Beloit Daily News, Friday 4 August 1944
Death broke the bonds linking the soldier careers of two Rockton, Ill., pals on June 5 when their plane, a Flying Fortress, was shot down over France as the Army Air Forces were blasting a path for the invasion ground forces.
The two Rockton men on that fateful flight were Lt. Earl M. Armstrong, the pilot, and Lt. Donald G. Baker, the navigator. Both were previously reported missing in action over Dieppe, where the Canadians made their famous raid two years ago this month.
Word came today that Lt. Armstrong was killed in action on June 5 and that Lt. Baker is a prisoner of war of the Germans.
The message, telling of Lt. Armstrong's death, was sent to his mother, Mrs. Charles Brenner, Rockton, by the adjutant general's office in Washington, D.C. It stated: "A report was received from the German government through the International Red Cross that he (Lt. Armstrong) was previously reported missing in action and that he was killed in action the 5th of June. A letter will follow."
Mrs. Marcella Storlie Baker, wife of Lt. Donald G. Baker, received the wire telling about her husband. It said: "Your husband is a prisoner of war of the Germans. A letter will follow." Mrs. Baker lives at 504 W. Grand ave.
Lt. Armstrong, older of the two officers entered the army air corps, April 13, 1941, and served at the Oakland, Calif., airport. Early in 1943 he was accepted for pilot training, receiving his commission at Albany, Ga., on Aug. 31, 1943. He was last here in March, 1944, before going overseas. He was born Oct. 13, 1917 in Rockton township, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Everett Armstrong. His father died in 1918 and his mother is now Mrs. Charles Brenner, Rockton.
The Rockton officer spent his boyhood in Rockton, where he attended its schools, including the Hononegah high school from which he graduated in 1937 with a record for football playing. He is survived by his widow, Mrs. Dorothy Littleton Armstrong, and six months' old son Charles Everett Armstrong; his mother Mrs. Brenner; a brother George Ray Armstrong, South Beloit, and a sister, Mrs. Marjorie Funk, Rockton.
[Following a summary of the life of Lt. Baker]
Death broke the bonds linking the soldier careers of two Rockton, Ill., pals on June 5 when their plane, a Flying Fortress, was shot down over France as the Army Air Forces were blasting a path for the invasion ground forces.
The two Rockton men on that fateful flight were Lt. Earl M. Armstrong, the pilot, and Lt. Donald G. Baker, the navigator. Both were previously reported missing in action over Dieppe, where the Canadians made their famous raid two years ago this month.
Word came today that Lt. Armstrong was killed in action on June 5 and that Lt. Baker is a prisoner of war of the Germans.
The message, telling of Lt. Armstrong's death, was sent to his mother, Mrs. Charles Brenner, Rockton, by the adjutant general's office in Washington, D.C. It stated: "A report was received from the German government through the International Red Cross that he (Lt. Armstrong) was previously reported missing in action and that he was killed in action the 5th of June. A letter will follow."
Mrs. Marcella Storlie Baker, wife of Lt. Donald G. Baker, received the wire telling about her husband. It said: "Your husband is a prisoner of war of the Germans. A letter will follow." Mrs. Baker lives at 504 W. Grand ave.
Lt. Armstrong, older of the two officers entered the army air corps, April 13, 1941, and served at the Oakland, Calif., airport. Early in 1943 he was accepted for pilot training, receiving his commission at Albany, Ga., on Aug. 31, 1943. He was last here in March, 1944, before going overseas. He was born Oct. 13, 1917 in Rockton township, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Everett Armstrong. His father died in 1918 and his mother is now Mrs. Charles Brenner, Rockton.
The Rockton officer spent his boyhood in Rockton, where he attended its schools, including the Hononegah high school from which he graduated in 1937 with a record for football playing. He is survived by his widow, Mrs. Dorothy Littleton Armstrong, and six months' old son Charles Everett Armstrong; his mother Mrs. Brenner; a brother George Ray Armstrong, South Beloit, and a sister, Mrs. Marjorie Funk, Rockton.
[Following a summary of the life of Lt. Baker]
Beloit Daily News, Friday 4 August 1944
Death broke the bonds linking the soldier careers of two Rockton, Ill., pals on June 5 when their plane, a Flying Fortress, was shot down over France as the Army Air Forces were blasting a path for the invasion ground forces.
The two Rockton men on that fateful flight were Lt. Earl M. Armstrong, the pilot, and Lt. Donald G. Baker, the navigator. Both were previously reported missing in action over Dieppe, where the Canadians made their famous raid two years ago this month.
Word came today that Lt. Armstrong was killed in action on June 5 and that Lt. Baker is a prisoner of war of the Germans.
The message, telling of Lt. Armstrong's death, was sent to his mother, Mrs. Charles Brenner, Rockton, by the adjutant general's office in Washington, D.C. It stated: "A report was received from the German government through the International Red Cross that he (Lt. Armstrong) was previously reported missing in action and that he was killed in action the 5th of June. A letter will follow."
Mrs. Marcella Storlie Baker, wife of Lt. Donald G. Baker, received the wire telling about her husband. It said: "Your husband is a prisoner of war of the Germans. A letter will follow." Mrs. Baker lives at 504 W. Grand ave.
Lt. Armstrong, older of the two officers entered the army air corps, April 13, 1941, and served at the Oakland, Calif., airport. Early in 1943 he was accepted for pilot training, receiving his commission at Albany, Ga., on Aug. 31, 1943. He was last here in March, 1944, before going overseas. He was born Oct. 13, 1917 in Rockton township, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Everett Armstrong. His father died in 1918 and his mother is now Mrs. Charles Brenner, Rockton.
The Rockton officer spent his boyhood in Rockton, where he attended its schools, including the Hononegah high school from which he graduated in 1937 with a record for football playing. He is survived by his widow, Mrs. Dorothy Littleton Armstrong, and six months' old son Charles Everett Armstrong; his mother Mrs. Brenner; a brother George Ray Armstrong, South Beloit, and a sister, Mrs. Marjorie Funk, Rockton.
[Following a summary of the life of Lt. Baker]
Death broke the bonds linking the soldier careers of two Rockton, Ill., pals on June 5 when their plane, a Flying Fortress, was shot down over France as the Army Air Forces were blasting a path for the invasion ground forces.
The two Rockton men on that fateful flight were Lt. Earl M. Armstrong, the pilot, and Lt. Donald G. Baker, the navigator. Both were previously reported missing in action over Dieppe, where the Canadians made their famous raid two years ago this month.
Word came today that Lt. Armstrong was killed in action on June 5 and that Lt. Baker is a prisoner of war of the Germans.
The message, telling of Lt. Armstrong's death, was sent to his mother, Mrs. Charles Brenner, Rockton, by the adjutant general's office in Washington, D.C. It stated: "A report was received from the German government through the International Red Cross that he (Lt. Armstrong) was previously reported missing in action and that he was killed in action the 5th of June. A letter will follow."
Mrs. Marcella Storlie Baker, wife of Lt. Donald G. Baker, received the wire telling about her husband. It said: "Your husband is a prisoner of war of the Germans. A letter will follow." Mrs. Baker lives at 504 W. Grand ave.
Lt. Armstrong, older of the two officers entered the army air corps, April 13, 1941, and served at the Oakland, Calif., airport. Early in 1943 he was accepted for pilot training, receiving his commission at Albany, Ga., on Aug. 31, 1943. He was last here in March, 1944, before going overseas. He was born Oct. 13, 1917 in Rockton township, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Everett Armstrong. His father died in 1918 and his mother is now Mrs. Charles Brenner, Rockton.
The Rockton officer spent his boyhood in Rockton, where he attended its schools, including the Hononegah high school from which he graduated in 1937 with a record for football playing. He is survived by his widow, Mrs. Dorothy Littleton Armstrong, and six months' old son Charles Everett Armstrong; his mother Mrs. Brenner; a brother George Ray Armstrong, South Beloit, and a sister, Mrs. Marjorie Funk, Rockton.
[Following a summary of the life of Lt. Baker]
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