Decatur High School - Ravelings Yearbook (Decatur, IN)

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Jack L. Tricker JACK TRICKER Jack L. Tricker, son of Elmer and Grace Tricker, was born July 21, 1921, in Decatur, Indiana. He was gradu- ated from Decatur High School in 1939, and died Mav 22, 1943. Stolf Sergeant Tricker entered the aerial gunnery branch cf the United States Air Corps and was in service nine months until the time of his death. He was located at Newell Field, United Stales Army Air Ease in Rapids City, South Dakota. He was with Ecmb Squadron 543 and Bomb Group 383. He met his death, along with sev- eral other service men, in cm unexplained mid-air plane explosion. Jack was a former yell-leader in Decatur High School and also served in his senior year as business manager of the Ravelings year book. He left Decatur immediately after his graduation to join his parents who were then living at Sturgis, Michigan. IN MEMORIAM WILLIAM T. IVES William T. Ives, son of Mr. and Mrs. Joy Ives, and husband of Mrs. Jeanette Kolp Ives, was bom April 14, 1919. He was graduated from Wapella High School, Wapella, Illinois, in 1936, attended the Illinois State Normal from 1936 to 1939, ccnd graduated from the Uni- versity of Illinois in 1940 with a B.S. degree. He taught agriculture and physical education for two and one-half years at Decatur High School, Decatur, Indiana. William Ives left Decatur, Indiana, January 9, 1943, to enter the United States Air Corps as an air-cadet. He received training at air fields in San Antonio, Texas, and Enid and Fredericks, Oklahoma. He was killed along with another air-cadet in a trainer plane crash at Fred- ericks, Oklahoma, September 25, 1943. Bill was within six weeks of hcndng acquired his wings and second lieutenancy-ship at the time of his fatal crash. His wings were posthumously awarded to his widow, Mrs. Jeannette Ives, who now resides in Clin- ton, Illinois. William T. Ives Five

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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

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IN MEMORIAM MILO CHESTER STALTER Milo Chester Stalter, son of Mr. cmd Mrs. Dorus Stalter, was born June 23, 1925. Had Milo continued his high school career, he would hove graduated with the class of 1943. He died on March 14, 1944. He was killed as the result of a fall from a truck while in the performance of duty and in the service of his country. Milo, enlisted in the navy on his seventeenth birthday anniversary, June 23, 1942. He was a junior in the Decatur High School. He re- ceived his boot training and specialist training at the Great Lakes Naval Training Station. Milo C. Stalter EVERETT JOHNSON Everett Johnson, son of Mr. and Mrs. O. T. John- son, was born June 14, 1914, cmd died Dec. 4, 1942. Everett attended the rural schools during the first eight years of his school career. He attended the Decatur High School, Decatur, Indiana, during his freshman and sophomore years. He did not gradu- ate from this school. Everslt entered the army October 5, 1942, through the selective service. He was drowned in the Rogur River, Camp White, Oregon, while training in a boat drill with his company. DOUGLAS H. NEIDIGH (Missing in Action) Douglas H. Neidigh, son of Mr. and Mrs. Dewey Neidigh, has been reported missing in action since January 30, 1944, in Italy. Douglas entered the service April 7, 1943. He left this country in the fall of 1943 and first sow action in Africa, later being transferred to Italy. He was in the First Ranger Outfit. Douglas attended the Decatur public schools and was a junior at the Decatur Junior-Senior High School at the time of entering the service. WILLIAM D. ELZEY William Delma Elzey was born in Adams County, May 17, 1872, and died at his home 321 North Tenth Street, Decatur, Indiana, on December 14, 1943. Mr. Elzey was a former member of the Decatur Police Force, and served in Cuba during the Spanish-American War. In addition to this, Mr. Elzey served his country during World War 1 as a civil service worker at Washington, D. C. Mr. Elzey, during the last fifteen years of his life, was employed by the Decatur Board of Education as a janitor at the Decatur Junior- Senior High School. William D. Elzey SIX