Rachel Palmer, Collections Manager at the Page-Walker Arts and History Center, gives us a peek at the Guillam's Point collection. It is currently on display at the Page-Walker! #friendsofpagewalker #carynchistory (fb)

A "Cary History" Memorial Day Remembrance: The Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7383 on Reedy Creek Road is named after two Cary men who were killed in combat during the Second World War. Marine Corp Sergeant William Perry Sloan was a graduate of Cary High School. He was killed in action during the battle of Okinawa on 17 May, 1945. While the war in Europe had ended almost 2 weeks before his death, the war in the Pacific was still raging. He was posthumously awarded the Silver Star for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while engaged in action against an enemy of the United States. From his Silver Star Commendation: “Seeing that the entire crew of the right flank gun was hit by an exploding mortar shell, he boldly dashed to the gun and, while crawling forward to put it in action, was painfully wounded. Resolutely moving ahead, he reached an advantageous position to pour effective fire on the hostile defenders until he became too weak from the loss of blood to continue.” You can read more about his Silver Star Medal here: USMC Sergeant Perry Sloan Silver Star https://valor.militarytimes.com/hero/38764/ Army PFC Carl Franklin was also a graduate of Cary High School. He was killed in action on 18 September, 1944 during the battle of Anquar, part of the Palau Islands in the South Pacific. Private Franklin had the terrible luck to be killed on his first day of combat. While a major battle in the Pacific theater, the Battle of Angaur remains of the lesser known battles of the Pacific. Franklin fought for the Army’s 81st Infantry “Wildcat” Division. Another Cary son who was killed in Action in World War II was Army Air Force Private David Stuckey. A Class of ’41 graduate, Private Stuckey was serving as a gunner on the B-17 “Blues of the Night”, based out of Papua New Guinea. While starting on a combat mission on 12 April, 1943, the plane caught fire and crashed just after takeoff. The three 500 pound bombs exploded on impact, killing the entire crew. Private Stuckey is buried at Arlington National Cemetery. You can read more about Private Stuckey, and his awards, here: US Army Air Force Private David Stuckey In an interesting connection to Cary High School, his mother contacted CHS Principal Cooper in 1950 and donated to the school the flag that she was presented when her son was buried at Arlington. From her note she says “My dear Mr. Cooper, I am mailing under separate cover the flag presented to me at the re-burial service of my son, Private David Warren Stuckey. I consider it an honor and a privilege to thus pay tribute to Cary High School in memory of my son who made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty.” Thank you to Friends member, Michael Rubes, for the information contained in this Memorial Day post. (fb)