s/o Roy L. and Helda M Whiteford Gaines.
Thanks to Larry Hume for his time and research to produce the following story:
In October, 2015 I asked that Sergeant Gaines' memorial be transferred to me so I could add the following story I wrote about him and had published in the local media. Since this did not happen would you consider adding it. There are hours of research that went into this and would be valuable to any family member. Thanks.
The stone of SSgt Everett A. Gaines at New Prospect Cemetery near Timpson, Texas who passed on December 17th, 1944 read “He gave his today for our tomorrow”. My research showed that Sergeant Gaines was not from Shelby County or even Texas for that matter but was born in Carthage, New York two days before Christmas on December 23rd, 1917. How did he end up in this cemetery so far from his home state of New York with no others buried around his grave with the name of Gaines?
His parents Roy L. (1893-1959) and Hilda M. Whiteford-Gaines (1900-1922) were married in Potsdam, New York on July 3rd, 1916. Roy’s profession on the marriage license listed him as a Railroad Brakeman. When he was three years old the 1920 census showed young Everett and his parents living in Fouler, Saint Lawrence County, New York. Mother Hilda was just 17 when Everett was born and sisters Keitha (1920-1989) and Nona (1921-1989) followed. His mother Hilda passed away on April 30th, 1922 just before her 22nd birthday. The 1930 census showed father Roy and Everett, now 12 years old as boarders with the Arthur Reed family in Edwards, New York. His sisters were not listed and I presume they were living with relatives. As the 1940 census is taken Everett is now 22, his father was remarried to a lady named Flossie (1905-1998) and he has a step-brother age 17 named Howard Duhamel. They are living at 637 Adelaide Street, Carthage, New York. Everett is working as a Floor Supervisor at a local Paper Mill and later that year on September 10th, he enlisted in the US Army Air Forces.
1940 in Timpson, Texas saw Nora Doris Goolsby, the daughter of Lloyd (1896-1977) and Susie (1902-1985) Goolsby graduating from Timpson High School. Nora had twin sisters Thelma Goolsby-Mathis (1920-2012) and Selma Goolsby-Cowan (1920-2012) and two brothers, Lloyd Benjamin and James Birtrum “JB” Goolsby. After high school Nora lived with her sister in Austin and attended Business College to prepare for a secretarial career. She then moved to Houston and secured secretarial employment. Everett was stationed at Ellington Field near Houston and they met at a “young people’s gathering” and began to date.
The August 13th, 1942 edition of the Champion Newspaper carried her parent’s announcement of her marriage to Sergeant Everett Allen Gaines at Ellington Field, Texas. The ceremony was performed August 1st by Rev. T. P. Hendrick, an uncle of the bride. The bride’s attendant was Miss Aubrey Dean Beckers and the best man was Sergeant Roland R. Hampton. They were making their home in Houston. Aubrey and Roland were both friends in the group they socialized with.
With World War II in full swing and with a new bride Everett’s military service with the US Army Air Forces led them to the Army Air Field in Fort Worth, Texas where their son Larry Allen was born on February 22, 1944. Everett’s military occupation specialty (MOS) was 2750, Aerial Engineer which entailed assisting the aircraft commander in the operation of a multiple engine airplane by maintaining a constant check on its mechanical functions.
On December 17th, 1944, six days before his 27th birthday Staff Sergeant Everett Allen Gaines was a crew member aboard a B-24 Liberator Bomber that took off from the Fort Worth Army Air Field on a combat training mission. Sometime during this mission his plane collided in midair with another B-24 and crashed on the Dr. Charles E. Harris farm about five miles southwest of the field. There were no survivors from either plane and 8 American service members died a week before Christmas leaving five widows, 3 children and many grieving family members. Everett was buried in the New Prospect Cemetery, Timpson, Texas.
On Saturday, November 1st, 2014, I had a wonderful conversation with 91 year old Nora Goolsby-Gaines-Rice who lives in Allentown, Pennsylvania. She was so very gracious with a great sense of humor and seemed genuinely happy to hear from me to discuss her late husband. She said Everett came to love East Texas and they had a frank discussion about where he would be buried if something happened to him in the war. He wanted to be buried here and she fulfilled his wishes when tragedy struck. About 18 months or so later Nora took her son Larry to New York so he could get to know his paternal grandparents and while there met J. Edwin Rice who had served as an Infantry Sergeant in the Philippines during WW II. They were married on October 5th, 1946 for over 58 years. Edwin died in 2005 and during their marriage a daughter Eileen was born and son Larry passed in 1989. Nora’s brother Lloyd (Ben) still lives in Timpson and brother James (JB) resides in Bryan, Texas.
I assured Mrs. Rice that Everett is now in our care and his service and sacrifice would be remembered each Memorial Day during our “Roll Call of Honor”. I would like to thank Theresa Payne who is a distant cousin to the Goolsby family for her research that put me in touch with Mrs. Rice’s granddaughter Dion Gaines-Moric who then arranged the phone conversation. I found this to be a remarkable story of love, tragedy and happiness and I feel fortunate to be able to share it.
Thanks to Larry Hume for his time and research to produce the following story:
In October, 2015 I asked that Sergeant Gaines' memorial be transferred to me so I could add the following story I wrote about him and had published in the local media. Since this did not happen would you consider adding it. There are hours of research that went into this and would be valuable to any family member. Thanks.
The stone of SSgt Everett A. Gaines at New Prospect Cemetery near Timpson, Texas who passed on December 17th, 1944 read “He gave his today for our tomorrow”. My research showed that Sergeant Gaines was not from Shelby County or even Texas for that matter but was born in Carthage, New York two days before Christmas on December 23rd, 1917. How did he end up in this cemetery so far from his home state of New York with no others buried around his grave with the name of Gaines?
His parents Roy L. (1893-1959) and Hilda M. Whiteford-Gaines (1900-1922) were married in Potsdam, New York on July 3rd, 1916. Roy’s profession on the marriage license listed him as a Railroad Brakeman. When he was three years old the 1920 census showed young Everett and his parents living in Fouler, Saint Lawrence County, New York. Mother Hilda was just 17 when Everett was born and sisters Keitha (1920-1989) and Nona (1921-1989) followed. His mother Hilda passed away on April 30th, 1922 just before her 22nd birthday. The 1930 census showed father Roy and Everett, now 12 years old as boarders with the Arthur Reed family in Edwards, New York. His sisters were not listed and I presume they were living with relatives. As the 1940 census is taken Everett is now 22, his father was remarried to a lady named Flossie (1905-1998) and he has a step-brother age 17 named Howard Duhamel. They are living at 637 Adelaide Street, Carthage, New York. Everett is working as a Floor Supervisor at a local Paper Mill and later that year on September 10th, he enlisted in the US Army Air Forces.
1940 in Timpson, Texas saw Nora Doris Goolsby, the daughter of Lloyd (1896-1977) and Susie (1902-1985) Goolsby graduating from Timpson High School. Nora had twin sisters Thelma Goolsby-Mathis (1920-2012) and Selma Goolsby-Cowan (1920-2012) and two brothers, Lloyd Benjamin and James Birtrum “JB” Goolsby. After high school Nora lived with her sister in Austin and attended Business College to prepare for a secretarial career. She then moved to Houston and secured secretarial employment. Everett was stationed at Ellington Field near Houston and they met at a “young people’s gathering” and began to date.
The August 13th, 1942 edition of the Champion Newspaper carried her parent’s announcement of her marriage to Sergeant Everett Allen Gaines at Ellington Field, Texas. The ceremony was performed August 1st by Rev. T. P. Hendrick, an uncle of the bride. The bride’s attendant was Miss Aubrey Dean Beckers and the best man was Sergeant Roland R. Hampton. They were making their home in Houston. Aubrey and Roland were both friends in the group they socialized with.
With World War II in full swing and with a new bride Everett’s military service with the US Army Air Forces led them to the Army Air Field in Fort Worth, Texas where their son Larry Allen was born on February 22, 1944. Everett’s military occupation specialty (MOS) was 2750, Aerial Engineer which entailed assisting the aircraft commander in the operation of a multiple engine airplane by maintaining a constant check on its mechanical functions.
On December 17th, 1944, six days before his 27th birthday Staff Sergeant Everett Allen Gaines was a crew member aboard a B-24 Liberator Bomber that took off from the Fort Worth Army Air Field on a combat training mission. Sometime during this mission his plane collided in midair with another B-24 and crashed on the Dr. Charles E. Harris farm about five miles southwest of the field. There were no survivors from either plane and 8 American service members died a week before Christmas leaving five widows, 3 children and many grieving family members. Everett was buried in the New Prospect Cemetery, Timpson, Texas.
On Saturday, November 1st, 2014, I had a wonderful conversation with 91 year old Nora Goolsby-Gaines-Rice who lives in Allentown, Pennsylvania. She was so very gracious with a great sense of humor and seemed genuinely happy to hear from me to discuss her late husband. She said Everett came to love East Texas and they had a frank discussion about where he would be buried if something happened to him in the war. He wanted to be buried here and she fulfilled his wishes when tragedy struck. About 18 months or so later Nora took her son Larry to New York so he could get to know his paternal grandparents and while there met J. Edwin Rice who had served as an Infantry Sergeant in the Philippines during WW II. They were married on October 5th, 1946 for over 58 years. Edwin died in 2005 and during their marriage a daughter Eileen was born and son Larry passed in 1989. Nora’s brother Lloyd (Ben) still lives in Timpson and brother James (JB) resides in Bryan, Texas.
I assured Mrs. Rice that Everett is now in our care and his service and sacrifice would be remembered each Memorial Day during our “Roll Call of Honor”. I would like to thank Theresa Payne who is a distant cousin to the Goolsby family for her research that put me in touch with Mrs. Rice’s granddaughter Dion Gaines-Moric who then arranged the phone conversation. I found this to be a remarkable story of love, tragedy and happiness and I feel fortunate to be able to share it.
s/o Roy L. and Helda M Whiteford Gaines.
Thanks to Larry Hume for his time and research to produce the following story:
In October, 2015 I asked that Sergeant Gaines' memorial be transferred to me so I could add the following story I wrote about him and had published in the local media. Since this did not happen would you consider adding it. There are hours of research that went into this and would be valuable to any family member. Thanks.
The stone of SSgt Everett A. Gaines at New Prospect Cemetery near Timpson, Texas who passed on December 17th, 1944 read “He gave his today for our tomorrow”. My research showed that Sergeant Gaines was not from Shelby County or even Texas for that matter but was born in Carthage, New York two days before Christmas on December 23rd, 1917. How did he end up in this cemetery so far from his home state of New York with no others buried around his grave with the name of Gaines?
His parents Roy L. (1893-1959) and Hilda M. Whiteford-Gaines (1900-1922) were married in Potsdam, New York on July 3rd, 1916. Roy’s profession on the marriage license listed him as a Railroad Brakeman. When he was three years old the 1920 census showed young Everett and his parents living in Fouler, Saint Lawrence County, New York. Mother Hilda was just 17 when Everett was born and sisters Keitha (1920-1989) and Nona (1921-1989) followed. His mother Hilda passed away on April 30th, 1922 just before her 22nd birthday. The 1930 census showed father Roy and Everett, now 12 years old as boarders with the Arthur Reed family in Edwards, New York. His sisters were not listed and I presume they were living with relatives. As the 1940 census is taken Everett is now 22, his father was remarried to a lady named Flossie (1905-1998) and he has a step-brother age 17 named Howard Duhamel. They are living at 637 Adelaide Street, Carthage, New York. Everett is working as a Floor Supervisor at a local Paper Mill and later that year on September 10th, he enlisted in the US Army Air Forces.
1940 in Timpson, Texas saw Nora Doris Goolsby, the daughter of Lloyd (1896-1977) and Susie (1902-1985) Goolsby graduating from Timpson High School. Nora had twin sisters Thelma Goolsby-Mathis (1920-2012) and Selma Goolsby-Cowan (1920-2012) and two brothers, Lloyd Benjamin and James Birtrum “JB” Goolsby. After high school Nora lived with her sister in Austin and attended Business College to prepare for a secretarial career. She then moved to Houston and secured secretarial employment. Everett was stationed at Ellington Field near Houston and they met at a “young people’s gathering” and began to date.
The August 13th, 1942 edition of the Champion Newspaper carried her parent’s announcement of her marriage to Sergeant Everett Allen Gaines at Ellington Field, Texas. The ceremony was performed August 1st by Rev. T. P. Hendrick, an uncle of the bride. The bride’s attendant was Miss Aubrey Dean Beckers and the best man was Sergeant Roland R. Hampton. They were making their home in Houston. Aubrey and Roland were both friends in the group they socialized with.
With World War II in full swing and with a new bride Everett’s military service with the US Army Air Forces led them to the Army Air Field in Fort Worth, Texas where their son Larry Allen was born on February 22, 1944. Everett’s military occupation specialty (MOS) was 2750, Aerial Engineer which entailed assisting the aircraft commander in the operation of a multiple engine airplane by maintaining a constant check on its mechanical functions.
On December 17th, 1944, six days before his 27th birthday Staff Sergeant Everett Allen Gaines was a crew member aboard a B-24 Liberator Bomber that took off from the Fort Worth Army Air Field on a combat training mission. Sometime during this mission his plane collided in midair with another B-24 and crashed on the Dr. Charles E. Harris farm about five miles southwest of the field. There were no survivors from either plane and 8 American service members died a week before Christmas leaving five widows, 3 children and many grieving family members. Everett was buried in the New Prospect Cemetery, Timpson, Texas.
On Saturday, November 1st, 2014, I had a wonderful conversation with 91 year old Nora Goolsby-Gaines-Rice who lives in Allentown, Pennsylvania. She was so very gracious with a great sense of humor and seemed genuinely happy to hear from me to discuss her late husband. She said Everett came to love East Texas and they had a frank discussion about where he would be buried if something happened to him in the war. He wanted to be buried here and she fulfilled his wishes when tragedy struck. About 18 months or so later Nora took her son Larry to New York so he could get to know his paternal grandparents and while there met J. Edwin Rice who had served as an Infantry Sergeant in the Philippines during WW II. They were married on October 5th, 1946 for over 58 years. Edwin died in 2005 and during their marriage a daughter Eileen was born and son Larry passed in 1989. Nora’s brother Lloyd (Ben) still lives in Timpson and brother James (JB) resides in Bryan, Texas.
I assured Mrs. Rice that Everett is now in our care and his service and sacrifice would be remembered each Memorial Day during our “Roll Call of Honor”. I would like to thank Theresa Payne who is a distant cousin to the Goolsby family for her research that put me in touch with Mrs. Rice’s granddaughter Dion Gaines-Moric who then arranged the phone conversation. I found this to be a remarkable story of love, tragedy and happiness and I feel fortunate to be able to share it.
Thanks to Larry Hume for his time and research to produce the following story:
In October, 2015 I asked that Sergeant Gaines' memorial be transferred to me so I could add the following story I wrote about him and had published in the local media. Since this did not happen would you consider adding it. There are hours of research that went into this and would be valuable to any family member. Thanks.
The stone of SSgt Everett A. Gaines at New Prospect Cemetery near Timpson, Texas who passed on December 17th, 1944 read “He gave his today for our tomorrow”. My research showed that Sergeant Gaines was not from Shelby County or even Texas for that matter but was born in Carthage, New York two days before Christmas on December 23rd, 1917. How did he end up in this cemetery so far from his home state of New York with no others buried around his grave with the name of Gaines?
His parents Roy L. (1893-1959) and Hilda M. Whiteford-Gaines (1900-1922) were married in Potsdam, New York on July 3rd, 1916. Roy’s profession on the marriage license listed him as a Railroad Brakeman. When he was three years old the 1920 census showed young Everett and his parents living in Fouler, Saint Lawrence County, New York. Mother Hilda was just 17 when Everett was born and sisters Keitha (1920-1989) and Nona (1921-1989) followed. His mother Hilda passed away on April 30th, 1922 just before her 22nd birthday. The 1930 census showed father Roy and Everett, now 12 years old as boarders with the Arthur Reed family in Edwards, New York. His sisters were not listed and I presume they were living with relatives. As the 1940 census is taken Everett is now 22, his father was remarried to a lady named Flossie (1905-1998) and he has a step-brother age 17 named Howard Duhamel. They are living at 637 Adelaide Street, Carthage, New York. Everett is working as a Floor Supervisor at a local Paper Mill and later that year on September 10th, he enlisted in the US Army Air Forces.
1940 in Timpson, Texas saw Nora Doris Goolsby, the daughter of Lloyd (1896-1977) and Susie (1902-1985) Goolsby graduating from Timpson High School. Nora had twin sisters Thelma Goolsby-Mathis (1920-2012) and Selma Goolsby-Cowan (1920-2012) and two brothers, Lloyd Benjamin and James Birtrum “JB” Goolsby. After high school Nora lived with her sister in Austin and attended Business College to prepare for a secretarial career. She then moved to Houston and secured secretarial employment. Everett was stationed at Ellington Field near Houston and they met at a “young people’s gathering” and began to date.
The August 13th, 1942 edition of the Champion Newspaper carried her parent’s announcement of her marriage to Sergeant Everett Allen Gaines at Ellington Field, Texas. The ceremony was performed August 1st by Rev. T. P. Hendrick, an uncle of the bride. The bride’s attendant was Miss Aubrey Dean Beckers and the best man was Sergeant Roland R. Hampton. They were making their home in Houston. Aubrey and Roland were both friends in the group they socialized with.
With World War II in full swing and with a new bride Everett’s military service with the US Army Air Forces led them to the Army Air Field in Fort Worth, Texas where their son Larry Allen was born on February 22, 1944. Everett’s military occupation specialty (MOS) was 2750, Aerial Engineer which entailed assisting the aircraft commander in the operation of a multiple engine airplane by maintaining a constant check on its mechanical functions.
On December 17th, 1944, six days before his 27th birthday Staff Sergeant Everett Allen Gaines was a crew member aboard a B-24 Liberator Bomber that took off from the Fort Worth Army Air Field on a combat training mission. Sometime during this mission his plane collided in midair with another B-24 and crashed on the Dr. Charles E. Harris farm about five miles southwest of the field. There were no survivors from either plane and 8 American service members died a week before Christmas leaving five widows, 3 children and many grieving family members. Everett was buried in the New Prospect Cemetery, Timpson, Texas.
On Saturday, November 1st, 2014, I had a wonderful conversation with 91 year old Nora Goolsby-Gaines-Rice who lives in Allentown, Pennsylvania. She was so very gracious with a great sense of humor and seemed genuinely happy to hear from me to discuss her late husband. She said Everett came to love East Texas and they had a frank discussion about where he would be buried if something happened to him in the war. He wanted to be buried here and she fulfilled his wishes when tragedy struck. About 18 months or so later Nora took her son Larry to New York so he could get to know his paternal grandparents and while there met J. Edwin Rice who had served as an Infantry Sergeant in the Philippines during WW II. They were married on October 5th, 1946 for over 58 years. Edwin died in 2005 and during their marriage a daughter Eileen was born and son Larry passed in 1989. Nora’s brother Lloyd (Ben) still lives in Timpson and brother James (JB) resides in Bryan, Texas.
I assured Mrs. Rice that Everett is now in our care and his service and sacrifice would be remembered each Memorial Day during our “Roll Call of Honor”. I would like to thank Theresa Payne who is a distant cousin to the Goolsby family for her research that put me in touch with Mrs. Rice’s granddaughter Dion Gaines-Moric who then arranged the phone conversation. I found this to be a remarkable story of love, tragedy and happiness and I feel fortunate to be able to share it.
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SSGT, US ARMY AIR FORCES WORLD WAR II
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