2nd "Son" Sisson. His Uncle Clarence Berton "Son" Sisson #6708384 was the first "Son" Sisson.

5'11" 130 pounds - 36 " inseam (long legs)
Special order for pants 29 x 36

Army Induction: 28 Jan 1943
Active Service: 4 Feb 1943
Trained: Fort Bragg, North Carolina & Camp Livingston, Louisiana
Left States: 31 Dec 1943
Arrived Pacific: 20 Jan 1944
Wounded: 16 May 1945
Departed Pacific: 11 June 1945
Arrived States: 13 June 1945
Pacific War Ended: 28 August 1945
Discharged: 9 August 1948 from Valley Forge General Hospital
Phoenixville, Pennsylvania
Foreign Service: 2 yr 5 mo 13 days
Continental Service: 3 yr 3 days
Longevity for Pay: 5 yr 6 mo 12 days

Organization:
Battery B 139th Field Artillery Battalion, Cyclone Division

Military Occupational Specialty & No:
Instrument NCO FA Survey 577

Military Qualification & Date: Driver & Mechanic Badge, Mkm Carbine - Mkm M-1 Rifle
NEVER touched another gun once war was over!

World War II Battles & Campaigns:
New Guinea - Southern Philippines Liberation - Luzon
Decorations & Citations (from discharge papers)
Purple Heart Medal; Bronze Arrowhead Medal;
Bronze Star Medal; World War II Victory Medal;
APTO Campaign Medal with three (3) Bronze Stars;
Philippine Liberation Medal with one (1) Bronze Battle Star;
American Campaign Medal;
Good Conduct Medal
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A Tale of Daddy and the Silver Dollars (for Bert & My grandsons)
Like many men of his age, each night after work, Daddy would stand in the kitchen, reach up on a shelf, and bring down a clear glass piggy bank. Daddy would then get all the change from h is pockets and place it all in this piggy bank. This is now Daddy put us all through college. When he had enough change in the piggy bank, he would invite us to roll all the coins in sleeves provided by the bank. I loved doing this. THEN the rolls of pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters and 50 cent pieces were taken to the Mer Rouge State Bank and turned in and US Savings Bonds were bought. If Daddy had a Silver Dollar in his picket he would give it to me. I eventually had 22 of them. Somehow he pressed upon me that they dated back to the 20s and that I should take care of them.

Daddy had his OWN Silver Dollar which was precious to him. He carried that one Silver Dollar in his pocket all the way through WWII, thur all the hospitals and thru his years at Valley Forge. He's take it out and show how it has worn away and was simply a silver disc. It became thinner and thinner through the years. Daddy carried that Silver Dollar every day in his pants pocket until he died. Berton, my brother, has it now. I still have MY 22 Silver Dollars, too! To my great dismay, I thought I lost them when I moved from California to Louisiana in March of 2023. I was heart sick. BUT while looking for a particular sewing notion, I opened a little box and there they were! Since I know I had never shared this story with my son, Bert, I decided to put the story here.
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Daddy was in the Philippines and often talked of Fort Drum - the story of Fort Drum is in Daddy's Battalion Book (my brother, Berton Sisson) has it. Luckily a young YouTuber has made a documentary "Fort Drum: The Unsinkable Concrete Battleship". I think you will enjoy it.
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The Bastrop Daily Enterprise (Bastrop, La) Thursday - 4 April 1945 - page 4
BASTROPIAN GETS 'LIBERATION' RIBBON
WITH THE 38TH INFANTRY DIVISION ON BATAAN:
Cpl. Albert B. Sisson, now serving with the 139th Field Artillery Battalion in the Philippines, has been awarded the Philippine Liberation Ribbon. Cpl. Sisson is the son of Mr. & Mrs. Albert B. Sisson of Mer Rouge. Cpl Sisson has served overseas for more than one year and participated in the surprise landing on the West Coast of Luzon and the Fierce battles of Zig Zag Pass. In addition to the Philippine Liberation Ribbon, Cpl. Sisson holds the American Defense Ribbon, the Good Conduct Medal and the Asian-Pacific Theatre Ribbon with three campaign stars. He has served both in the Central and Southwest Pacific Theatres.
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Wounds received in Action-16 May 1945-Luzon, Philippine Islands.
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Morehouse Enterprise (Bastrop, Louisiana) Thursday - 21 June 1945 page 4
SGT. A. B. SISSON IN WEST COAST HOSPITAL
Mr. & Mrs. Albert Boudreau Sisson, and Mrs. Albert Berton Sisson, have received word that Sgt. Albert Berton Sisson, who was seriously wounded in the Philippines, is now in the States and in a hospital on the West Coast. The family & friends are anxiously awaiting further news, but Sergeant Sisson is able to write himself.
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Bastrop Daily Enterprise (Bastrop, Louisiana) Thursday - 30 August 1945 page 8
SGT. A. B. SISSON LEAVES FOR HOSPITAL AFTER FURLOUGH
Sgt. A. B. Sisson, Jr., left Friday for a hospital in Tuscalousa, Alabama, after a 30 day furlough with his wife and parents, Mr. & Mrs. A. B. Sisson, Sr. Sergeant Sisson is being treated for a throat wound which he received while serving overseas in the Philippines.
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Morehouse Enterprise (Bastrop, Louisiana) Thursday - 13 December 1945 page 12
A. B. Sisson, was home for a few days last week from Tuscaloosa, Alabama, where he is still receiving treatment in the hospital there for wounds received in the Philippines. On his return to Alabama, he will be sent to Valley Forge, Pennsylvania for further treatment before being discharged.
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Bastrop Daily Enterprise (Bastrop, Louisiana) Thursday - 24 October 1946 page 6
Cpl. A. B. Sisson, Jr., who has been in the home of his mother, Mrs. A. B. Sisson, Sr., for the past few weeks on a recuperation leave from Valley Forge Army Hospital, left Wednesday to spend a few days with his father, who is a patient in a New Orleans hospital. Cpl. Sisson will return to Mer Rouge several days before returning to Valley Forge Army Hospital in New York. Errors: Daddy was a Sgt. and Valley Forge Army Hospital was in Pennsylvania.
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Promoted to Master Sargent but papers never came through.
Some of Daddy's medical papers survived the 1973 fire in the St. Louis Archives but nothing else.
One can see the singe around the four edges of each page.

Random stories about WWII from Daddy: Daddy was an assigned driver to officer and was given a jeep. He slept in the jeep while on the boat as it crossed the Pacific. Also: in Hawaii, Daddy's jeep had an insignia on it that said he didn't have to stop at the sentry. He said the Army in Honolulu was "starving" - somehow it was arranged for Daddy to drive up to Navy ships. They would "throw a side of beef" in the back of the jeep, cover it, and it got through the sentry and back to the Army post. He then gave it to the post cooks.

By today's standards, Daddy was the ultimate nerd. At work he wore shirts with two front pockets with pocket protectors in both.

Son of Albert Boudreax Sisson and Etta Mae Daniel Sisson. Born in Mer Rouge, Louisiana. Worked at Mr. John Howard Michie's cotton gin during "ginning season" and worked at Mr. Howard's hardware store the rest of the year. Mr. Howard requested two deferments once WWII started. Mr. Howard needed someone to run his gin and hardware store. Son did not like the gossip that a healthy man not at war was a coward. He volunteered for service on 28 January 1943 and was inducted to Army on 4 February 1943.

Married Minnie Lorene Gillum just before entering Army. Master Sargent Sisson entered the Army in 1943. Was found to be good at math and trained for artillery at Ft. Bragg, NC and Camp Livingston, La. Served in Pacific Theater of Operation (PTO). Awarded Purple Heart and Bronze Star. Wounded in the Philippines by having his larynx shot out. Experimental plastic surgery performed by Dr. William R. Hazzard of Wilmington, Delaware. Daddy's case was considered very odd to the medical establishment.

One day while walking through the wards, Dr. Hazzard saw Daddy and asked Daddy if he could examine him. Dr. Hazzard was actually an eye doctor who owned a pig farm. Dr. Hazzard would take the eyes of slaughtered pigs and try to learn how to repair eye wounds. Daddy became one of Dr. Hazzard's "guinea pigs". Dr. Hazzard performed over 20 surgical procedures on Daddy throat as he attempted to build a neck and wind pipe. Dr. Hazzard was never able to build a rigid wind pipe for Daddy. Therefore, a permanent tracheotomy was placed in Daddy's throat. To speak, Daddy would place his finger over the hole on the trach. He spoke in a whisper for the rest of his life.

Daddy considered himself a very lucky man. He walked around Valley Forge and saw so many men in far worse shape than himself. He asked The Lord, if God would allow him to live, he'd accept whatever disfigurement he had. When Daddy was discharged from Valley Forge, he was on full disability. The doctors believed the plastic surgery would become cancerous. He was given 10 years to live. His wife, Lorene, could not handle the disfigurement and asked for divorce.

Left the states at New Orleans, La, Jan. 1, 1944. Arrived Hawaii. Arrived New Guinea, 1944, from there to Leyte, Philippine Islands. Next to Luzon, Philippines. Wounded in combat May 16, 1945. North of Manila, Philippine Islands. Returned to the States June 13, 1945. Spent 2 months in Kennedy General Hospital, Memphis, TN. 6 months in Northington General Hospital, Tuscaloosa, AL & 31 months in Valley Forge General Hospital, Pheonixville, PA. Discharged from Army August 9, 1948. In addition to the Purple Heart and Bronze Star, "Son" was awarded APTO Campaign Medal, American Campaign Medal, 3 Bronze Battle Stars, Good Conduct Medal, WWII Victory Medal, Philippine Liberation Medal and one Arrowhead Medal. "Of such as Albert Berton "Son" Sisson are heroes made."
(quoted from "My Kin Folks" by Thomas Young Harp, II)

BRONZE STAR Sgt Grade Albert B. Sisson 38387920 and Technician Fifth Grade Maxwell G. Whicker 20537267 - For heroic service in connection with military operation against the enemy near Twin Peaks Ridge, Luzon, Philippine Islands, on 4 May 1945. During an advance against the enemy, these men were members of a Field Artillery Observer Party. Against strong enemy fire and extremely rough mountainous terrain on an assault platoon was moving forward. Radio communication with the artillery was imperative. During the advance the communication men with the assault platoon were cut off. These enlisted men crawled forward carrying a radio and exposing themselves to enemy observation, heavy mortar, machine gun and sniper fire. The bravery of these men under fire reestablished much needed communication.

The Army records of Daddy's regiment was destroyed in a fire at the National Archives in 1973. We've never been able to verify his rank of Master Sargent and we've never been able to get other documentation regarding his other three Bronze Stars or his Arrowhead medal.

Although on full disability and with perhaps a death sentence on his head, Daddy returned to the job that Mr. John Howard Michie held open for him at the cotton gin and hardware store. Daddy checked his wound daily. He ran his finger tips all over his throat and the plastic surgery seams as he looked daily for a tumor. He had a trach tube which was sterling silver. It had to sterilized, cleaned, polished and inserted every day. At the gin, he wore a handkerchief over his throat to keep out cotton lint.

Alice often said that Son never met a stranger. Son was at ease with his odd dis-figurement in Mer Rouge but was uncomfortable anywhere else. Son was offered a job as a cotton broker in Chicago. Turned down the job offer because he lacked a voice and was uneasy with the anticipated reaction of others to his wound. Later regretted the decision. Says he should have taken the chance. If he had taken the job in Chicago, he would have had difficulty taking care of his mother, Etta Mae Daniel Sisson and his mildly retarded sister, Dorothy Mae. He was their only means of support.

Married Alice Yeldell on December 5, 1948.
Son always associated his wedding anniversary with Pearl Harbor on December 7th. Instead of subtracting 2 from 7 and getting December 5. He would add 2 to 7 and get December 9th. A great source a amusement for Alice.

Three Children:
Bonnie Alice Sisson Manning (b. 1952)
Albert Berton Sisson, Jr. (b. 1955)
Penny Ann Sisson Nugent (b. 1963)

Grand children:
Berton Dennis Manning (b. 1974)
Joy-Elise Allison Manning Endreshak (b. 1976)
Brittany Leigh Sisson
Albert Berton "Trey" Sisson, III
Sara Ann Nugent Moore

Great Grandchildren to date:
Josiah Owen Endreshak (b.1995)
Nathanial Jake Endreshak (b. 1998)
Noah Michael Endreshak (b. 1999)
Kayden Pryce Sisson (b. 2003)
Gabe Connor Sisson (b. 2008)
Easton Micheal Moore (b 2018)
Olivia Mae Moore (b 2020)

Graduated from Mer Rouge High School. Son was 5'10 and 125 pounds. Had a hard time gaining weight. Wore 28" waist and 36" inseam. Khaki pants had to be specially ordered. Once ate everything in sight and managed to get weight up to 140 pounds. Desperately wanted to join the Mer Rouge football team.

After Mr. Michie died in 1966, Son was General Manger of Morehouse Gin and Elevator until retirement in late 80s. Served on the Mer Rouge Volunteer Fire Department and Mer Rouge City Counsel for years. Often said he was the "garbage man" as he set up trash pick up for the town. Dr. Shelley Coats Jones later told Bonnie, Son's daughter, that Son was responsible for the sewer system that was set up in Mer Rouge during the mid-60s. I remember Daddy complaining that one lady in Mer Rouge refused to hook up with the sewer - I assume he won in the end.

Medical history. Daddy had a mild form of blood cancer called polycythemia vera. It caused him to have too much blood. Solved by simply taking a set amount of blood from him every so often.

Died of throat cancer more than 40 years after the doctors said he would. His WWII wound DID finally kill him. I'm sure that he and Dr. Hazzard have a lot to talk about in heaven. So far, I've not been able to find any internet reference to Dr. Hazzard in Delaware or anywhere else on the eastern seaboard. We continue our search for Dr. Hazzard's old medical files.

1930 Census - Ward 6
Sisson, Albert age 45 M born LA Carpenter
Sisson, Etta M age 42 F born LA
Sisson, Dorothy age 21 F born LA
Sisson, Albert Jr. age M 14 born LA salesman drugstore
Sisson, Johnetta age 5 F born LA