Herald Journal Clarinda, Iowa
AIR HERO IN TOWN TUESDAY NOW RECRUITING AIR WACS
After downing lA Zeros in the Southwest J*acific7in lighting at the philippAies, j/va. Borneo, Sumatra, jB/flu the Solomons. Guadalcanal, th* Coral Sea and New Guinea, an* winning during this stirring combat hi the air the Distinguished Flying Cross, the air medal, silver star with 3 oak leaf clusters, 2 Purple Heart for wounds received, and 11 service ribbons. Warrant Officer, (junior grade) Russell I Huffman, who stopped in Clarinda Tuesday, is now in the comparatively tame work of recruiting WACs to replace men doing detail work in the air corps.
The WAC recruiters were on their way to Atlantic for recruiting work Wednesday and Thursday when they slopped in Clarinda. They plan to be back in Clarinda to recruit women of this locality afler Jan 1.
Accompanying Warrant Officer Huffman, who is 23 years old and prior to the war a Montana rancher, were S/Sgt Robert I Sobol. Philadelphia, a graduate of the army adjutant general's classification school, and also accompanying the recruiters a member of the Page county WAC Recruiting committee of Shenandoah.
TO LAUNCH USS ABERCROMBIE IN HONOR OF PAGE COUNTY BOY
Sometime in January u ship will be launched bearing the name of a Page county boy, killed in action as the pilot of a torpedo plane of the Aircraft Carrier Hornet, lost in the Southwest Pacific theatre.
The ship will be called the USS Abercrombie in honor of Ensign Warner Abercrombie, who "was the son of Mr and Mrs C W Abercrombie. former Shenandoah residents, but now of Merriam, Kansas. It has been announced that the family will attend the christening. Mrs Abercrombie wil be honored at a luncheon and will christen the ship. Ensign Gay, only survivor of a carrier-based squadron in the battle of Midway will also be present for the ceremony.
