Vernon Doil McCasland ¹

  General Notes:

Vernon's WWII army enlistment record showed that he had 4 years of high school. He was brought in from the National Guard. His civilian occupation was farm hand, general farm. He was single, without dependents. He was living in Mills County, Texas.

V-Mail 30 Mar 1944, letter to his uncle, Samuel Raymond Reid and Joyce Wright Reid

Dear Uncle Raymond, Aunt Joyce & family;

How are you all making it by now? Fine I hope. I am making it just fine now. Guess you all are pretty busy with the farm work now. Sure wish Donald (Wright) and I were there to help, it would sure beat what we have been doing over here.

Several of the Center City boys got together last Sunday evening over at the Service Co. William Siddle, John L. House, Altruman, Glen Geeslin, S.L. and myself. Donald was on detail and Don and Bookie had gone to town. It has been quite a while since I have seen Donald but think I will get to see him in a day or so. I haven't seen Edwin Arnold for a long time, and don't know where he is now.

We have seen quite a bit of action over here. We were the first ones to land at Salernon and it was plenty rough for a while. We have also fought around Cassino.

Well I will close hoping you all are O.K. and hoping to hear from you again soon.

Love & best wishes
Vernon

Goldthwaite Man Has Many Awards

Goldthwaite, Nov. 30 (Spl).--Private Vernon D. McCasland, son of Mr. and Mrs. Stacy McCasland, recently awarded the Purple Heart for serious wounds received in action with the 36th Division in France September 29, also holds the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Bronze Star medal for "heroic achievement in combat" and the Silver Star for gallantry in action last Dec. 4, near Mignano, Italy.

According to the citation by Maj. Gen. Fred L. Walker for the Silver Star, McCasland, although advised that it was practically impossible to lay wire between two certain vital hills, due to most difficult terrain and enemy artillery and mortar fire, did, with two other wire men, succeed in establishing the only means of communication to headquarters. The citation adds that one of the crew was killed after they had carried the wire 200 yards, and after completing their mission, McCasland and his comrade returned over the same dangerous route and carried the body of their dead comrade out of the shelled area.

A brother, Elroy McCasland , Seaman First Class, is with the 7th fleet in the Pacific.

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram carried the same article with also included this telegram.

Mr. and Mrs. S. P. McCasland received the following tellegram on November 29, 1944 from their son, T-5 Vernon D. McCasland:

Charleston, S.C.
November 29, 1944

S. P. McCasland
R. 3 Goldthwaite

Hello Dad:
Arrived Stark Hospital, Charleston, yesterday. Expect to be transferred hospital nearer home soon. Feeling fine, don't worry.
Love,
Vernon
______________

Vernon married his brother Kenneth's wife after Kenneth had died and his wife Monetta had died.

Social Security had his last residence as Odessa, Ector County, Texas.

Vernon D. McCasland passes Feb. 22

Vernon D. McCasland, 81, died Saturday, February 22, 2003 at his residence in Odessa, Texas. He was born July 31, 1921, to Stacy and Verde McCasland in Ralls, Texas.

Vernon served his country during World War II in the Naples-Foggia, Rome-Arna, and the Southern France Campaigns. He was awarded the American Defense Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater Campaign Medal, Silver Star, Bronze Star, and the Purple Heart. He was a Mason and was past worshipful master of the Masonic Lodge. He was a member of the American Legion, and the Immanuel Baptist Church.

Vernon married Doris Gummelt on February 23, 1998, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

He was a repairman with El Paso Natural Gas and retired with 35 years of service.

Besides his parents, he was also preceded in death by his brothers, Kenneth Elroy McCasland and Denver McCasland and his wife Monetta McCasland.

Survivors include his wife, Doris McCasland of Odessa; sons, John McCasland and Marty McCasland, both of Midland; daughters, Charlotte West of Odessa and Cheryl Bavousett of Seagraves; three step-daughters, Peggy Hamilton of Hobbs, NM, Pat Mayo of Longview, and Sandra Gentry of Phoenix, AZ; one sister, Ethylene Skaggs of Early; fourteen grandchildren; and thirty-six great grandchildren.

The funeral was at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 25, 2003 at Hubbard-Kelly Chapel in Odessa, Texas, with Dr. Mark D. Riley officiating. Masonic rites were at Sunset Memorial Gardens, Odessa, Texas.

The family request memorials be made to Odyssey Hospice, 2651 JBS Parkway, Bldg. 4, Ste. B, Odessa, TX 79761

  Additional Information:

• Military Service: as TEC 5, US Army, 3rd Battalion Headquarters Company, 142 Infantry, 36th division from Texas: World War II. ^{3 4}

Vernon married Monetta Helen Roberts on 5 Sep 1945. (Monetta Helen Roberts was born on 18 Dec 1928 in , Coryell County, Texas ⁵ and died on 6 Sep 1994 in , Ector County, Texas ^{5 6}.)

Vernon next married Doris Atheline Gummelt.