HOLCOMB, Chester B. - Holcomb, Chester B. - Staff Sgt., U.S. Army 
Air Corps; enlisted 07-Aug-1942; received wings at Fort Myers, 
Florida; served as Waist Gunner on Flying Fortress; in active 
combat duty starting 26-Oct-1943; based in England; received 
Order of the Purple Heart posthumously; born 17-Apr-1918 died 04-
Jan-1944 in action over France; Home: Apache, Caddo co., Ok.; 
Mother: Mrs. Ollie Leona Holcomb of Oklahoma City, Ok.; graduated 
from Broxton High School in 1935; was an honor student and winner 
of Baptist scholarship prize; attended Cameron State School of 
Agriculture at Lawton, Ok.  
SERVICES SUNDAY FOR SOLDIER KILLED IN WAR  
Rites Held at Baptist Church for 
Sgt. Chester B. Holcomb, a Casualty In Europe 
 
Funeral services were held at the Baptist Church at 2:30 o'clock 
Sunday afternoon for Staff Sgt. Chester B. Holcomb, bomber gunner 
who was killed over France January 14, 1944. He was 26. His body 
arrived here the previous Wednesday and was escorted by Sgt. 
Willie L. Dunnan.  

The sermon was delivered by Rev. C.C. Scott, the pastor, and 
military rites were given by the Rinker-Mason American Legion 
post. Burial was in Fairview cemetery under direction of the 
Crews Funeral Home. Pallbearers were Ray Link of Carnegie, Elvin 
Lee, Newt Bounds, Jack Remy, Beverly Davis and John Drake.  

Music was furnished by Rev. L.E. Harris, C.M. Brown, Mrs. A.W. 
Goss, Miss Billene Jones and Mrs. Charles Coonfield. 
The Legion firing squad was composed of James McCollum, Sgt. 
James Schneider, Jack Roberts, Howard Martin, M.H. Burkham, 
Donald Dahl, Harland Dodd, Cecil McClure, Sgt. Bill Barker and 
Floyd McNeill; color bearers were Lawrence Thompson and Bob 
Hughes; color guards were Raymond Lewis and C.A. Whybark and 
buglers were Jimmy Hughes and Tommy Manar.  

[Chester Holcomb was born 17 Apr 1918 to Benjamin 'Ben' Harrison 
and Ollie L. (Rich) Holcomb. He graduated from Broxton High 
School. He died 14 Jan 1944 on a bombing raid over France and is 
buried in the Fairview Cemetery at Apache, Ok,]