|
 A
new addition to the Roseau County Historical Society board of
directors is Warroad native Angie Brewster-Battles. Angie, her
husband, Rick, and their 4-year-old daughter, Isabella, live in
the home she grew up in. They purchased the home from her mother,
Rita Brewster, in 1998, remodeled it, and adding an apartment for
Rita.
Angie is an educator by profession, teaching English and
communication courses at Northland Community and Technical College
at the Roseau Campus. She also manages the office for the business
she and Rick own, Rick’s Appraisal Service. They recently
purchased the old, old Red Owl building on Wabasha in Warroad and
are in the process of renovating it. The board and staff look
forward to working with her.
I am continuing the focus on Veteran’s this week with the
biography for Wesley Battles (Clear River township) from the
Roseau County Veteran’s Book of Honor complied by the Veteran’s
Memorial Park Committee, pg 60.
Wesley was born April 22, 1924 to C. Everett and Edith (Oliver)
Battles, he attended the Lee Lewis grade school in Clear River
Twp. then for three years he attended the Crookston School of
Agriculture, where he was a member of the debate team and earned a
Red River Dairyman pin. He returned to Warroad for his senior year
and graduated from Warroad HS in 1942. He had 3 brothers and 3
sisters.
He entered the Navy in 1942, he was trained at the Great Lakes
Naval Training Center, then Jacksonville, FL and finally San
Diego, Ca. His active duty was in Aviation Ordinance attached to
Patrol Squadron Eleven. Wesley flew patrol in southern and western
Australia until September 1943. From that time until February 1944
he was engaged in rescue work, search missions and anti-shipping
attacks against the enemy in the Japanese controlled area of the
Bismarck Sea. This work earned a Presidential Citation for his
unit.
On December 16, 1943, his unit was sent to drop food and supplies
to Australian Commandos 250 miles behind Japanese lines along the
Sepik River in New Guinea. On December 19, the Squadron flew what
Yank magazine called one of the most daring rescues of the war in
the South Pacific. Load after load was lifted out with everyone
racing against time as the Japanese closed in. When Wesley’s plane
returned for the last load, it developed engine trouble. They were
forced to hide the plane as best they could and spend the night
within five miles of Japanese headquarters. Another crew
volunteered to fly repairs to them, enabling Wes’s team to fly out
the last load of Australians.
A letter to Wesley’s parents from the Secretary of the Navy, dated
February 7, 1946 reads in part:
“Your son, Wesley Everett Battles, Aviation Ordinanceman Second
Class, United States Navy, has been carried on the official
records of the Navy Dept. in the status of missing in action as of
August13, 1944, when the plane in which he was flying, attached to
Patrol Squadron Eleven, failed to return from a night patrol
flight in the vicinity of Halmahera, Woendi Lagoon, Schouten
Islands.”
The letter went on to say that the plane had not been heard from
since it transmitted routine messages that morning. After the war,
the War Department could not find Wesley’s name on any list of
personnel liberated from Japanese prisoner of war camps, therefore
he was officially declared deceased. A memorial service was held
in Warroad, in October 1946.
His brother Eugene writes, “Wesley never knew his youngest sister
Marie as she was born after he left. My mother never stopped
believing that somehow he would be found on one of the many
islands that dot that area. For many years, she saved every
clipping of lost planes.” Wesley was awarded the Distinguished
Flying Cross, American Campaign Medal 1941- 45, World War II
Freedom Medal 1941-45, Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal 1941 - 45,
United States Navy Fidelity Obedience Seal, Purple Heart, Aviation
Ordinanceman Second Class 1945, and the Bronze Star. Information
from his brother, Eugene Battles of Warroad.
RCHS Foot Notes
The Roseau County Historical Society 75th Anniversary Cookbook is
now available at the museum for $15.
Military Service History Forms can be picked up
at any county VFW, American Legion or at the museum.
We encourage all enlisted or veterans to participate in this
program.
To request a form contact the museum at:
Roseau County Historical Society
110 2nd Ave. NE
Roseau MN 56751
Phone 218-463-1918
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