Liverpool & South West Lancashire FHS - Forum

One of the few times I should have a sub to Anc!

This story starts with the birth of Flora Brady in Liverpool in 1924. I have her history way back to Cornwall 1760 and forwards to Indiana, USA, where she died in 1976. Flora married a GI and became a 'GI Bride' when she sailed to the USA in March 1946.

I am now trying to fill in the gaps in the ancestry of her GI husband, Virgil Milton Atwood, Staff Sergeant - 101st Airborne - bn October 1921 in, I believe, Alabama. His birth name was Dungan, his father being Henry Dungan. I don't know if he was married to Virgil's mother Cleotha Mae [maiden name unknown, but she was apparently called Jessie]. Would welcome any details on them and her second marriage.

Miscellaneous facts:
1) Vigil adopted the surname of his mother's second (?) husband Daniel Atwood, a soldier. Don't know when Daniel and Cleotha married.
2) I know that Virgil enlisted in the US Army about 1941, perhaps for the second time, in Georgia while resident in Alabama.
3) He married a Mary Grandon, circa 1939, but don't know where in the US. Divorced in 1944.
4) Virgil was KIA in Korea June 3rd, 1951, leaving Flora with a 4 yr old daughter.

I don't know when Virgil's parents or Daniel Atwood died.

Any info, even snippets, most welcome! I'd like to get back as far as the births of Virgil's parents, possibly further knowing the abilities of the crew, and just little more on the man whose surname he adopted.

Dickiesam

I don't have full Anc but I have found a bit. There is a Virgie (Virgil) Dungan born 1916, living in Clarke Alabama in 1920.
There is also a Virgil M Atwood enlisted in Korea and listed as dead 1951. Sorry not to be of any more help.
Barbara

Thanks for that Barbara.
Not sure about that 1916 birth. Originally had him born in 1919, then his Army papers showed October 1921. But he could have lied about his age.

The Virgil in Korea is, sadly, definitely my man. He survived WW2 in Europe, from the D Day airborne landings behind the Normandy beaches, Bastogne and the 'Battle of the Bulge' and the Arnhem debacle to the end in Bavaria.

For the action that cost him his life but saved the lives of his platoon in Korea he was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the US Army's highest award for leadership and valour. He was my hero when I was a young teenager and in a way still is.

DS

Barbara B wrote:There is a Virgie (Virgil) Dungan born 1916, living in Clarke Alabama in 1920.

I believe I have found the same entry, this is a female so not right anyway.

Still looking.

Hi Dickiesam

I know you have the first lot of info, but showing anyway

Name: Virgil Milton Atwood
Birth Date: 8 Oct 1921
Birth City: Talladega
State Registered: Alabama
Death Date: 3 Jun 1951
Death Country: Korea
Death Description: Killed in Action

WAR: Korean War
Title: Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army
Rank: Second Lieutenant
Service: U.S. Army
Service ID: O-2262952
Notes: After receiving a battlefield commission, Second Lieutenant Atwood commanded a platoon in Company B, 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. On June 3, 1951, while leading his platoon up a hill near Yongchon, North Korea, he came under heavy enemy fire. Directing his men to take cover, he attacked the enemy position, killing 20 and destroyed six machine guns before being killed by an enemy mortar. For his leadership and valor, Second Lieutenant Atwood was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman's Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal and the Korean War Service Medal.
Data Source: Korean War Veterans Honor Roll

Obituary which mentions Virgil
Name of Deceased: Marvin D. Dungan
Age at Death: 85
Death Date: 31 May 2005
Obituary Date: 2 Jun 2005
Newspaper Title: Palladium-Item
Newspaper Location: Richmond, IN, Us
Birth Date: 7 Jun 1919
Locations Mentioned in Obituary: Richmond
Dublin, IN
Other Persons Mentioned in Obituary: Timothy
Douglas Dungan
Penny Lanning Jo
Juanita
Virgil Dungan
Lee Luckey Ota
Rick
Edwin
Linda Taylor

Full obituary which mentions Virgil as his brother

DUBLIN, Ind. -- Marvin D. Dungan, 85, of Dublin, died Tuesday, May 31, 2005.

Born June 7, 1919, in Richmond, the son of Edwin and Lee Ota Luckey Dungan retired from M.E.G. in Cambridge City as a machine operator.

Survivors include his wife of 52 years, Juanita; sons, Rick, Timothy and Douglas Dungan; daughters, Linda Taylor and Penny Jo Lanning; and his brother, Virgil Dungan.

Service will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Marshall & Erlewein Funeral Home, Dublin, where visitation will be 4-8 p.m. Thursday.



1920 census

Name: Virgie Dungan
[Virgil Dungan]
Home in 1920: Campbell, Clarke, Alabama
Age: 4
Estimated birth year: abt 1916
Birthplace: Alabama
Relation to Head of House: Daughter
Father's name: Jesse Dungan
Father's Birth Place: Alabama
Mother's name: Nettie Dungan
Mother's Birth Place: Alabama
Marital Status: Single
Race: White
**********: Female
Able to read: No
Able to Write: No
Household Members: Name Age
Jesse Dungan 34
Nettie Dungan 28
Eddie Dungan 8
Boyd Dungan 6
Virgie Dungan 4
Spot Dungan 2

With regards the above there is on the orginal copy three families of Dungan's listed - if interested will attempt sending you a copy, someone also has sent in a correction.


May or may not be something

Name: Mrs Virgil Dungan
Death Date: 1966
Death Place: Ohio
Newspaper: Lima News, Lima, Ohio
Newspaper Date: 20 Dec 1966
Years Indexed: 2004-current
Newspaper Repository: Lima Public Library; Lima Public Library


Hope some of above is of use!!!!!!!!!!

Kebs

Hi Kebs,
You have been busy! As you rightly assumed I had Vic's military history from when he enlisted and joined the 101st Airborne to his tragic death in 1951. He told us "Y'all call me Vic, not Virgil" in a gorgeous, no other word fits, Southern drawl when Flora introduced him to our family!

The DoB in Talladega you found is the one I have taken as being correct. On his 1945 marriage cert to Flora he is shown as 27 giving a YoB of 1918. He also claims his father as Daniel Atwood, soldier. The 'fact' that he was born Virgil Milton Dungan, son of Henry Dungan, comes from his son-in-law and I think that info originally came from Vic's daughter. When Flora first arrived in the US their first home was with his mother in Talladega so that fits.

As for the rest of the info you posted, I'll have to sift through it because there has been no mention so far of him having a brother. I don't think the 1920 census family is the right one.... wrong parents and a lot of unheard-of 'siblings'.

That Richmond obit you found is interesting as it mentions a Lee Luckey Ota. Not very far from Cleotha, Vic's mother's forename.

Thanks for looking, much appreciated.

DS

Virgil should be a little older than Marvin shouldn't he? I found the 1920 census with parents Darrell (42 b Ohio) and Leota (34 b Indiana) and children Mildred (17 Indiana) Garnet (15 Indiana) Louise (12 Ohio) Mary (8 Illinois) Dorothy (7 Illinois) and Marvin D (DAUGHTER 8 months Indiana), all living Charles Street, Richmond Ward, Wayne, Indiana.
Roll: T625_474; Page: 6A; Enumeration District: 181
No sign of a Virgil there I'm afraid.

BUT! In the 1930 census those at home are
Darrell E (54) Leota 44, Marvin D 10, Paul D 8, Frank R 5 and little Virgil D 1, born Indiana.
Louie C Herbert, son in law and Dorothy M Herbert daughter and Donald G, grandson.
Roll: 637; Page: 1A; Enumeration District: 13

If you need the fuller details let me know.

Hi MaryA,
Thanks for the input but I think connections outside Alabama are not his. I never heard mention of a brother Marvin so I think the 1920 Indiana find isn't Vic's family.

Vic's family was more or less based in Alabama, and that is where he is buried. It was where he and Flora set up their first home in 1946. His only connection with Indiana is that they moved from Talladega to South Bend, Indiana for him to work on the railroad there about 1948/49.

Flora died in South Bend in 1976 and her daughter still lives there. Unfortunately she knows very little about her father's origins.

DS