Genealogy of Charlie Newton

Staff Sgt. Chester Newton writes his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Charlie Newton, and tells of the trip to New Guinea. A number of Butler County boys, in the same outfit, made the same trip. S/Sgt. Newton says that they are in a pretty spot, and he is not working too hard, but the tropical climate is "pretty tough," but he guesses that some of it is w orse than this. On the trip, S/Sgt. Newton sailed from a port on the east coast of the United States on the first day of March, went through the Panama Canal and landed in New Guinea 37 days later, on April 7th. They crossed the equator and S/Sgt. Newton was initiated into the "Anc ient Order of the Deep." S/Sgt. Newton says that the trip was uneventful, with the Canal the only interesting point. Some of the boys got pretty seasick, in spite of the fact that the water was smooth. "I never did," he said, "but got pretty dizzy a time or two. The worst part was being crowded up so; didn't have room enough. It was hot, too, all the way."

From the Greenville Advocate, 8 November 1945. Greenville's Guard Battery Is On The Way Home. "Dixie Division One Of Three Combat Units To Return Intact. with the 31st infantry division on Mindanao (Special to The Advocate). Battery "A" of the 11 7th Field Artillery Battalion, Greenville's own National Guard Unit, is coming home with the "Dixie" Division. General MacArthur announced recently that the 31st infantry Division wi ll be one of the first three combat units to be returned intact from the Pacific. The belief here is that it will be home for Christmas. As yet, no definite sailing date has been set. Nor has the port of debarkation been disclosed. But it won't be long now! With their homecoming, Greenville, welcomes back twenty-four native sons: 1st Sgt. Chester Newton,, ..... etc.

Miss Keeney Announces Wedding Plans -- Miss Mary Cecelia Keeney, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Keeney, announces the plans for her marriage to Chester Newton, son of Mr. and Mrs. Charlie Newton. The wedding will be an event of Sunday, July 10th, and will take place at St. Elizabeth's Catholic Church. Father Gerone Diffley, of Cullman, will be the officiant. A program of nuptial music will be in charge of Edward Moriarty, Jr., organist, and the soloist will be Miss Theresa Morgan, niece of the bride, of Griffin, Ga. The bride will be given in marriage by her brother, Thomas James Keeney, of Montgomery. Miss Florence Joanne Keeney, sister of the bride, will be the maid of honor, and Mrs. Thomas James Keeney will be the matron of honor. Little Misses Cecelia Keeney, niece of the bride, and Henrietta Petty will be flower girls. Tommy Wilton Newton, of Mobile, will serve his brother as best man, and the ushers will be Kendrick Newton, Mack Branum, Con Keeney, of Montgomery, and Herman Keeney, of Livingston. Immediately following the ceremony, a reception will be given in honor of the bridal couple at the home of the bride's parents, 406 South Hickory Street. Miss Keeney received her education in the Greenville schools and is employed at the Merrimac Hat Corporation. He maternal grand-parents were the late Mr. and Mrs. James Shovlin, of Donegal, Ireland; and the late Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Keeney, also of Donegal, Ireland, were her paternal grandparents. The groom-to-be received his education in the schools of Butler County. He is a veteran of World War II, having served with the 117th Field Artillery for five years and spending twenty-one months of that time in the South Pacific area. Maternally, he is the grand-son of the late Mr. and Mrs. J.A. Burt, and his paternal grandparents were the late Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Newton. He is employed at the Pioneer Electric Cooperative.

Newton Named Staff Officer. Captain Kendrick Newton, World War II Veteran, With National Guard. Kendrick (Pete) Newton has been selected as a member of the staff of the 117th Field Artillery Battalion, which is being organized. He will be commissioned a captain in the Guard and will be battalion liaison officer. Captain Newton now holds the rank of captain in the U.S. Army Reserve Corps. He was separated from the service with a captain's rating when he came home from overseas service at the end of World War II. Captain Newton is an old National Guardsman. He enlisted as a private in Battery "A," 117th F.A., while he was a student at Greenville Hig h School. He left Greenville with the Guard unit in 1940, and later went to Officers Candidate School, where he was commissioned a second lieutenant. He was twice promoted after being commissioned, and twice was wounded in action. He holds the Purple Heart, with oak leaf cluster, for wounds received in action during the invasion of Saipan, and again during the battle of Okinawa. He returned to active duty each time. He also has decorations for meritorious service and campaign ribbons. In civilian life, Newton is connected with Dunklin Hardware. Captain Newton's brother, Chester Newton, who was first sergeant of Battery "A," when that outfit retu rned from overseas service is expected to be connected with the reorganized unit. Another brother, Leon Newton, who also left Greenville with the local Guard, was killed in action in Belgium during a paratroop invasion in August 1944.

Mrs. Bertram Thompson of Greenville, announces the engagement of her daughter, Johnnie Lee Reynolds to Kendrick Newton of Greenville and Washington, D.C. The marriage will take place April 9 at the home of the bride's grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. W. L. Sims in Greenville. Miss Reynolds is a favorite in younger society, having graduated from the Greenville High School with the class of 1943. After attending Massey Draughon Business College, she has held a position with Haverty Furniture Company in Montgomery. Mr. Newton is a veteran of World Ware II, having served as a captain in the Infantry.

Greenville. Sgt. Leon Newton. Services for Sgt. Newton, who was killed in action in Belgium, Jan. 7, 1945, will be held at 2 p.m. Friday at Mt. Carmel Church. The Rev. Ralph Mullins will officiate. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Surviving are his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Charlie Newton, Greenville; two sisters, Mrs. Earle Miller and Mrs. Plaster Perry, Jr., both of Greenville; three brothers, Chester and Pete, Greenville, and Tommy, Mobile. Dunklin-Johnson in charge. SGT 466 Parachute FA BN17 Airborne Division.

Butler war dead returned home. Bodies of Leon Newton and Charles Presley brought back from Europe. The bodies of Sgt. Leon Newton and Staff Sgt. Charles Presley have been returned to the United States aboard the U.S. Army transport Carrolle Victor. These World War II heroes, who lost their lives in the European Theater, have been interred in temporary military cemeteries overseas. Sgt. Newton, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Charlie Newton, was killed in action in Belgium on January 7, 1945. He as a paratrooper. He entered active service in November, 1940, with Battery "A" 117th Field Artillery, and later volunteered as a paratrooper. He went ov erseas in August, 1944, and was stationed in England for some time before going into action in the European Theater. Funeral Sercices will be held for Sgt. Leon Newton at Mr. Carmel Church at three o'clock tomorrow (Friday) afternoon, with burial in the Mr. Carmel cemetery. Dunklin-Johnson directing. The Rev. Ralph Mullins will officiate. Sgt. Newton is survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Charlie Newton, RFD1, Greenville; two sisters, Mrs. Earl Miller, RFD 1, Greenville; Mrs. Plaster Perry, Jr., RFD 1, Greenville; three brothers, Chester Newton and Pete Newton of Greenville, and Tommy Newton, Mobile.