GUNNER
Corporal Virgil W. Scott, son of Mr. and Mrs. Guy Scott of near Stratford, is taking gunnery training at the army air force school at Kingman, Arizona. He enlisted in the army air corps last September and took initial training at Sheppard Field, Texas, and later at Burbank, Cal. His present address: Cpl. Virgil W. Scott, Student Sqd. 1, Bks. F. Class 43-20, A.A.F.F. – G. S., Kingman, Arizona.
Source: Daily Freeman Journal, April 22, 1943 (photo included)
NEPHEW REPORTED MISSING ABOARD FLYING FORTRESS
Sgt. Bernard Bernard of Marshalltown, a tail gunner aboard a U. S. Flying Fortress, is missing in action over Austria, according to word received here by his aunt, Mrs. Eilert DeBuhr.
Sergeant Bernard, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ernie Bernard of Marshalltown, was listed as missing on a flight over Austria Feb. 23. Staff Sgt. Virgil Scott of Stratford was listed as missing aboard a Fortress in the same area Feb. 24.
Bernard had been in the service for more than a year and left for overseas action last December.
Source: Daily Freeman Journal, Webster City, IA - Mar. 24, 1944
SCOTT MISSING OVER AUSTRIA
Gunner-Engineer Aboard Fort Had Flown on 19 Missions
Staff Sgt. Virgil W. Scott, 21, son of Mr. and Mrs. Guy Scott of near Stratford, is missing in action over Austria, according to a war department message received by the servicemen’s parents Thursday.
Sergeant Scott, served as a top turret gunner and first engineer aboard a Flying Fortress and is listed as missing since Feb. 24 over Austria. He was last heard from Feb. 23 at which time he was still based in Italy and had completed 19 missions over enemy territory. Further details were not yet available, Adjutant-General Ulio stated in the war department message.
Scott entered service at Camp Dodge Sept. 23, 1942 and took his early training at Sheppard Field, Texas. He was later transferred to Burbank, Cal., and then to Kingman, Ariz., where he received his gunner’s wings in July 1943. The sergeant was shifted to Sale Lake City, Utah, for further training then to Pyote, Texas, and to Dyersburg, Tennessee, after which he was transferred overseas in October. From North Africa he participated in the Sicilian and Italian invasions and was then moved to an Italian base where he was last heard from.
Source: Daily Freeman Journal, Webster City, IA - 1944
Virgil Wayne Scott, Staff Sgt. U.S. Army Air Corps - MIA/POW
Virgil Wayne Scott was born Sept. 25, 1922 to Guy and Helen Hoffman Scott. He died Apr. 21, 2010 and is buried in Calvary Cemetery, Webster City, IA.
Virgil served with the 301st Bomb Group, 353 Bomb Squadron, as a flight engineer/top turret gunner on B-17 aircrafts. He served in the European Theatre of Action in Tunisia, Sicily, Naples - Foggia and Rome - Arno campaigns. He was reported missing in action over Austria Feb. 23, 1944. He became a German prisoner of war, held at Stalag Luft 4.
He was awarded the Air Medal, POW Medal, Good Conduct Medal, and Europe-Africa-Middle East Medal.
His Obituary: Webster City Freeman Journal, April 23, 2010
Virgil W. Scott, 87, of Webster City, died Wednesday, April 21, 2010 at Windsor Manor. A Funeral Mass will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, with Rev. Scott Boone presiding. Burial will be in the Calvary Cemetery with full military honors. Visitation will be at the Foster Funeral and Cremation Center from 5 to 8 p.m. on Friday and at the church after 9 a.m. on Saturday. Recitation of the Rosary will be at 6:45 p.m., followed by a scripture service at 7 p.m. on Friday.
Virgil Wayne Scott, son of Guy and Helen (Hoffman) Scott, was born September 25, 1922 on a farm northeast of Stratford. He attended Stratford schools.From September of 1942 to January of 1946, he served in the U.S. Army Air Corps - 301st Bomb Group, 353 Bomb Squadron, as a flight engineer/top turret gunner on B-17 aircrafts. In the European Theatre of Action, he served in the Tunisian, Sicilian, Naples - Foggia and Rome - Arno campaigns. On his 24th mission, he was shot down and became a German Prisoner Of War from February 24, 1944 to May 2, 1945, when he was liberated. On May 2, 1946, he married Mary A. Foley, of Webster City, at St. Thomas Aquinas in Webster City. The couple farmed in the Stratford, Webster City and Blairsburg areas. They retired to Webster City in 1987. Mrs. Scott passed away on December 29, 2007.
Virgil is survived by sons and daughters-in-law - Larry and Susan Scott of Knoxville, Jim and Adele Scott of Stratford, Tom and Paula Scott of Webster City, David and Donna Scott of Granger; daughters and sons-in-law - Becky and Ole Wibholm of Blairsburg, Cathy and Gregg Olson of Webster City, Margaret and Mark Hoelscher of Williams, Susan and Kyle Westrum of Stratford; 25 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; brother, Raymond Scott of Webster City; sisters-in-law, Marjorie Scott and Dorothy Foley, both of Webster City; and several nieces and nephews.
In addition to his wife, he was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Vern Scott.
Virgil was a member of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, American Legion Post # 191, Knights of Columbus #838, and was a former member of the Mid-Iowa Chapter of Ex-P.O.W.s of Boone.
Virgil was dedicated to his wife and family. He proudly shared his multiple military experiences with a variety of community members, including classrooms, service clubs and organizations.
Sources:
Daily Freeman Journal, Webster City, IA
ancestry.com
301st Bombardment Group World War II
