Purple Heart To Seven
Waterloo War Casualties
Three Posthumous Awards Are Among
Those Given to Fighting Men.
The Purple Heart has been awarded to the seven following Waterloo men:
Pfc. Melvin Staley (posthumous award)
Sgt. Bert L. Cook (posthumous award)
Pvt. Clifford A. Flanders (posthumous award)
Staff Sgt. Harold L. Morrison
Pvt. Herbert H. Pelton
Pvt. William J. Kriens
and, Melvin L. Smelser, seaman second class.
Another Son Safe.
While Mr. and Mrs. John Staley, 612 Logan avenue, received the Purple Heart posthumously this week for their son, Pfc. Melvin Staley, who was killed in action July 26, 1944 in New Guinea, word was also received of the safe arrival of another son, Pfc. Marvin P. Staley, with the army medical corps in the Philippines.
Private Staley, who entered service in January, 1943, has been overseas since December, 1944. He had his preliminary training at Ft. Jackson, S. C., and Nashville, Tenn.
Another son, Pfc. Carlyle Staley, is serving with the ordnance unit in Guadalcanal. He also entered service in January, 1943, and following basic training at Camp Texarkana, Tex., and Camp Livingston, La., was sent overseas in April, 1944.
[NOTE: Portions of this article regarding the other Purple Heart recipients have been omitted but may be found on their individual webpages within this site.]
Source: Waterloo Daily Courier, Waterloo, Iowa, Sunday, February 04, 1945, Page 3
Melvin Staley Body
Nears U. S. Shores
The body of Melvin F. Staley, an infantryman who was killed in action on New Guinea, July 25, 1944, is expected to arrive in San Francisco, Cal. Thursday on the army transport, the Lieutenant Bayee. The body will then be returned to Waterloo on or about June 12 for reburial. [Interment was made at Fairview Cemetery, Waterloo, Iowa.]
Source: Waterloo Daily Courier, Waterloo, Iowa, Wednesday, June 02, 1948, Page 5
