Dallas Morning News Memorial Day slide show 2015

1. I’m remembering my father, William Holston, 2nd Lieutenant Army Air Corps.
Served on Morotai in the South Pacific. A share cropper from Alabama, he never
imagined he’d see this much of the world. His crew flew long distance missions over
Borneo, Brunei, and Balakpappan. He was a navigator, and used a sextant to shoot
the stars to plot their course. When I was a boy, he’d show me the constellations,
and I still think of that when I show the constellations to my sons – Bill Holston,
Dallas

2. In a peaceful clearing in a forest not too far from Kassel, Germany, a memorial stands. 119 American Airmen
who died on September 27, 1944 are honored, their names listed in bronze. They were part of a bombing
mission that day to Kassel and were lost as the 445th Bomb Group of the 8th Air Force was literally wiped
out by a massive German Fighter attack.
The four men whose names are highlighted here on that massive boulder were KIA that day. They were part
of the Baynham Crew, a young pilot from Texas. The other five members of the crew were captured and
were in prison camps or hospitals the last seven months of WWII. Two of the nine man B-24 crew are still
alive. Ray Lemons and Jim Baynham, both from Dallas, still survive – James Baynham

3. Cpt. William H. Nation
On January 31, 2015 my extended family commemorated the life of my uncle Captain William H.
Nation both in Arlington as well as in Belgium where he is buried. He was drafted into the Army in
1941 after graduating from North Texas Agricultural Collage (now UTA). It was an all male school at
that time, and ROTC was mandatory. Because of that he moved up quickly. He was selected for
Infantry OCS followed by Jump School. He was sent to a new Parachute Infantry Regiment just
being formed- the 508th PIR. He was soon promoted to the Regimental Adjutant position. When
deployed to England in preparation for D-Day, the Regiment was assigned to the 82nd Airborne
Division.
We selected January 31st to commemorate Uncle Bill because that day marked the 70th
anniversary of his death. He had jumped into Normandy on D-Day, jumped into Holland during
Operation Market Garden, and survived the miserable cold of the Battle of the Bulge only to be
killed six days later as the 508th began it's surge into Germany for the conclusion of the war in
Europe. If he had lived 97 more days, he would have been able to celebrate VE Day (Victory in
Europe Day).
On January 31, 2015 we felt it appropriate to have a celebration of his life on the 70th Anniversary
of his death. We looked for a way to keep his name alive even to people who did not know him. We
decided to initiate an annual college scholarship to be awarded each year to a senior ROTC student
at Arlington High School. AHS was appropriate because that is where Bill and all
his siblings graduated as did the majority of his nieces and nephews. The scholarship was presented
last Monday night to a very appreciative AHS ROTC senior - Tom Hartin, Addison

4. My Uncle Luther was an Infantry squad leader in Europe during World War II. On December
15, 1944, he sent a post card to my great aunt. It went like this:"Since the last time I wrote
you, I have traveled quite a distance. I think I wrote you while I was in England. Since then, I
have been in France, Belgium, Holland and Germany. I have been in a few battles. We were
in the battle of Guilenkirchen. I was decorated once and received the Bronze Star. Please
excuse me for not writing often. I really don't have time."
Four days later, on December 19, Uncle Luther was killed in the Battle of the Bulge. My
father, David, was an infantry platoon leader in the Korean War. It is an understatement to
say I am pretty proud of their sacrifices to our great country – Mike Snipes, Colonel, US Army,
Reserves (Retired)

5. Dwight Montgomery Durham - known to family as
"Monty" became "Bull" in the jungles of Vietnam. He
was my uncle, just 9 years older than me An
amazingly talented actor and musician who had been
selected to attend college on a scholarship to study
acting, he instead enlisted in the army at 18. He was
full of pride and honor to serve his country, first as a
parachuting Army Ranger 75th Regiment. One month
shy of his discharge April 10, 1969, at age 19, he was
killed in action in Tah Ninh. The following is taken from
his posthumous receipt of the Silver Star :"When his
unit became heavily engaged with a large enemy force,
Sergeant Durham, although wounded, exposed
himself to the intense hostile fire as he directed the
base of fire of his men. Seeing that the radio operator
was seriously wounded, Sergeant Durham moved
forward and secured the radio. Although heavy enemy
fire was then directed at his position, Sergeant
Durham directed aerial rocket artillery upon the
enemy emplacements, greatly relieving the pressure
on his small patrol. He continued to direct supporting
fire on the enemy until he was mortally wounded.
Sergeant Durham's gallant action was in keeping with
the highest traditions of military service and reflects
great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United
States Army."
He had risen to the rank of Sergeant, and was know to
have entertained his men with song and skits. I honor
his sacrifice and his memory by passing on his name to
my son. I also honor the service of my other uncles
Joe Durham, and Eric Olson, my step-father Michael
Jordan, MD, who served in the Air Force treating many
returning servicemen and women, my cousins, Melissa
(Kit) Santiago, Jeff Gruszeczki. We come from a family
that serves and sacrifices. God bless you all- Markita
Hall-Gumble