One Norwood man has been killed in action, another has been wounded and a third has been reported a prisoner of the Germans, according to ’War Department telegrams received this week by their families., They are:
SECOND LT. JOHN H. MOLONEY, JR., killed at Leyte.
PVT. OTIS COOPER, wounded in Luxembourg.
PVT. JOSEPH M. WELCH, prisoner of war.
Lt. Moloney, 26-year-old Norwood paratrooper, was killed in action at Leyte in the Philippines on December 7th, according to a War Department telegram received Saturday morning by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. John H. Moloney of 38 George Street.
Lt. Moloney met death on the third anniversary of the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor while taking part in the final American assault that broke the stubborn enemy resistance at Leyte. He had been overseas for nine months, serving first at New Guinea before joining in the Philippine campaign.
Lt. Moloney entered the service over two and a half years ago, serving first In the Air Forces, later transferring to the tank destroyers and then to the paratroopers. He received his commission on June 11, 1943, upon graduating from the Tank Destroyer Officer Candidate School at Camp Hood, Texas. He was stationed at a number of bases in this country before leaving for overseas service from San Diego, Calif.
Lt. Moloney, an only son, was born and brought up In Norwood, graduating from Norwood High School with the class of 1936. He studied for two years at Holy Cross and continued his college education at Boston College, graduating two years later. A prominent athlete, he played baseball and football while at Norwood High, and was a member of the baseball and basketball teams at Holy Cross. He was widely known in semi-pro baseball circles.
He entered the service soon after graduating from Boston College.
Surviving besides his parents are four sisters. Mrs. Elizabeth Garner of Connecticut, Mrs. Gertrude Quirk of Saxsonville. Mass.. Mrs. Robert Healing of Long Island. N. Y, and Miss Frances Moloney, at home.
NORWOOD BUSINESSMAN
Pvt. Cooper, 33, Norwood businessman who entered the service a year ago. has been wounded in action in Luxembourg, according to a War Department telegram received Monday by his wife, Mrs. Yetta Cooper of 29 Florence Avenue.
Pvt. Cooper is reported by his wife to be in a base hospital in Paris. France. His wounds are described as slight.
The Norwood soldier was felled on December 20th while serving with U. S. Infantry forces in Luxembourg just south of where the Germans drove deep into the Allied lines in their Christmas offensive.
Pvt. Cooper is believed to be the first Norwood businessman listed as a casualty in this war. Before entering the Army about a year ago this time, he had served for nine years as manager of the Town Square Hardware Store on Washington Street. He is particularly well-known here, is a member of the Chamber of Commerce and the Retail Trade Board, and at the time of his induction was secretary of the Norwood Rotary Club.
A native of Winthrop, Pvt. Cooper was graduated from Tufts College, and six years ago was married to the former Yetta Green of Waterbury, Conn. The couple have one daughter, Marianne.
His parents are Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Cooper of 29 Florence Avenue.
Pvt. Cooper was assigned to the Infantry after his induction and received his basic training at Camp Blanding, Fla. He left for overseas service on July 1st of last year.
PRISONER OF NAZIS
Pvt. Welch, 35, Norwood Infantry soldier who was previously reported missing in action in Italy, is a prisoner of war of the German government, according to word received here Friday from the War Department by his brother, John Welch of 40 Hill Street.
Pvt. Welch had been serving on the Italian front with an antitank outfit. A telegram received here on November 16th by his brother stated that he had been missing since October 25th.
At the time he was taken prisoner, Pvt. Welch has been in the service only a year and had been overseas three months.
Pvt. Welch received his basic training with the infantry at Camp Blanding, Fla., and previous to entering the service was employed at the Neponset Woolen Mills in Canton.
He is married to the former Mary Johnson of Norwood who resides with their two children. Mary, 9, and William, 5, on Lenox Street. His father, Joseph Welch, lives at 103 Railroad Avenue.
(All articles originally published in the Norwood Messenger)
