Description

Frank Sutton, wearing the hat of the Canadian uniform here, was the first of many from Union county to die in the war.  Sutton was a 23-year-old Royal Canadian Air Force pilot shot down on December 7, 1941, over Libya, Northern Africa.  Camp Sutton was named in honor of Frank Sutton in 1942.   This photo or a copy of this photo was used at Frank's Memorial Service held at First Baptist Church on January 4, 1942.  For a better image of this photo please go to the library's Gold Star Mothers Scrapbook page at http://history.union.lib.nc.us/GoldStarMothers/suttonf.htm

Transcribed by Patricia Poland, Union County Public Library from microfilmed copy of The Monroe Journal.  All punctuation, spellings, etc. left as found in article; use of [ ] indicate an addition by transcriber.

People Highly Pleased That Camp Named for Frank Sutton

 Sub-headline:  Many Expressions of Pleasure by Organizations and Individuals on Receiving Announcement That War Department Had Given This Honor To Union County’s First Hero in Great War

On Monday when the news came from Congressman Burgin that the war department had named the new camp here in honor of Frank Sutton there were many expressions of satisfaction.  Also gratitude was expressed to Mr. Burgin for his interest and activity in the matter.

The news came to the Journal and other interest parties in telegrams from Congressman Burgin, which said, “I am pleased to advise you that your camp has just been named Camp Sutton by the war department.”

Rev. J. H. Armbrust carried the message to Mrs. Pat Sutton, Frank’s mother, who expressed her gratification at the honor paid her son.  Mr. Maurice Redfern, president of the Jaycees, and Dr. W. A. Ingram, president of the Lions Club, both of which organizations were active is [in] presenting the request to the war department, were among the many who gave expression to their pleasure.  Their sentiments will be echoed by hundreds of people all over the county who had been hoping that the honor would be paid our hero.  Hundreds are like M. W. A. Small, who said some time ago, “I do hope the camp will be named after Frank.  I knew him and liked him, he was a fine boy, but I should have wanted the honor to come to any Union county boy with such a record, even if I had not known him myself.” 

Dispatch from Washington

A newspaper dispatch sent out from Washington yesterday told the world about the matter as follows:

“Washington, Feb. 9 – The new army camp at Monroe., N.C., has been officially designated Camp Sutton, honoring the memory of Pilot Officer Frank Howie Sutton of Monroe, the first Union county soldier to give his life in World War II.

“Representative William O. Burgin was notified today by the War department that the camp has been officially so named.  Mr. Burgin presented the request of citizens of Monroe, the Lions club, Chamber of Commerce and city officials to the War department and appeared personally before the board to urge that the camp bear the name of the 23-year-old war hero.

“Pilot Officer Sutton was killed in action December 7, 1941, near Tobruk in Libya while serving in the Royal Canadian Air force.  He was buried by an Australian infantry battalion near Tobruk.

Sailed for England

“He was the son of Mrs. Pattie Sutton of Monroe.  A brother, First Lieut. Marion Sutton, is serving in the American army.

“After having been rejected by the air corps at Kelly Field, Texas, young Sutton went to Canada in an old automobile, enlisted in the air corps, and started his training in August, 1940.  He received his wings in April, 1941, and sailed for England in June.  Just before leaving for England, he visited his mother at Monroe.

“Pilot Officer Sutton, along with other American flyers, was entertained by Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham palace June 22.

“The first Union county soldier to give his life in World War I was Melvin Deese.  The American Legion post at Monroe bears his name.”

 Frank’s Last Letter

Frank was lost in combat on Dec. 7^th, the same day that three thousand Americans were lost at Pearl Harbor.  Some days afterwards his mother received notice that he was missing and later that he had been killed.  On Sunday, January 4^th, a memorial meeting was held in the First Baptist church, of which he had been a member, and tribute was paid his memory in a fitting manner.  When news came that an army camp was to be established here, citizens and organizations at once began an effort to have it named Camp Sutton.  Among the papers filed asking for the name were clippings showing what had taken place at the memorial meeting.

The Journal is permitted to publish below a letter written by Frank to his mother from Egypt, dated Nov. 7,  just a month before his death.  It was not received by Mrs. Sutton till after she had received news of his death.  The letter is written in Frank’s happy, boyish style, calculated, no doubt, to take his mother’s mind as

 [breaks to page 5 of newspaper]

far as possible from the serious side.  It gives the last glimpse that home folks had of the happy and brave youth, then already on the fatal field of Africa.  Full of life and interest, though well aware of the danger he was in, the youth writes to his mother as gaily as if he were but preparing to enter a football game.  The letter reads:

“Hi Mom:  Sorry not to have written sooner, but since you heard from me last I have been in about fourteen different countries and am now in Egypt.  This may be the last time for quite awhile that I will be able to write.  I am now with my Canuck friends.  It was a happy night when I finally caught up with them.  We are out in some desert or another—derned if I know which one.  There are lots of scorpions and sand.  Here in our squadron we have the international situation again.  Canucks, Aussies, English, Scotch, Yanks and one Dane.  A very good outfit.  And my name has changed from Stuffy to Mose.

“I am fine, fat and happy—except when I think of Angie’s fried chicken and stuff.  You should see me now—in shirt, shorts, and long stockings.  I look just like a Boy Scout, and felt very self-conscious the first week of shorts.  But now they seem much more comfortable than long pants.

“They tell me that Egypt is on the same latitude as North Carolina.  It may be, but there is quite a difference in climate.  The nights are cold as the devil and the days just as hot.  I was in Cairo the other day – the happy hunting ground of American tourists.  However, I was much too busy to make the trip to the Pyramids.  I saw quite a few from the air and they are very impressive—much more than can be said about the lower class Egyptians.  They walk around with an outstretched hand.  The American tourist has certainly ruined this place for a poor working man.  Their money system is rather peculiar.  There is an Egyptian pound, and instead of twenty shillings, there are 100 piasteres, or something.

“The war ceased to be a great big party and abruptly became a personal quarrel when I learned that some of my friends were West.

“The first day here I saw King Farouk on his way to church.  We were in a truck and suddenly the street was cleared and he went by like a flash, waving his hand gracefully, as befits royalty.

“How is that for seeing the world?”

“Write,           

                                    “Frank.”