WWII: US ARMY, CPL Manley L. Ankney, Born: 22 Aug 1918, Enlistment: 28 Jun 1941, Company A, 157th Infantry, “PURPLE HEART” Died: 17 Oct 2006, Buried: Evergreen Cemetery, Lansing, Michigan.

Thinks Germans are “Lousy” Shots.
ALLIED HEADQUARTERS In North Africa, Aug. 4 – (AP) Corp. Manley L. Ankney of Lansing, Mich., doesn't have a high regard or Nazi markmanship. The corporal, a member of a platoon in A company of a certain battle-tested American regiment which nearly became "the lost platoon of San Russo Ridge," had this to say about the Nazis: "Every one must carry an automatic weapon. They really poured it to us, but they are lousy shots. That machine pistol of theirs is also lousy, but it fires so much, that some bullets are bound to hit something. Those whizzing bullets sounded like a bunch of bees." San Russo Ridge is 1,200 feet of rock rising abruptly from the edge of the Tyrrhenian Sea in Sicily, and the Americans had to have it if they wanted San Stefano. Ankney's platoon was missing, about 48 hours as a result of a German counter-attack and. the battalion which retook the ridge looked around for them but couldn't find a trace of the soldiers — not even a C ration can. The platoon, was digging in on top the ridge when the enemy started firing at them. The platoon lad given a good account of itself before the Germans counter-attacked, and when they received a message to pull back, they were pinned down by fire. The soldiers lay there all day but late in the afternoon the fire lessened and the fighters started down, for the beach. They were thirsty and when they got to a little well they stopped for a drink. That was almost fatal because right over the well was a terraced ledge and the Germans came down and set up their mortars. The Americans crept under the edge and stayed there for about eight hours. They couldn't do anything but wait— not even smoke — and meanwhile the mortars were popping overhead. At midnight, the soldiers crept out and stumbled down the hill. Adrian Daily Telegram 8/4/1943

Corporal Manley Ankney, youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Ankney, who were residents of this locality for many years, has been returned to a hospital in Indiana, to recover from wounds received during service in Sicily. We wish Cpl. Ankney a speedy recovery. The Clare Sentinel 12/10/1943

WINS MEDAL Cpl Manley H Ankney, son of Mr and Mrs Ernest Ankney of Lansing, was awarded the purple heart medal at Billings hospital, Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana recently, for wounds received in the line of duty in Italy, October 5. Cpl Ankney is a nephew of Mr and Mrs James Cottrell of here. The Ankneys were former Clare county residents. Gladwin County Record 1/5/1944

Mrs. Blanche Ankney Touroo, a former resident of this community, passed away at 10:55 p. m. November 28, 1949, at St. Lawrence Hospital in Lansing, Michigan. Funeral services were held at Gorsline, Runciman Funeral Home at 2:30 Thursday afternoon, December 1st, with interment in Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens in Lansing. Rev. Buboltz officiated. Pallbearers were the nephews Marion Nedrow, James Ankney, Kenneth Ankney, Noble Ankney, Manley Ankney, Roy Diamond and Don Carpenter. She leaves to mourn, her husband James H. Touroo; one daughter, Beulah Freeman; one granddaughter, Patricia Fritz; and one great grandson Jeffry Fritz, all of Lansing; one brother Calvin Ankney, of Coleman, other relatives and many friends. The John Ankney family moved to Clare county from Paulding county Ohio, in 1902. There were six children. Calvin, Frank, John Ernest, Blanche and a stepson, Isaac Nedrow. With the exception of Calvin, all the family preceded Blanche in death Her mother, Mary, died in Clare, Sept. 7, 1912. Her father, John died in Clare, March 11, 1914. Both were taken back to Paulding county for burial. The brothers, Frank Ankney, died July 11, 1986, John Ankney, Sept. 20, 1937, Earnest Ankney, Jan. 12 1946, and Isaac Nedrow, Nov. 9,1946, all buried in Arthur Cemetery., Calvin Ankney still survives her and lives two miles west of Coleman. Mr. Ankney lost his wife, Carrie, Nov, 11, 1949. The Clare Sentinel 12/9/1949

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