The Ancestors and Cousins of Tracy Lynn DeVault

Virgil Roscoe Harmon had reference number 27901. He was enumerated on the census in Washington County, Tennessee (1920, 1930.) World War II, U.S. Air Force, killed in action. Virgil Roscoe Harmon was a member of a B-24 ( B-24D-20-CO "Miss Carriage" Serial Number 41-24207) bomber crew fighting in the Pacific.
On August 20, 1943, the bomber took off from 5-Mile Drome near Port Moresby on a mission against Wewak. Departing the target, a Japanese fighter fired at this B-24 from extreme range and hit one of the engines, setting it on fire, and causing it to descend roughly 800 feet. Then both wings collapsed. Seven parachutes were observed, one on fire, by other B-24s in the formation before the bomber exploded and crashed. Japanese fighters strafed the men in the parachutes until they landed roughly a mile from the target.
Several of the crew survived the crash. On March 7, 1944, pilot John L. Stiles was mentioned on an unofficial Japanese radio broadcast as a prisoner at Wewak. A Japanese broadcast on April 3, 1944 mentioned crew members Dale R. Lawyer and Frank P. Baker as prisoners at Wewak. On April 14, 1944 the 400th Bomber Squadron was notified that a Japanese broadcast stated eight men were taken prisoner, believed to be from this B-24.
When the Australian Army captured the Wewak area in May 1945, they discovered a Japanese cemetery on Mission Point with five American graves. Several of the graves were miss-marked but it was eventually determined that grave #3 was S/Sgt Mont O. Bower and the remains of 2nd Lt. John D. Elliott were found in grave #5. The remains of the other crew members were never found. The names of the crew are memorialized on the tablets of the missing in Manila American Cemetery and a memorial marker at Arlington National Cemetery.

Crew of the B-24 "Miss Carriage:"
Pilot F/O John L. Stiles T-000237 (MIA / KIA) PA
Co-Pilot 2nd Lt Frank P. Baker, O-798725 (MIA / KIA) GA
Crew 2nd Lt John D. Elliott, O-670046 (MIA / KIA, remains recovered) AL
Crew 2nd Lt Dale R. Lawyer, O-674590 (MIA / KIA) IL
Crew T/Sgt W. R. Hatcher, Jr., 38172903 (MIA / KIA) LA
Crew T/Sgt Edward M. Tierney, 31172274 (MIA / KIA) Conimicut, RI
Crew S/Sgt Mont O. Bower, 37217419 (MIA / KIA, remains recovered)
Crew S/Sgt Virgil R. Harmon, 38174105 (MIA / KIA) LA
Crew S/Sgt Wilson F. Harmon, 34144735 (MIA / KIA) TN
Crew S/Sgt Ernest R. Huff, 13012678 (MIA / KIA) PA

Source: Website - PacificWrecks.org.

Citations

[S5165] Genealogy prepared by Allie (Griffith) Nelson
[S1449] 1920 Census, Tennessee, Washington County, Source Medium: Book
[S1832] 1930 Census, North Carolina, Buncombe County

Family Explorer

Velma Estell Harmon^1,2,3

F, #27610, b. 13 March 1916

Parents

Father	Willard Roscoe Harmon (b. 2 April 1887, d. 17 November 1966)
Mother	Girlie Lenora Jones (b. 6 July 1893, d. 10 November 1966)

Pedigree Link

BASIC FACTS

Velma Estell Harmon was born on 13 March 1916 in Kentucky.^1,2 She and Charles Lagard were married on 11 June 1938.¹

Velma Estell Harmon had reference number 27902. She was enumerated on the census in Washington County, Tennessee (1920, 1930.)

Citations

[S5165] Genealogy prepared by Allie (Griffith) Nelson
[S1449] 1920 Census, Tennessee, Washington County, Source Medium: Book
[S1832] 1930 Census, North Carolina, Buncombe County

Family Explorer

Charles Lagard¹

M, #27611, b. 8 July 1907

Pedigree Link

BASIC FACTS

Charles Lagard was born on 8 July 1907.¹ He and Velma Estell Harmon were married on 11 June 1938.¹

Charles Lagard had reference number 27903.

Citations

[S5165] Genealogy prepared by Allie (Griffith) Nelson

Family Explorer

Cecil Jennings Harmon^1,2,3

M, #27612, b. 12 November 1912, d. 6 March 1980

Parents

Father	Willard Roscoe Harmon (b. 2 April 1887, d. 17 November 1966)
Mother	Girlie Lenora Jones (b. 6 July 1893, d. 10 November 1966)

Pedigree Link

BASIC FACTS

Cecil Jennings Harmon was born on 12 November 1912 in Yavapai Co., Arizona.^1,2,4 He died on 6 March 1980, at age 67.¹

Cecil Jennings Harmon had reference number 27904. He was enumerated on the census in Washington County, Tennessee (1920, 1930.) He was an Usher - motion picture show (1930.)³ His Social Security Number was 226-10-1048, issued: Virginia, last residence: Dayton, Montgomery Co., Ohio.⁵

Citations

[S5165] Genealogy prepared by Allie (Griffith) Nelson
[S1449] 1920 Census, Tennessee, Washington County, Source Medium: Book
[S1832] 1930 Census, North Carolina, Buncombe County
[S2776] Birth Records, Arizona (Internet)
[S12398] Social Security Death Index, Source Medium: Book

Family Explorer

Yvonne Gerdes¹

F, #27613, b. 26 March 1916, d. 1965

Pedigree Link

BASIC FACTS

Yvonne Gerdes was born on 26 March 1916.¹ She died in 1965, at age ~49.¹

Yvonne Gerdes had reference number 27905.

Citations

[S5165] Genealogy prepared by Allie (Griffith) Nelson

Family Explorer

J. Fred "Ted" Griffith, Jr.¹

M, #27614

Parents

Father	J. Fred Griffith, Jr. (b. 4 August 1925, d. 12 December 1994)
Mother	Aleene Jones Morris (b. 31 August 1925, d. 29 October 2003)

Pedigree Link

BASIC FACTS

J. Fred "Ted" Griffith, Jr., and Diana Lynn Hamilton were married on 5 August 1978.¹

Citations

[S5165] Genealogy prepared by Allie (Griffith) Nelson

Family Explorer

Margaret Paterson Logan¹

F, #27615

Pedigree Link

BASIC FACTS

Margaret Paterson Logan and Jack Lea Morris were married on 9 October 1997.¹

Citations

[S5165] Genealogy prepared by Allie (Griffith) Nelson

Family Explorer

Margot Ann Griffith^1,2

F, #27616

Parents

Father	J. Fred Griffith, Jr. (b. 4 August 1925, d. 12 December 1994)
Mother	Aleene Jones Morris (b. 31 August 1925, d. 29 October 2003)

Pedigree Link

Family: Stephen West

Daughter

Jacob Whitfield West

BASIC FACTS

Margot Ann Griffith and Stephen West were married on 24 October 1981.¹

Citations

[S5165] Genealogy prepared by Allie (Griffith) Nelson
[S4241] Email from Allie (Griffith) Nelson dated May 10, 2005

Family Explorer

Mark Whitfield Griffith^1,2

M, #27617

Parents

Father	J. Fred Griffith, Jr. (b. 4 August 1925, d. 12 December 1994)
Mother	Aleene Jones Morris (b. 31 August 1925, d. 29 October 2003)

Pedigree Link

Family: Jama Carter

Son	Joshua Griffith
Daughter	Katy Ann Griffith

Citations

[S5165] Genealogy prepared by Allie (Griffith) Nelson
[S4241] Email from Allie (Griffith) Nelson dated May 10, 2005

Family Explorer

Mary Lewis Moore¹

F, #27618

Pedigree Link

Family: Jack Lea Morris

Son	Lea Coleman "Cole" Morris
Daughter	Kelly Adair Morris+

BASIC FACTS

Mary Lewis Moore and Jack Lea Morris were married on 5 June 1953.¹

Citations

[S5165] Genealogy prepared by Allie (Griffith) Nelson

Family Explorer

Lea Coleman "Cole" Morris¹

M, #27619

Parents

Father	Jack Lea Morris
Mother	Mary Lewis Moore

Pedigree Link

BASIC FACTS

Lea Coleman "Cole" Morris and Deborah Kay Carmichael were married on 16 July 1983.¹

Citations

[S5165] Genealogy prepared by Allie (Griffith) Nelson

Family Explorer

Kelly Adair Morris¹

F, #27620

Parents

Father	Jack Lea Morris
Mother	Mary Lewis Moore

Pedigree Link

Family: Charles Thomas Birdwell

Daughter

Mollie Birdwell

BASIC FACTS

Kelly Adair Morris and Charles Thomas Birdwell were married on 31 May 1980 in Johnson City, Washington Co., Tennessee.¹

Citations

[S5165] Genealogy prepared by Allie (Griffith) Nelson

Family Explorer

Grace J. Woody^1,2

F, #27621, b. 4 October 1902, d. 9 July 2003

Pedigree Link

BASIC FACTS

Grace J. Woody was born on 4 October 1902 in North Carolina.^1,2 She and Paul Whitfield Jones were married about 1921.² She died on 25 December 1921, at age 19.¹ She died on 9 July 2003, at age 100.³ She was buried in Green Hills Cemetery, Asheville, Buncombe Co., North Carolina.³

Grace J. Woody had reference number 27913. She was enumerated on the census in Buncombe County, North Carolina (1930.) She was a Custodian - bank (1930.)² Her Social Security Number was 237-22-8039, issued: North Carolina, last residence: Camden, Kershaw Co., South Carolina.⁴ GRAVE MARKER

JONES

PAUL W. GRACE W.
AUG. 27, 1900 OCT. 4, 1902
SEPT. 6, 1981 JULY 9, 2003.

Citations

[S5165] Genealogy prepared by Allie (Griffith) Nelson
[S1832] 1930 Census, North Carolina, Buncombe County
[S4980] Find A Grave (Internet), Source Medium: Book
[S12398] Social Security Death Index, Source Medium: Book

Family Explorer

Grace Davis¹

F, #27622, d. before 21 March 1999

Pedigree Link

Family: William Ivan "Ivan" Jones (b. 14 September 1907, d. 21 March 1999)

Son	Robert J. Jones
Son	William Ivan Jones, Jr.

BASIC FACTS

Grace Davis died before 21 March 1999.²

Grace Davis had reference number 27914.

Citations

[S5165] Genealogy prepared by Allie (Griffith) Nelson
[S4023] Death Records - Tennessee, Tennessee State Archives (Internet), Source Medium: Book

Family Explorer

Robert J. Jones¹

M, #27623

Parents

Father	William Ivan "Ivan" Jones (b. 14 September 1907, d. 21 March 1999)
Mother	Grace Davis (d. before 21 March 1999)

Pedigree Link

Citations

[S5165] Genealogy prepared by Allie (Griffith) Nelson

Family Explorer

William Ivan Jones, Jr.¹

M, #27624

Parents

Father	William Ivan "Ivan" Jones (b. 14 September 1907, d. 21 March 1999)
Mother	Grace Davis (d. before 21 March 1999)

Pedigree Link

Citations

[S5165] Genealogy prepared by Allie (Griffith) Nelson

Family Explorer

Catherine Jones^1,2

F, #27625, b. 20 July 1841, d. 5 September 1928

Parents

Father	William A. Jones (b. 14 March 1808, d. 27 May 1882)
Mother	Elizabeth Crussell (d. before 1850)

Pedigree Link

BASIC FACTS

Catherine Jones was born on 20 July 1841 in Tennessee.^1,2 She died on 5 September 1928, at age 87.¹

Catherine Jones had reference number 27917.

Citations

[S5165] Genealogy prepared by Allie (Griffith) Nelson
[S58] 1850 Census, Tennessee, Sullivan County