2 YOUTHS ENLIST IN MARINE CORPS AND GO TO COAST
Robert W. Skelton, son of Mr. and Mrs. F. W. Skelton, and John Marsh, son of Mr. and Mrs. C. A. Marsh, have enlisted in the United States marine corps and have been sent to San Diego, Cal.
The boys will go through a training period of approximately seven weeks, after which they will be allowed a ten day furlough to return home and visit relatives and friends. They will then be assigned to duty at one of the many marine stations over the world.
Young Skelton attended high school at Webster City and then started to college, but gave that up. He intends to finish his education in the marine corps, being interested in photography. He can take a complete course of photography in the marines, completing the course in about eight months.
Marsh is a graduate of the Dayton high school. He was active in athletics, being interested in football, baseball and basketball. He is also a musician and won state honors as trombone soloist.
Source: Daily Freeman Journal, Webster City, IA - November 21, 1941
RECEIVE LETTER
Mr. and Mrs. F. W. Skelton, of this city, have received a message from their son Pfc. Robert W. Skelton, of the marine corps who reports that his unit number has been changed from 340 to 705, but his address is still in care of the postmaster, San Francisco, Cal.
The marine, who is doing special photography work, writes that everything is o.k. and that he is well. His new address is Pfc. Robert W. Skelton, Unit No 705, U. S. M. C., care Postmaster, San Francisco, Cal.
Source: Daily Freeman Journal, Webster City, IA - Sept. 14, 1942
IN PACIFIC
Corporal Robert W. Skelton, son of Mrs. Ethel Skelton of this city, a photographer with the U. S. marine corps, is stationed on an island somewhere in the Pacific. Corporal Skelton has been in the service for 18 months and writes that the men at his post are receiving very good food but more fresh vegetables and fruits would be appreciated very much. He also notes that mail service to the island has improved, especially airmail.
Source: Daily Freeman Journal, Webster City, IA - June 25, 1943
SENDS LETTER
Robert W. Skelton, son of Mrs. Ethel Skelton of this city, writes from his island base in the South Pacific that he has just completed another mission and got back safely. Corporal Skelton is in the photographic department of the marine corps. He adds that he doesn’t believe that the war will be over in six months as many people back home have predicted. He is stationed near Jack Marsh, another Webster City serviceman, and sees him frequently.
Source: Daily Freeman Journal, Webster City, IA - August 9, 1943
RECOVERING NICELY
Sergeant Robert W. Skelton, who was wounded by a bomb fragment in recent air raid over his marine outpost in the south Pacific, is recovering nicely in a base hospital there he writes his mother, Mrs. Ethel Skelton, of this city, and other relatives. The raid covered a period of three and one-half hours and was made by 40 Jap planes. The base hospital, the marine writes, is just as nice-equipped as any in the states, and many of his friends, including Cpl. Jack Marsh of this city, have been to visit him. He has been able to get up and around a little since being hospitalized for the wound in his back.
Source: Daily Freeman Journal, Webster City, IA - October 4, 1943
Robert William Skelton was born Dec. 23, 1921 to Frank and Ethel Allen Skelton. He died Mar. 10, 2014 at Cloverdale, CA.
Cpl. Skelton, a combat photographer, was wounded by shrapnel in a Japanese air attack in September of 1943. He was awarded a Purple Heart for serious injuries that permanently impaired his mobility but did not impede his post-war career in commercial photography.
Source: ancestry.com and Files of Allen Welsh (his first cousin)
