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Submitted: 4/12/15 • Approved: 4/15/15 • Last Updated: 4/18/15 • R1069384-G1069383-S3
Lewis
World War II
December 16, 1885 - October 26, 1955
Son of Arvilla Bell Lennington & Newton E Chaffin Born in Denison, Grayson County, TX .
Married Mattie E Boatright December 24, 1907 in Sebastian County, Arkansas they had Five children Arvilla, Wilburn S, Harold Newt, Oletta and Inodean. Oletta only lived one month and 11 days.
Lewis Adria Chaffin was a life-long educator taught in the Massard-Barling area for 49 years. He began his teaching career in 1906 at a school near Fort Chaffee called Pleasant Grove. By 1929 Lewis Adria Chaffin was teaching all eight grades in a one room frame school near Massard Road. After finally getting a larger school and another teacher, Lewis Adria Chaffin's next concern was the transfer of students to Fort Smith High School (now Northside High School) so that they could finish their secondary education.
Chaffin Junior High in Fort Smith, Sebastian County, Arkansas was named in his honor. It was built in 1967. He was also a World War II veteran.
Source: Chaffin Junior High website
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Plot: Southeast Section, Row 16
Harold
LIEUTENANT COLONEL US Army Air Force
World War II
November 28, 1913 - March 26, 1943
Missing in Action
Purple Heart
In March of 1943, Lieutenant Colonel Chaffin was assigned to Headquarters Squadron, V Bomber Command at Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.
On 26 March 1943, Chaffin was co-pilot of the B-17 Flying Fortress #41-24384, "Pluto." Also on board as pilot, was the Commanding General of V Bomber Command, Brigadier General Howard K Ramey. The mission of the aircraft that day was to carry out a scheduled 7-hour reconnaissance flight of Merauke and Horn Island.
The last communication ever heard from the aircraft was a message from the radio operator twenty minutes after takeoff. An extensive air search was conducted but no sign was ever found of the aircraft or the twelve men on board. All on board the aircraft were officially declared dead on 19 November 1945.
The crew and passengers remain MIA:
Pilot Brig Gen Howard K Ramey, O-10874
Co-Pilot Lt Col Harold N Chaffin, O-22469
Passenger Capt Stanley A Loewenberg, O-0282379 NY
Passenger Lt Comm Ferdinand D Mannoccir II, 131324 USN
Passenger Capt James R Griffin, O-389636
Passenger 2nd Lt William Lief, O-726002
Passenger M/Sgt James D Collier Jr, 6920942
Passenger T/Sgt Ortis L Quaal, 6149056
Passenger S/Sgt Robert R Stith, 18004634
Passenger S/Sgt Harry A Johnson, 12031847
Passenger Sgt Marvin Berkowitz, 6979447
Passenger Pfc George T Hopfield, 6668063
Date Missing In Action: 26 March 1943
Official Date of Death: 19 November 1945
LTC Harold N Chaffin has Honoree Record 3627 at MilitaryHallofHonor.com.
(bio by: Charles A Lewis)
Note: The names of the crew and passengers are listed on the Tablets of the Missing at The Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, Manila, Philippines.
Plot: Southeast Section, Row 16
Photo by: Gina Caperton Ervin
Contributed on 4/12/15 by carolulmer7075
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Record #: 1069384