Bodies of Two War Heroes to Arrive Monday For Rites

The bodies of two war dead, Pfc. Richard W. Blake of Hampton and Pfc. Robert K. White of North Hampton, will arrive in Hampton on Monday evening, November 29, 1948.

A double funeral service will be held for the two Hampton Academy classmates at the First Methodist Church, Hampton, on Tuesday afternoon at 2 p.m. with Rev. Jack Boozer, pastor of the church, officiating.

A Guard of Honor from Hamptons’ American Legion Post 35, will meet the 6:06 p.m. train Monday evening and provide a military escort to the Methodist church where the bodies will lie in state until the funeral services Tuesday afternoon. Visiting hours at the church will be from 7 to 11 p.m. Monday evening and 10 to 12 noon Tuesday, with the Legion Post maintaining an honor guard throughout the night.

Pfc. Blake, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Forrest Blake of Hampton, was killed in action during the Italian campaign in February, 1945. He enlisted in the Ski Troops prior to his graduation from Hampton Academy and High School in 1943 and was called into active service a few months following his graduation. He entered training at Camp Hale, Colorado and was sent overseas in January, 1944. He was reported killed in action in Italy when he had been serving with the Mountain Ski Troops in the Infantry Division.

Pfc. White, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ernest L. White of Mill road, North Hampton, was killed in a train wreck in France in June, 1945. He reported for active duty in the Army in the spring of 1944 and trained at Camp McClelland. He was sent overseas in November of the same year, a member of the 310th Infantry, 78th Division.

During the winter of ’44 and ’45 he fought with a cannon company and after cessation of hostilities in May, 1945, served with the same company on Guard Duty. Pfc. White graduated from Hampton High in 1943 and left besides his parents, a brother, John T. White, and a sister, Mrs. Fred Dalton, both of North Hampton.

When it was learned that both boys were on their way home, arrangements were made with the Commanding General of the distribution center to have the bodies arrive at the same time. The boys had been lifetime chums as well as classmates at Hampton Academy and High School.