William Claude & Henry Edward Branscum are Brothers
was born on October 21, 1925 in Timbo, Stone County, Arkansas.
Martin & Sarah lived just outside of Fox, this was where Gurtha and Eva were born. Martin and his wife's brothers, Willie and Frank Taylor cut railroad ties during the summer and fall of 1918 in Lafayette County, Arkansas. (This is in southwestern corner of Arkansas.) Martin then moved to Willow, Lafayette County and share cropped on the Agee's place. This was where Owen was born. He moved back to Stone County in the fall of 1920 and lived in Happy Holler. Then they moved just south of their Uncle Calvin Broyles place across the Syllamore Creek. Here was where William Claude was born. They moved about two miles west of Blue Mountain School House on Walter Guffy's place for two years, still across the Syllamore Creek.
They moved down on the Syllamore Creek on Goodwin place and this was where Henry Edward was born. They moved to Oklahoma in 1927 and share cropped for Tom Sexton. They built a home across the road south and at the south end of the Sexton place. The first house was across the creek and later they built a new one between the road running south along side the Sexton place and the creek. The house across the creek was converted into a barn. Gurtha and Eva were married in this area.
He appeared in the census in 1930 in Konawa, Seminole County, Oklahoma, age 4, Roll: 1930; Page: 2A; Enumeration District: Image: 550.0.
He was baptized in Sasakwa, Oklahoma.
He served in the military between August 30, 1943 and April 27, 1946 in Fillmore, Ventura County, California Seaman, 1st Class, USNR V-6
Armed Guard Sch., Navy Rep Base, San Diego, California Armed Guard Center (Pac) San Francisco, California
We couldn't find a photo of the ship but this is the sister ship.
He Enlisted on August 30, 1943 in Ventura, Ventura County, California.
From Charles Cummings - my brother - You know about uncle Edward? They had taken the Highlands and they thought every thing was secure. So Edward and another guy, no actually three were AWOL. I didn't know this until Tony, Edward's son, was telling me. They were on this Island, they were just running around and there was a Jap that shot Edward from behind. The Jap was above and behind. You can lay your finger right in front of his skull, right where the bullet went through. This is like a crease in the skull. He was in coma for 28 days. If he had been the thickness of a hair taller it would have killed him.
On the ship, Edward would always win the Ice Cream eating contest.
The Kamikaze planes attack the convoy that they were in. We think Edward was on USS LCT (6) Floiilla 16 boat LCT (1375). The USS Missouri was in the convoy. They were firing sixteen inch guns plus everything they had and shot down every plane be for it hit them. And all the planes were shot down and none hit the convoy.
He seperation on April 27, 1946 in PSC PSC Naval Base, Treasure Island, San Pedro California.
Point System