This February 3, 1944, Lowell Tribune article was found on page 2, column 1:
Ralph McClanahan, son of Mrs. Leslie O. Tilton, writes home that he has been promoted from Private to Private First Class. He is now stationed at Ft. Leonard Wood, Mo.
Another son, S/Sgt. Robert McClanahan, writes from New Guinea that he is well and getting along fine.
The following September 28, 1944, Lowell Tribune article was found on page 2, column 2:
Awarded Good Conduct Medal
Somewhere in the Southwest Pacific -- T/Sgt. Robert D. McClanahan was awarded the Good Conduct Medal and Combat Infantryman Badge for exemplary service in the Admiralty Islands. He is a rifle platoon sergeant in the 1st cavalry division.
Sgt. McClanahan is the son of Mrs. Leslie O. Tilton of Lowell. His financee is Miss Elsiel Childers of Tecumser, Okla. In civilian life, Robert was considered a star second baseman and heavy hitter in softball. He entered the army in March of 1941 and sailed for overseas duty in June, 1943. His brother, Ralph, is serving in the infantry.
This Lowell Tribune article was found in the March 8, 1945, issue (page 2, column 1):
With the 1st Cavalry Div. in Manila -- One of the men in the famous First Cavalry Division's "flying squadron" that crashed through the Jap defenses around the capitol city of the Philippines and captured Santo Tomas university thus liberating more than 3,700 Allied internees was T/Sgt. Robert D. McClanahan, son of Mrs. Leslie O. Tilton, Lowell.
This mechanized and motorized squadron commanded by Lieut.-Col. Haskett L. Connor, Jr., a West Point graduate who lives in El Paso, Tex., raced some 100 miles in 66 hours to be the first unit to enter Manila. This is a military feat unequaled so far in the Pacific war.
After the liberation of Santo Tomas the squadron moved on to help the remaining part of the First Cavalry Division, which is commanded by Major General Verne D. Mudge of Fellsmere, Fla., clean up the southern part of the city.
This April 12, 1945, Lowell Tribune article was found on page 1, column 6:
Latest reports in the last few days have added three more local boys to the casualty list. They are: T/Sgt. Robert McClanahan, son of Mrs. Mamie Tilton, Lowell, slightly wounded in Manila; Cpl. Harold R. Osby, U.S. Marines, son of the Harold M. Osbys, Schneider, wounded on Iwo Jima, and Sgt. Rex Fifield, son of Mrs. Clem Fifield, Crown Point, who formerly lived east of town, missing in action over Japan.
T/Sgt.McClanahan, 26, entered the service in March, 1940, and went overseas in May, 1943. He was stationed in the Admiralty Islands and other Pacifid Islands before going to the Philippines, where he was wounded March 8th in the clean-up of Manila.
The telegram from the War Department to his mother last week-end was as follows:
"The Secretary of War desires me to express his deep regret that your son, T/Sgt. Robert McClanahan was slightly wounded in Manila, March 8, 1945. Adjutant General."
A letter from Robert previous to receiving the telegram, informed his mother that he was in a hospital in the Philippines and recovering nicely, but didn't state why he was hospitalized.
The Harold M. Osbys of Schneider, were notified by telegram on March 23 that their son, Cpl. Harold R. Osby, a member of the U.S. Marine Corps, was wounded in the battle for Iwo Jima on February 28.
Cpl. Osby, 23, who attended the Schneider grade school, entered service in December, 1943, and has been stationed in the Pacific for several months. Well known in this community, Osby is the third casualty from the south end ot the county on Iwo Jima. The other two were Pfc. Francis Cronkhite, killed in action, and Pfc. Paul Cottingham, who was wounded.
Sgt. Fifield, 25, has been missing since March 10-11 over Tokyo, according to a letter from his commanding officer to his mother, written on March 21st. The Lowell flyer, central fire control man and gunner, was lost on what was probably his first mission--he had been overseas only a month--during the first mass night attack by Guam-based Super Forts on the Jap homeland. His plane was one of two which failed to return after the raid.
Rex was graduated from Lowell high school with the class of 1938, where he starred in football, participating in many of the games during Lowell's three-year winning streak, later attending Purdue university. Previous to entering the service a year ago, he farmed his mother's farm on the Range Line in Eagle Creek township. Like his father, Clem Fifield, who died three _____ ago, he took an active interest in politics, serving as Republican precinct committeeman.
Because there is a possibility that he might have been able to use his parachute, his many friends here are awaiting word confirming his safety, although it would mean that he would be a prisoner of the Japs.
This June 28, 1945, Lowell Tribune article was found on page 2, column 2:
Mrs. Leslie Tilton has recieved letters the past week from her two sons, T/ Sgt. Robert McClananhan, and Pfc. Ralph McClanahan. Robert, who was wounded in the Philippines, says he is now back with his outfit and feeling fine. His mother has received the Purple Heart which was awarded him. Ralph also writes that he is well and is expecting his outfit to be removed from France, where they have been stationed.
This July 26, 1945, Lowell Tribune article was found on page 3, column 1:
With the First Cavalry Division on Luzon -- Robert D. McClanahan of Lowell Indiana, has been promoted from Sergeant to 1st Sergeant with Troop "G" 8th Cavalry Division.
Overseas since June 26, 1943, Sgt. McClanahan entered the service on March 19, 1941 and saw action in the New Guinea, Bismark Archipeligo, Leyte and Luzon campaigns. He wears the Order of the Purple Badge and Philippines Liberation Ribbon with two stars.
His mother, Mrs. Mamie Tilton, lives in Lowell.
This September 20 , 1945, Lowell Tribune article was found on page 2, column 1:
1st Sgt. Robert McClanahan, son of Mrs. Leslie O. Tilton, who returned to the States Sept. 6, arrived here last week-end. McClanahan, who has been in service 4 1/2 years, spent 27 months of that time in the Pacific with the U.S. infantry. This is his first trip home in three years.
Among the medals he has won in the Pacific war are: Purple Heart, Pre-Pearl Harbor ribbon, Asiatic ribbon with 4 Campaign Stars, Infantry Combat Badge, Philippines Liberation ribbon, and Good Conduct ribbon.
Another article from the same issue (page 4, column 3) listed Robert McClanahan as having been recently discharged from the service.