943.  The Air Medal and Distinguished Flying Cross were posthumously awarded him.

   Marvin Lloyd White: Was a member of the class of 1933.  He went to Junior College in Dodge City kansas after he graduated from High School and finished his college work at the University of Wyoming.  He was employed by an Oil company whenhe entered the service November 3, 1941.  He was a member of the Air corps and had risen to the rank of Captain whenhe was killed in the wreck of his plane on Tinian, Mariana Islands, March 30, 1945.  He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. O. L. White and his two brothers, Harry and Dale and his sister, Wilma, are all Graduates of our high school.

www.9thbombgrouphistory.org/Chapters/Chapter_12.pdf
Chapter 12
Casualties and Memorials
Mission #14, March 30. Mining. Raymond
Johnson’s crew, from the 99th Sqdn., had an engine
fire on takeoff and jettisoned their mine load
from 300 feet over the emergency area; one mine
exploded, damaging the aircraft and injuring:
Sgt. Fred Curtis.
The following crew, from the 99th Sqdn., experienced
mechanical trouble en route to Japan, jettisoned
their mines, made it back to Tinian, but
crashed on the shore. Killed were:
Captain Marvin L. White
1st Lt. Frank K. Bachelder (Staff)
2nd Lt. Howard E. Crawford, Jr.
2nd Lt. William J. Frank
2nd Lt. Kenneth C. Lobdell
2nd Lt. Edward P. Maycumber
Sgt. Earl W. Garrison
Sgt. Forrest H. Wadsworth
Sgt. Howard R. Winters
Cpl. Victor Deeb
Injured and died April 4:
Sgt. Joseph C. Trullo, Jr.
Injured and recovered:

   Orville A. Moffit, a member of the class of 1939, was a Staff Sergeant in the Third Infantry Division.  He entered the service in October 1941.  He and his brother, Lee, were in the same field of service during the entire war and saw each other several times.  They served first in Africa, then in Sicily and then in Southern France.  And it was in Southern France that Orville was killed in action February 4, 1945.  He was awarded a Silver Star for valor in service and Purple Heart with two clusters.