Andrew Marmaduke "Andy" James Jr '41

According to "In the Service of Our Country - Heroes of World War II of the Dalhart, Texas Area" published during the War, Lt. Andrew M. James, Jr. was in a Japanese prison camp after the fall of Bataan on April 29, 1942, and the fall of Corregidor 27 days later. Lt. James was commissioned in June 1941. When he graduated from Texas A & M he trained at Camp Wallace and served in the Air forces in the Philippines as a member of Douglas MacArthur's staff. Lt. James was born and reared in Dalhart, Texas. He was killed in the service of his country October 11, 1944 in the South China Seas when the ship he was being transported on was sunk.
The
Andy Marmaduke Jones, Jr. World War II Collection consists of copies made from the originals of correspondence, news articles, photographs, and other materials pertaining to Andy M. James, Jr.'s time serving in World War II (WWII).

The original materials were donated to and are held at the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum in Canyon, Texas.

Good news, "StockhorseAg" gave me a link to the plans drawn up last year for museum upgrade

https://online.flippingbook.com/view/760628752/

Hopefully they can repair and reopen it soon. While on a hunting trip in Tulia a few years back, we went one afternoon after the hunt and it was great. Some of the employees working were local college kids so it's a big positive for the community I'm sure. We were amazed at the quality exhibits there.

https://www.myplainview.com/canyon/article/pphs-provides-update-future-panhandle-plains-20270716.php

Update on current status (not much change) and ideas for moving forward.

Hmmm.

Looks more like $380m for all phases on the Museum and another $45m for the Amphitheater.

https://www.google.com/maps/@34.9805939,-101.9177034,2a,75y,197.36h,80.84t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1s9YXXEFpeaK5KYyruKLDLgQ!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fcb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile%26w%3D900%26h%3D600%26pitch%3D9.161719450662062%26panoid%3D9YXXEFpeaK5KYyruKLDLgQ%26yaw%3D197.36166267745386!7i13312!8i6656?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDUxMy4xIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

CanyonAg77 said:

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Numbers being thrown around of $100,000,000 to fix

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I don't know the total square footage but they could probably build a new museum for that price.

I think they are only keeping the central hall from 1930s. The rest will be torn down and replaced

Do they have funding to replace it?

nortex97 said:

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Do they have funding to replace it?

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Above my pay grade. I know they began plans and fund raising before the closure. Haven't really heard about progress or $$$ raised

Another Hale County WWII casualty. In 2024, I visited his memorial at Greenham Common and his gravesite in the Cambridge American Cemetery.



Captain Wilbur P. Wofford was born on March 29, 1919, in Texas. He served in the 194th Glider Infantry, 17th Airborne Division as a Captain during World War II. Wilbur was one of the 33 service members who were killed on site when a Horsa glider crashed on takeoff on December 12, 1944, at Greenham Common Airbase, England. He is now buried in the Cambridge American Cemetery, Cambridge, United Kingdom. He also has a cenotaph located in Plainview Cemetery, Plainview, Hale County, Texas.

I appreciate the effort, I guess you know I am from Hale County, and you didn't want a new thread?

Here's a project for you, Ward Watley, from Hale Center, Texas. Gym at high school was named for him.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/195aR5sdHz/

CanyonAg77 said:

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I appreciate the effort, I guess you know I am from Hale County, and you didn't want a new thread?

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Thats correct, just figured it was part of the history of the Panhandle and Hale County

Thanks. I later found out that Watley was returned and buried in Lubbock

CanyonAg77 said:

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Thanks. I later found out that Watley was returned and buried in Lubbock

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https://1-22infantry.org/pics2/wwpageone.htm



Ward Watley was born in Brown, Texas on May 22, 1925. He was drafted into the Army on November 12, 1943 at Lubbock, Texas. He had completed High School and was single. Just a few weeks after the above photo was taken Watley was killed in action as a Private First Class in Company L Third Battalion 22nd Infantry during the attack on St. Pois on August 4, 1944. He was buried in Marigny Cemetery at St. L, France and after the war his remains were returned to the United States where he was reinterred in Lubbock, Texas.

I don't mind the diversion, especially as there is no new news on the museum front.

To correct the caption above, I saw that he was born in Brownwood,not "Brown".

By the time I was in Jr. High in the late 1960s, the old high school was the Jr. High. The gym had been added to the then HS in 1947, and named after Watley. But there was zero institutional knowledge of who or what he was. No plaque on the building, only the name inscribed high on the wall.

Sad that the dedication passed from local memory so quickly. Maybe the adults just didn't bother to tell us. He was buried in Lubbock, I assume his family moved there after he graduated.

The building is no longer a school, a local cowboy church bought it.