Marion County Remembers

MSGT John Edward Cunningham was born June 3, 1918 in Mannington, WV to Charles and Carrie (Humphrey) Cunningham.  John was the oldest of 7 kids, 5 boys and 2 girls. The family moved around a bit, living and working as farmers in Mannington during the 1920 census, unemployed in Wyatt (Harrison County) during the 1930 census, before finally settling in Baxter where Charles, John, and his brother Paul worked at a department store (1940 census). John entered the draft on October 16, 1940, working at the time for a merchant at 219 Madison Street in Fairmont. He listed himself as 5'11" and 140 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. Under identifying features, it says that he had gray streaks in his hair. He enlisted in the Army at Fort Hayes in Columbus, Ohio on March 19, 1942. At the time he was listed single with no dependents, but on August 11, 1943 John married Mary Margaret (Curry) McElroy. Reverend Jennings H. Fast officiated the wedding in Rowlesburg (Preston County), WV. Mar...

Remembering 2LT William Fay Davis August 9, 1922 - May 4, 1944 ---- 2LT William Fay Davis was born August 9, 1922 in Everson, West Virginia to Marcene and Willa (Everson) Davis. William was the third of four children, with two older sisters (Mary Margaret and Virginia) and one younger brother (John). William spent much of his life in Baxter, WV, while his father worked for Consolidated Coal in Rivesville, first as a trackman (1930 Census), then as a timberman (1940 Census). William entered the draft on June 30, 1942. At the time, he was also employed by Consolidated Coal in Rivesville. He listed himself as 5'11" and 151 lbs, with blue eyes and brown hair. He only attended two years of high school according to the 1940 census, presumably at Rivesville High School. Military Service: He enlisted in the Army Air Corps in Wheeling on February 5, 1943. On May 4, 1944, 2LT William Fay Davis died in a plane crash near Westover Field in Ludlow, Massachusets, when all four engines exper...