Cpl. Gethin Thomas Edmonds was born in Chicago on February 28, 1920, to Gethin Edmonds and Louise E. Schaar-Edmonds, and had one sister and three brothers. He was known as Tom to his family and friends. The family resided at 1434 South 14th Avenue in Maywood, Illinois, and he graduated from Garfield School and Proviso Township High School in 1937. He used his middle name as his first name on his high school records. After high school, he was employed at the Jones Grocery Store in Broadview.
Tom registered with Selective Service Registration on October 16, 1940, when the draft act became law and named his father as his contact person. Knowing he was going to be drafted into the Army, he enlisted in the US Army on April 16, 1941. His serial number was 36 026 193. The exact order of where he trained is not known, but he appears to have done his basic training at Camp Croft, South Carolina. From there he appears to have been sent to Camp Forest, Tennessee, where he was transferred to the Air Corps. In no particular order since dates are not available, he trained at Scott Field, Illinois, San Antonio Aviation Cadet Center, Texas, Corsicana Field, Texas, Tarrant Field, Texas, and Rosecrans Field, Missouri. After completing his training he qualified as a radio operator.
What is known is Tom was assigned to the Air Transport Command, whose job was to carry war materials where they were needed. When he was assigned to the unit is not known. It is not known when he shipped overseas. It is known that he was sent to the India/Burma War Theater and was stationed at Camp Goal, Bhagalpur, India. From available information, his plane appears to have crashed, apparently while taking off, on February 2, 1944, killing the entire crew who were buried in Plot C, Grave 20, at the Nathnagar Road Cemetery, Bhagalpur, India, which was an Anglican cemetery.
His parents received a telegram from the War Department.
MR GETHIN EDMONDS
1801 SOUTH 6TH AVENUE
MAYWOOD ILLINOIS
THE SECRETARY OF WAR ME TO EXPRESS HIS DEEPEST REGRET THAT YOUR SON CORPORAL GETHIN T EDMONDS HAS BEEN REPORTED WAS KILLED IN ACTION SINCE TWO FEBRUART IN SOUTHEAST ASIA PERIOD LETTER FOLLOWS PERIOD
ULIO
THE ADJUTANT GENERAL
A letter was also received by his parents, but the content is not known.
Later in 1944, his parents moved to Monrovia, California. It appears it was for his father’s health but also because of Tom’s death. The parents did notify the Quartermaster Corps of the move.
At the same time, it the remains of Tom’s crew were exhumed from the Nathnagar Road Cemetery and moved to the American Military Cemetery, Barrackpore, India. It was at this time that the dental charts of each man was used to identify his remains. This was made necessary because the civilians, after the plane crashed, removed the identification tags.
During this time a letter was sent to Maywood where it appears that a former neighbor was forwarding the mail to the parents in Monrovia. This time the letter did not get to him. In a letter dated September 16, 1946, he informed the QMC that he had not received the letter and that he wanted his son buried in an American Military Cemetery. In response to the letter, he was sent another letter containing his options for Tom’s final burial and included a form he was asked to fill-out and return to the Office of the Quartermaster General in Washington DC. The OQMG received the form on March 29, 1948, and it indicated Tom’s father wanted him buried in a military cemetery.
Cpl. Gethin T. Edmonds was buried in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Hawaii, on February 25, 1949, with full military honors, in Plot M, Grave 861. His parents were sent the flag from his casket and a letter.
Cpl. Gethin T. Edmonds, ASN: 36 026 193
Section M, Grave 861
Headstone: Cross
National Memorial Cemetery of The Pacific
Territory of Hawaii
Mr. Gethin Edmonds
746 East Foothill Boulevard
Monrovia, California
Dear Mr. Edmonds
The remains of your loved one have been permanently interred as recorded above among his comrades who also gave their lives for their country. Customary military services were conducted over the grave at the time of burial.
The cemetery is under the control of the Department of the Army and responsibility for permanent construction, beautification and perpetual maintenance, including appropriate marking of the grave, will rest with the Army. During these operations, which will extend over a period of several months, visits to the cemetery are not encouraged.
You have received, or will receive, a communication from the cemetery superintendent indicating the type of permanent grave marker to be installed as well as the name and other pertinent data to be inscribed thereon.
You may rest assured that this final interment was conducted with fitting dignity and solemnity and that the gravesite will be carefully and conscientiously maintained in perpetuity by the United States Government.
Sincerely yours,
(signed)
H. FELDMAN
Major General
The Quartermaster General
