Missing WWII Pilot Identified.

Southwest Missouri Congressman Roy Blunt reports the Pentagon has confirmed that the human remains found inside a World War II P-51 fighter buried in a marsh near the village of Longueville, France are those of First Lieutenant William Wyatt Patton, Jr. of Stark City, Missouri.

Patton had been reported missing in action and officially declared dead by the U.S. Army Air Corps when he failed to return from a weather scouting mission from Wormingford, England in January 1945.

After DNA testing, the U.S. Army Central Identification Laboratory confirmed the remains were those of the 27-year-old fighter pilot from Newton County.

A farmer draining a field in northern France earlier this year found the plane buried in a bog.

The dog tags found in the plane were of William Wyatt Patton, Jr., but it took further tests to end the 56 year old mystery.

Patton’s two brothers and a sister are now deceased leaving funeral arrangements to his nieces, Joyce Montez, Donna Brown, Connie Patton and Patton’s sister-in-law Margaret Patton who reside in Southwest Missouri.

"We want to bring him home," Joyce Montez said. "They already have a stone for him in the national cemetery in Springfield and making that his final resting place seems appropriate."

Funeral services with full military honors for 1st Lt. William W. Patton, Jr., will take place in Neosho at the Clark Funeral Home, 312 South Wood Street, at 10 a.m. on Friday, November 9. Internment will be in the Springfield National Cemetery at 1:30 p.m.

"Lt. Patton’s ultimate sacrifice in another war fifty-six years ago," Congressman Blunt said, "is a timely reminder about the never ending dedication of the young men and women in our Armed Forces who defend our liberties and the American way of life. Today, America’s Armed Services are fighting half way around the world in our defense.

"Their mission, like Lt. Patton’s, is to protect and defend America. Patton was a member of a global coalition that fought dictatorship and genocide in Europe. The new mission is bringing justice to the barbarians who killed 5,500 innocent American civilians, whose only plan on September 11 was simply to go to work and return home to their families."

Patton entered the Army in 1934 after graduating from Midway High School that year. He was stationed at Pearl Harbor when it was bombed by the Japanese in December 1941.

He earned his wings after the start of the war and flew missions in Europe. Patton’s military service was marked with distinction earning his the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal, and four Bronze stars for his actions in Normandy, Northern France, the Rhineland and the Ardennes. He was also awarded the Purple Heart.

Letter to the Editor
Opinions expressed reflect those of the writer
and not necessarily those of the Mornin' Mail.

Hi! I was in your friendly little town the end of August on vacation to Precious Moments and Branson.

While at the Chapel, our truck’s transmission broke down. We had to rent a car and we had the priviledge of meeting Wes Alumbaugh! What a delightful man! He was so accommodating to show us some trucks, and make us feel welcome. He let us use a truck, let us come to the Route 66 Drive-In, set up our camper one night at his car dealership, things he didn’t have to do and probably shouldn’t have but I have never met anyone as nice as Wes. We got to meet his Son, his Mom & Dad, his Daughter and Granddaughter. We felt like part of the family by the time we left.

We did end up buying the truck, but I know Wes was good to us out of his sincerely generous heart, not for a sale.

Your town is very fortunate to have Wes. Our vacation went "bad" but thanks to Wes, we actually remember that part as a good thing.

With all Wes is involved in... construction, selling vehicles, the drive-in theatre, motorcycling, and car racing (I’m sure the list is longer)... it is just amazing to me how someone so busy could take the time to take the burdens of some strangers on his shoulders and ease our troubled minds.

Let him know how much it meant to the Freiborgs from Sauk Centre, MN.

— Deb Freiborg

I’ve never been superstitious, but I’ve come to believe that folks are affected by a full moon. I’ve heard studies have been conducted that show crime and emergency room visits increase when the moon is in full bloom.

After seein’ the moon Thursday evenin’ I shoulda been prepared. Friday evenin’ I was in a group a people that shoulda all stayed home, includin’ myself.

Nothin’ extraordinary really happened, just wasn’t the typical fun lovin’ group a folks. A lot a little things that didn’t amount ta much ‘cept it pretty well made the evenin’ a loss. I blame it on the moon.

I haven’t checked the police records for last weekend, but I’d bet there was a little spike in activity.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

by

McCune- Brooks Hospital

Health Notes

Health & Nutrition by Judith Sheldon

DIET SUPPLEMENT ALERT: If you’re using a diet supplement containing ephedrine, you could be at risk for developing a heart attack, seizure, nervous system problems, and other dangerous conditions, all of which can be serious and, sometimes, fatal. According to the FDA, ephedrine, which is a stimulant, is a primary ingredient in many illegal drugs. But when sold as a dietary supplement which may be touted as a product that can increase energy and weight loss, it can get around the strict no-use laws.

One product to be aware of is the Chinese herb, ma huang, which contains natural ephedrine. Read your labels carefully so that you don’t become a sad statistic.

IF THE SHOE FITS, wear it. Properly fitting shoes can be more than just comfortable; they may help you avoid serious foot problems including, for diabetics and others with circulation conditions, amputations of toes or feet.

As a matter of fact, former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop says that if more people wore properly fitted shoes, we’d see a large drop in the number of diabetic amputations that occur far too often among the elderly, among others. Good fit also means fewer corns, calluses, bunions, hammertoes, or other painful foot deformities.