How young and handsome they are, these soldiers who look up atme from the pages of a scrapbook.

The book was put together by Junie Leggett Miller, who nowresides in Franklinton, La. Her sister, Ruth Myers of Brookhaven,brought it in for us to see. The clippings, I believe, were from aspecial edition this publication did sometime during World War II.Maybe some other news articles from the same time period areincluded, but it is a great memento.

“Milton Norwood Albritton, 20, is an Aviation Machinist’s Mate,3rd class in the Naval Reserve. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. J.Nation Albritton of Bogue Chitto… has been at sea almost 12months. He was last heard from somewhere in the South Pacific.

“In his last letter home he enclosed a small snapshot of hissquadron, including himself and 20 other mechanics. He told hisparents that this was a group of what they called ‘hard workingmen.'”

With a phone call or two I was able to find out that NorwoodAlbritton did make it back to his home in the Montgomery community.He is now deceased.

There is news of other soldiers, so many of them, men andwomen.

Sgt. Howard H. Bardwell, son of Barber Bardwell and the lateMrs. Bardwell, has been with the 47th Supply Squadron overseas forthe past 20 months. …

First Lt. Carl Douglas Potter, bombardier of “The Joker,” aflying fortress of the U.S. 8th Air Force, has won the Air Medaland three Oak Leaf Clusters. One of the clusters was given inrecognition of his having shot down a German fighter plane while hewas on a bombing mission. …

Pvt. Ethel Franklin, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James T. Franklin,Brookhaven, Miss., has enlisted in the Women’s Army Corps,successor to the Women’s Army Auxiliary. At present she isstationed at Fort Francis E. Warren, Wyoming, in Motor Transport.Drives anything under two and one-half tons. She drives a prisonertruck at present…

Proudly wearing the uniform of the Women’s Army Corps are SecondLieutenant Hazel M. Smith and Second Lieutenant Mildred L. Smith,daughters of Mr. and Mrs. W. Ed Smith of Brookhaven. …

William Henry Stanley, former operator of the Arcade Theatre, isnow an Aviation Radio Technician, Second Class, in the U.S. Navy….

Clifton T. Gatlin, S 1-C, enlisted on Nov. 11, 1942, receivedhis boot training at Great Lakes, then was given a course incooking at the University of Chicago. Given a short furlough in Mayhe came for a visit with his family and sailed immediately uponreturn to his base. Clifton is married and has three fine littledaughters, Elaine, Betty Sue and Frances Lee, all of whom arelooking forward to the day when Daddy can come home again. …

Not all of the news was good.

Charles Howard Smith, Seaman, 2-C, U.S. Naval Reserve, son ofMr. and Mrs. Thomas E. Smith of Brookhaven, was inducted into theU.S. Navy on March 12, 1943. He has recently been officiallyreported as missing in action …

Pvt. Lancy Franklin, son of Mr. and Mrs. George M. Franklin ofBrookhaven, Route 2, was killed in action on October 28th, in theLeyte Islands, according to an official message received by hisparents on Monday, December 4th. … Pvt. Franklin was attendingWest Lincoln High School when he was called into service. …

Pvt. Truman Crosby, son of Mrs. John W. Crosby and the late Mr.Crosby of Bogue Chitto, Miss., is among those who have made thesupreme sacrifice for his country. Mrs. Crosby recently receivednews that Truman died in the line of duty on May 25, 1943. …

Mr. and Mrs. M. Clarence Coker of Auburn were notified by theWar Department on Saturday that their son, Pvt. Marion C. Coker,had been killed in action on Siapan Island on July 12. … Pvt.Coker was a member of Adams Methodist Church at Auburn and is thethird member of that church to be killed in action.

I am glad that Mrs. Myers decided to share her sister’s bookwith us, and in coming weeks we will be sharing more of it withyou.

In the meantime, I will be saying prayers for soldiers of thepast, present and future. May God bless and keep them all.

Write to Nanette Laster at P.O. Box 551, Brookhaven, Miss.39602, or send e-mail to news@dailyleader.com.