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Sgt Emil Russ “Billy” May

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Sgt Emil Russ “Billy” May

Birth
Ebro, Washington County, Florida, USA
Death
6 Jan 1943 (aged 27)
Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija Province, Central Luzon, Philippines
Burial
New Hope, Washington County, Florida, USA
Plot
May Family Plot.
Memorial ID
View Source
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Called one of the "The Battling Bastards of Bataan" in this poem by Frank Hewlett:
"No mama, no papa, no Uncle Sam;
No aunts, no uncles, no cousins, no nieces;
No pills, no planes, no artillery pieces;
And nobody gives a damn."

Niece, Mary Cathrin May, wrote about his unit in her book, The Steadfast Line: The Story of the 27th Bombardment Group (Light) in World War II. Tallahassee, Fla.: Self-publish, 2004.

Service Serial Number: 6971449

Burial: At New Hope on 20 Apr 1949. Originally buried at the POW Camps, Cabanatuan, Luzon, Philippines as an unknown. Then identified and reburied at the USAF Cemetery, Manila, Luzon, Philippines on 31 Dec 1945.

Ref.: Martin, Adrian R., with Larry W. Stephenson, Operation Plum: The Ill-Fated 27th Bombardment Group and the Fight for the Western Pacific. College Station, Tex.: Texas A&M University Press, 2008, p. 266.
News article: "Sgt. Emil R. May Dies In Japanese Prisoners' Camp," Panama City News-Herald, Panama City, FL, 14 Jul 1943, p. 1.
Obituary: Pensacola News Journal, Pensacola, FL, 19 Apr 1949, p. 3.

His cenotaph in the Philippines is at: SGT Emil R. May.
Called one of the "The Battling Bastards of Bataan" in this poem by Frank Hewlett:
"No mama, no papa, no Uncle Sam;
No aunts, no uncles, no cousins, no nieces;
No pills, no planes, no artillery pieces;
And nobody gives a damn."

Niece, Mary Cathrin May, wrote about his unit in her book, The Steadfast Line: The Story of the 27th Bombardment Group (Light) in World War II. Tallahassee, Fla.: Self-publish, 2004.

Service Serial Number: 6971449

Burial: At New Hope on 20 Apr 1949. Originally buried at the POW Camps, Cabanatuan, Luzon, Philippines as an unknown. Then identified and reburied at the USAF Cemetery, Manila, Luzon, Philippines on 31 Dec 1945.

Ref.: Martin, Adrian R., with Larry W. Stephenson, Operation Plum: The Ill-Fated 27th Bombardment Group and the Fight for the Western Pacific. College Station, Tex.: Texas A&M University Press, 2008, p. 266.
News article: "Sgt. Emil R. May Dies In Japanese Prisoners' Camp," Panama City News-Herald, Panama City, FL, 14 Jul 1943, p. 1.
Obituary: Pensacola News Journal, Pensacola, FL, 19 Apr 1949, p. 3.

His cenotaph in the Philippines is at: SGT Emil R. May.

Inscription

IN MEMORY [...] 27 BOMB GROUP A.A.F. Defender of the PHILIPPINE ISLANDS

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  • Created by: William May Relative Niece/Nephew
  • Added: Jul 17, 2011
  • Find a Grave Memorial ID:
  • Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/73491119/emil_russ-may: accessed ), memorial page for Sgt Emil Russ “Billy” May (15 May 1915–6 Jan 1943), Find a Grave Memorial ID 73491119, citing New Hope Methodist Church Cemetery, New Hope, Washington County, Florida, USA; Maintained by William May (contributor 47254380).