Iowa
Old Press
The Bayard News
Bayard, Guthrie co. Iowa
Thursday, April 20, 1944
[serviceman photo included]
Estel McClellan Drowns Sunday Overseas
The tragedy of war struck the Bayard community for the
fourth time Monday afternoon when Mrs. Evah McClellan received an
official telegram from the Navy department telling her that her
son, Estel Ray McClellan, machinists mate second class, had
drowned as a result of an accident Sunday. He had been in North
Ireland when he last wrote home. Following is a copy of the
telegram:
Washington D.C., April 17, 1944
Mrs. Evah Lucille McClellan
Box 95, Bayard, Iowa
The Navy Department deeply regrets to inform you of the
accidental death of your son, Estel Ray McClellan, machinists
mate second class, USN, as a result of drowning on 16 April 1944
while in the performance of his duty and in the service of his
country. The remains have been interred in allied territory
outside the Continental Limits of the United States pending
cessation of hostilities. To prevent possible aid to our enemies
please do not divulge the name of his ship or station. The Navy
Department extends to you its sincerest sympathy in your great
sorrow.
Vice Admiral, Randal Jacobs
Chief of Naval Personnel
McClellan, who was 22 years old last Dec. 7, enlisted in the Navy
June 10, 1941, and he had not been home since August 1941 when he
spent his boot leave from Great Lakes to Bayard. Before embarking
for overseas in February 1942 he attended a Navy trade school in
San Diego, Calif. He earned his presenting rating last September.
Estel quit school his junior year at the Bayard high school and
joined the CCCs where he spent two years. Besides his mother, he
is survived by three sisters and two brothers. They are Mrs.
William Malcom of Des Moines and Charlotte, Jim, Pauline and Don,
all at home.
The last letter Mrs. McClellan had from Estel was written April
5, and she reports that he was particularly cheerful in the
message he sent. He told her that he was working ten hours a day,
seven days a week, but he didn’t mind because he felt that
the harder he worked the sooner the war would be over and he
could come home. He mentioned that they were having lots of fun
in connection with their work and it was not drudgery at all.
Others from Bayard who have been killed in this war are Stewart
Pennington, Gerald Grove and Jack Stiles.
[transcribed by L.Z., August 2017]