Briefing Document: Edward W. Arnold

Subject: Life and Military Service of Edward W. Arnold

Date: October 26, 2023

Source Material: Excerpts from "Pasted Text" (provided)

Executive Summary:

This document summarizes key information about Edward W. Arnold, focusing on his birth, family background, early life, military service, and ultimately, his tragic death in a training accident during World War II. The provided text gives a chronological picture of his life, highlighting his movement from rural Texas to military service in the US Army Air Corps.

Key Details & Themes:

Early Life & Family:

Birth: Edward W. Arnold was born on December 15, 1918, in Gouldbusk, Coleman County, Texas.

Parents: His parents were Sarah Lavina Vanpelt (born 1892, died 1983) and John B. Arnold (born 1887, died 1920). This information indicates his mother was 26 and father 31 when he was born.

Early Hardship: His father died when he was very young (approx. 2 years of age).

Family Situation: By the 1930 census, at age 11, he lived with his mother and stepfather, Jennings, along with six stepsisters and two brothers in Coleman County, Texas. This indicates a significant change in his family structure and suggests a childhood potentially impacted by his father's death and mother's remarriage.

Rural Texas Roots: Arnold's life was rooted in rural Texas. His draft registration, employment, and family connections are all centered in Coleman County.

Military Service:

Draft Registration: He registered for the draft on October 16, 1940, in Gouldbusk, Texas, while still living and working there. He listed his brother-in-law, Mr. Ray Moses Row, as his next of kin.

Enlistment: He enlisted in the US Army Air Corps on July 16, 1941, at Ft Sam Houston, Texas. He enlisted from civilian life, not from another military unit.

Education Level: Arnold had one year of high school education at the time of enlistment, suggesting a somewhat limited formal education.

Rank & Unit: He served as a Sergeant in the 790th Bombardment Squadron, 467th Bombardment Group.

Role: He was an armorer aboard a B-24 Liberator bomber.

Fatal Incident:

Date and Location: On December 29, 1943, Arnold was on board a B-24E-25-FO Liberator (42-7408) on a routine formation training mission out of Wendover Army Airfield, Utah.

Crash Details: The bomber crashed mid-air with another B-24 (42-7183). The crash occurred about 12 miles northeast of Hogup, Box Elder County, Utah. One plane was completely burned, the other partially.

Casualties: All 25 crew members across the two planes perished.

Discovery: The crash site was discovered by the civil air patrol on Saturday 1 January 1944

Burial & Aftermath:

Return Home: Sgt. Arnold's body was shipped back to his hometown of Gouldbusk, Coleman County, Texas.

Interment: He was interred in the Gouldbusk Cemetery on the afternoon of Wednesday, January 12, 1944.

Key Quotes:

"Edward W. Arnold asn-18056561 a single white male born Texas in 1918 residing in Bell County, Texas working with one year of high school education enlisted from civilian life into the US Army Air Corps as a private at Ft Sam Houston, Texas on 16 July 1941."

"The B24 crashed midair with another B24 in the formation, Ford B-24E-25-FO Liberator 42-7183 , causing them to hit the ground and one was completely burned the other partially burned...with all 25 crewmen aboard the bombers perished."

"Sgt Arnold's body was shipped to Gouldbusk, Coleman County, Texas arriving Wednesday 12 January 1944 and interred in the afternoon at the Gouldbusk Cemetery."

Analysis & Observations:

Typical Early Life: Arnold's early life is reflective of many individuals growing up in rural America during that period. The death of his father, subsequent remarriage of his mother, and work in the area where he was born are indicative of the lives of many.

Transition to Military: His transition from civilian life in rural Texas to the Air Corps highlights the broad participation in the war effort from across the US.

Tragic Loss: His death in a training accident rather than in combat is a somber reminder of the risks faced by all military personnel, even outside of direct battle. The complete loss of all 25 members of the crews highlights the inherent dangers of aviation at that time, even on routine training missions.

Personal Impact: The information provided conveys not just facts about a person but suggests the human cost of war - the family torn apart, the life cut short. His being returned to his home town for burial underscores the strong ties he maintained with the area of his birth.

Conclusion:

Edward W. Arnold's story is a poignant illustration of a life shaped by the era in which he lived. The text provides a snapshot of his transformation from a young man in rural Texas to a military serviceman, ultimately ending in tragedy during a training exercise. While concise, the information clearly depicts the life of an individual whose service and life were cut short during World War II.