The Red Shirt Heroes of World War II

Dr. William Downs, OBU mass communications instructor, has compiled a book on the Ouachitonians killed during World War II called "The Fighting Tigers." Four Red Shirts are among the 35 fallen Tigers listed on the memorial tablet. Maj. Robert Elmo "Modie" Chaney of Brinkley was one of Rho Sigma's charter members in 1935. He served with one of the U.S. Army's most storied units, the "Spearhead Division" of the 36th Infantry Battalion -- the 3rd Armored Division. In fact, Chaney was the next to the last commander of the 3rd. He survived numerous campaigns, including the Battle of the Bulge, only to be killed in action only 10 days before the "Spearhead" came out of the line for the final time. Chaney died April 15, 1945 and is buried in the beautiful Netherlands American Cemetery in Margraten, Netherlands. He received the Silver Star and the Purple Heart. 1st Lt. Ralph C. Mann Jr. of Judsonia was another charter member. Lt. Mann was with the U.S. Marines in the Philippines. He and another young lieutenant were given the unenviable task of putting together the rearguard defense line for the retreat on Bataan with only 43 Marines. While he was fighting, his wife, who had accompanied him to the Philippines, was captured by the Japanese. When all U.S. troops were ordered by the commanding general to surrender, Mann was captured and forced to endure the infamous Bataan Death March. He died while a Prisoner of War in the worst of the Japanese POW camps in the Philippine Islands. 2nd Lt. John Calvin "J.C." Halsell of Little Rock was a pilot with the U.S. Army Air Forces in the China-India-Burma theatre of operations. He was with the 11th Bomber Squadron, 341st Bomber Group. Sometime after his 25th mission, Halsell and his crew were ordered on a low-level combat mission, flying from Kweilin, China to Anjen, China. His plane was reported lost on February 18, 1945 near Lingling, China. Lt. Halsell is memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing at Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines. He received the Air Medal and the Purple Heart. 1st Lt. Carmon B. Rucker of Grand Saline, Texas was also with the U.S. Army Air Forces, flying with the 883rd Bomber Squadron, 500th Bomber Group. Seventy-two BW B-29's were dispatched from the Marianas on January 9, 1945 to attack the Musashino aircraft plant near Tokyo, Japan. However, the formation was broken up by high winds, and 34 of the B-29's ended up attacking alternates and targets of opportunity. Only 18 of the bombers were able to attack the primary target. Six B-29's were lost -- among them Rucker's. Flying only his second mission with this particular crew, Rucker was the co-pilot of "Mustn't Touch." When the plane was ditched, a buddy plane followed them down, but contact was lost when they hit the ocean. There were no survivors. Rucker is memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial in Hawaii. He received the Air Medal and Purple Heart. Many Red Shirts served in the various branches of service during World War II. These four men made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

RED SHIRT CHARTER MEMBER RALPH MANN WAS AMONG AMERICAN SOLDIERS WHO SUFFERED THROUGH THE INFAMOUS 90-MILE BATAAN DEATH MARCH. MANN DIED AS A JAPANESE PRISONER OF WAR IN THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS.