Decatur High School - Ravelings Yearbook (Decatur, IN)

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9h. Me4iijQ- Ua4n In this school year of nineteen hundred forty-three and forty-four our flag has flown at half-mast several times to denote the passing away of those from several branches of our school. Death has invaded our ranks in the faculty, the student body, and on the maintenance staff. Two girls were turned aside from their studies; our janitor, Mr. Elzey, after many years of faithful service, was forced to give up his tasks; and four young men — one faculty member, one still a high school student, and two former graduates answered their country ' s call and finally gave their lives in that last ultimate sacrifice. Death has ended their final chapter here on earth, but some- where in a shining new land we know they are turning pages of a new and unrevealed life, and that each newly turned page offers new and everlasting glory to them. So let us not grieve for them. Life ' s most glorious adventure. To meet death is but to face

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Table of Contents In Memoriam Administration division pages Board of Education Principal and Secretary Faculty - - - - Class division pages Seniors - . - - Senior Snaps Juniors . . . . . Sophomores . . - - Freshmen - . - - Junior High division pages Eighth Grade - . . Seventh Grade Athletics division pages Sectional and Piegional Snapshots Football individuals Football group - . - Basketball group Basketball individuals Junior High Basketball Intramural Basketball Baseball . . - - Track ... - Girls ' Athletics School Clubs, Extra Curricular Pep Champs Howling Hosts . . - Commercial Club Art Club . - - - Home Ec. Club Glee Clubs . - - - Band Club Officers Recreational Program Ravelings Staff Advertising . . - - 3-7 8-11 12 13 14-17 18-19 20-25 26-27 28-29 30-31 32-33 34-35 36-37 38-39 40-41 42-43 44-45 46 47 48 49 50-51 52 53 54-55 56-57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66-67 68 69-88 THE RAVELINGS 1944 DECATUR JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL Decatur, Indiana VOLUME XXX

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JAMES CHRISTEN James B. Christen, son of Bruce and Alice Christen, was born in Decatur, Indiana, April 24, 1921. He was graduated from Decatur High School in 1939. He en- tered service September, 1941, and died in Sicily, July 11, 1943. Lieutenant Christen received his wings and was coni- missicned as second lieutenant in the Air Corps at Turner Field, Georgia, in May, 1942. He left for overseas Novem- ber, 1942, and was located in the Middle East where he flew a C-47 Troop Carrier with paratroops into Sicily. He was buried in the Air-Corps cemetery where the group chaplain paid final words of tribute. Jim ' s mother, Mrs. Alice Christen, received the post- humous award of air medal for his having participated in a night aerial flight in cm unarmed, unarmoured, and unescorted Troop Carrier Aircraft at on altitude of less than five hundred feet under adverse flying conditions. James B. Christen IN MEMORIAM MAX SHADY Max Shady, son of Mrs. August Peck, was born April 25, 1925, near Decatur, Ind., and died September 2, 1943, somewhere in the vicinity of Wake Island. Had Max graduated with his class, he would have received his high school diploma in 1943, but he entered the navy during his junior year. Max enlisted into the United States Naval Air Corps April 25, 1943, and had served approximately a year and three months. He met his death while taking off in a plane from an air-craft carrier. The motor of the plane failed, causing the plane to crash into the sea. Max was taken from the wrecked plane into a life raft, but he died three hours later from internal injuries. Max was buried with full military honors at sea and funeral services were later held at his heme locality at Preble, Indiana, in hon- or of his memory. Max had but three days more to serve before he would hove earned his wings as a gunner and his rating as a Chief Petty Officer. His wings were posthumously awarded to his mother who lives at Preble, Indiana. Four Max Shady