Throughout the hallways of Charleston High School, various trophies and plaques are on display. One plaque that we pass by on a regular basis, but may not realize the significance of, is the memorial plaque to Charleston High school alumni who died during World War II. This plaque is located on the south side of the Main Office of the high school. It was given to the Class of 1945 and dedicated by the Class of 1946. There are 21 names of men who paid the ultimate sacrifice protecting our freedom. 

Lowell Eugene Hunter was the son of James and Ann (Hudson) Hunter. Lowell had three siblings: Lela, Joanna and Thomas. Hunter joined the Navy Reserve in his junior year at Charleston High School on September 19, 1943, at 17 years old. After enlisting, Hunter was sent to the Great Lakes Naval Station for basic training. Where he contracted pneumonia while training. It was ultimately fatal, causing his death on November 19, 1943, while he was being treated at the hospital at Great Lakes.

The Charleston Daily Courier wrote on November 20, 1943, “Pneumonia Fatal to Lowell Hunter”. It noted, “Lowell Hunter, son of Mr. and Mrs. James Hunter of 18 West Madison Street died Friday evening in a hospital at the Great Lakes Naval Training Sation, following an illness of two weeks from pneumonia. Lowell Hunter was born in Charleston on November 28th and would have been 18 this month. He attended Charleston public schools and was in his junior year at Charleston High school when he enlisted in the Navy on September 19th. The body will arrive in Charleston either this (Saturday) evening or early Sunday morning, accompanied by a naval escort. The funeral arrangements have not been made.”  

Lowell Hunter was interred at Roselawn Cemetery in Charleston.

We salute the service and sacrifice of Lowell Eugene Hunter and other Charleston High school alumni whose names are listed on the plaque.

Research was found at the Charleston Public Library’s Local History and Genealogy Room.

Throughout the hallways of Charleston High School, various trophies and plaques are on display. One plaque that we pass by on a regular basis, but may not realize the significance of, is the memorial plaque to Charleston High Alumni who died during World War II. This plaque is located on the south side of the main office. It was given to the Class of 1945 and dedicated by the Class of 1946. There are 21 names of men who paid the ultimate sacrifice protecting our freedom.  

William Henry Drake graduated with the Charleston High School Class of 1942. He was the son of John and Mamie McGahan Drake. William had three sisters (Edna, Mary and Martha) and three brothers (Gerald, Roy and Dale). William enlisted in the U.S Army on April 1st, 1943, and became a glider infantryman in Company B 193rd Glider infantry regiment of the 17th Airborne Division.

After much training, Drake and his comrades left Boston for England on August 20th, 1944. They arrived in England on August 28, 1944. Upon their arrival, they continued training and were held in strategic reserve until the Germans launched the Ardennes offensive (also known as the Battle of the Bulge) on December 16th, 1944.

Drake and the men of the 193rd were flown to France on December 23-25th and then were taken hastily by truck to Belgium. In January 1945, Drake saw combat for the first time around the Belgian town of Flamierge.

He was killed in action on January 8, 1945, On January 31, 1945, the Journal Gazette from Matton wrote an article with the headline “Pvt. William H. Drake of Charleston killed”

  On February 1, 1945, The Decatur Daily Review wrote, “Mr. and Mrs. John Drake, Charleston, received a message from the War department Tuesday informing them that their son, Pvt. William H. Drake, 20, was killed in action in Belgium and that a letter with details would follow. Private Drake was born in Charleston July 7, 1924, and attended Charleston schools.”

  William Drake’s remains were returned at Mound Cemetery in Charleston in 1949. His father, John Drake, purchased William’s headstone.

We salute the sacrifice of all Charleston High school alumni, Pvt. William Henry Drake, as well as the other heroes whose names are listed on the memorial plaque. May we never forget.

Research found here:

Charleston Public Library at the genealogy and local history room

The 193rd Glider Infantry Regiment (GIR) - Unit History (ww2-airborne.us)

Throughout the hallways of Charleston High School, various trophies and plaques are on display. One plaque that we pass by on a regular basis, but may not realize the significance of, is the memorial plaque to Charleston High school alumni who died during World War II. This plaque is located on the south side of the Main Office of the high school. It was given to the Class of 1945 and dedicated by the Class of 1946. There are 21 names of men who paid the ultimate sacrifice protecting our freedom. 

Buford Mannin graduated with the Charleston High School Class of 1940. He was the son of Daniel             Boone and Ann Pieratt Mannin and had a sister Madeleine. Buford enlisted in the Marine Corps on October 9, 1942, and became an artillery man serving with the 10th Marine Artillery Regiment, 2nd Marine Division. Mannin was killed in action on June 15, 1944, while landing on the Japanese held island of Saipan in the Mariana Islands.

Mannin’s remains were returned to his family in 1949. Mattoon’s “Journal Gazette” on February 1 wrote “Charleston. Ill.- Funeral will be held at the Charleston Methodist Church at 2:30 o’clock Sunday afternoon for marine Pfc (Private first class) Buford Mannin… Young Mannin was killed June 15,1944, on Saipan at the age of 22. The body was returned home today to the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Boone Mannin, four miles south of Charleston.”

Buford also had an article written about him by “The Decatur Hearld” on February 1, 1949. “Pfc (Private first class) Mannin, a member of the 10th marines 2nd division was killed on Saipan on June 15, 1944, and was interned in a military cemetery there, He was born near Hindsboro, July 20, 1922. He attended Villa Grove high school and Charleston high school before entering the service October 9,1942… Burial will be in Roselawn cemetery with military rites in charge of the V.F.W and American legion.”

We salute the service and sacrifice of PFC Buford Mannin as well as the other Charleston High School alumni whose names are listed on the memorial plaque. May we never forget and always honor them.

Research was found at the Charleston Public Library Local History and Genealogy Room.   

Throughout the hallways of Charleston High School, various trophies and plaques are on display. One plaque that we pass by on a regular basis, but may not realize the significance of, is the memorial plaque to Charleston High Alumni who died during World War II. This plaque is located on the south side of the Main Office of the high school. It was given to the Class of 1945 and dedicated by the Class of 1946. There are twenty-one names of men who paid the ultimate sacrifice protecting our freedom.

One of the names listed is in honor of John Kenneth Bisson. John Bisson was the son of Mr. Walter and Mollie Oliver Bisson. He had two brothers, Maurice and Jackson, as well as a sister, Jane.

John Bisson graduated with the Charleston High School Class of 1925 and was also the captain of the track team that same year.

In 1926, Bisson was appointed to the United States Naval Academy and graduated with the Class of 1930. While at the academy, he was on the varsity track team. The Naval Academy yearbook noted that Bisson, “Would rather run than eat.” The yearbook spoke highly of his character, describing, “You will find him plugging away at something all year around, and no matter what he does you can be sure it is being done in a thorough manner.”

 After being commissioned into the Navy, Bisson would spend most of his pre-war career serving in the fleet. The exception to this was being stationed at the Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Florida. Bisson also returned to the Naval Academy for instruction at the post-graduate school.

Afterwards, he went to the Naval Boiler Laboratory School in Philadelphia. Then, he served as executive officer on U.S.S Gridley when the U.S entered the Second World War. In April 1942, Bisson reported for duty as an engineer officer onboard the U.S.S Vincennes.

Bisson participated in the Battle of Midway supporting the vitally important aircraft carrier U.S.S Yorktown while onboard the Vincennes. After the battle, the Vincennes returned to Pearl Harbor for repairs. Bisson was then promoted to Lieutenant Commander.

After repairs of the U.S.S. Vincennes, Bisson participated in the Guadalcanal Campaign. He was involved in a shore bombardment on August 7th of Japanese positions on the Island of Guadalcanal.

On the nights of August 8th and 9th Bisson was involved in the Battle of Savo Island (In support of the Guadalcanal Campaign), at Around 1:55 A.M Japanese searchlight beams spotted the Vincennes and in return opened fire with her main guns.  After opening fire, the ship was fired upon by the enemy and sustained much damage. Around 2:00 a.m. Torpedoes hit the ship and shortly after that lost all steering control. During this engagement she was hit at least fifty-seven times by 8- and 5-inch shells. At 2:30 a.m. the captain of the Vincennes ordered the rest of the crew to abandon ship. She (Vincennes) would roll over and would sink at about 2:50 a.m.

Now what happen to Bisson during the battle is not sure, he was at first listed as missing but then on August 10th, 1943, was declared dead. He is listed in the Halls of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery. John’s remains have never been found and identified.

 We are forever grateful for the service and sacrifice John Kenneth Bisson and all other Charleston alumni who died protecting our nation.

You may be gone, but you are not forgotten.

 Research found here:

U.S. Naval Academy Virtual Memorial Hall

Naval History and Heritage Command

Charleston Public library at the Genealogy and local History room