Edward B. A. Walton Jr.
Rank: First Lieutenant, U.S. Army Air Forces
Serial: O-791173
Unit: 318th Fighter Squadron, 325th Fighter Group
Entered service from: Pennsylvania
Died:
Awards: Air Medal, Purple Heart
Memorialized at: Tablets of the Missing, North Africa American Cemetery, Carthage, Tunisia
Biography
First Lieutenant Edward B. A. Walton Jr. of Haddonfield, New Jersey.
First Lieutenant Edward Baldrey Austin Walton Jr. lived in Haddonfield, New Jersey, at 58 Euclid Avenue at the time of the 1930 census. He was the son of Edward B. A. Walton Sr. and his wife Margaret, and was a direct descendant of John Hart, signatory to the Declaration of Independence. The Waltons were involved in the arts, and Margaret Walton appeared in local theater as a member of the Haddonfield Alumni Players.
Edward B. A. Walton Jr. was a 1937 graduate of Haddonfield High School, where he played football and was a member of the track team. After high school he attended Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts. Upon graduation, Edward Walton took a job in the editorial department of the Camden Courier-Post newspaper.
Edward Walton, known to friends and family as “Ted,” enlisted immediately after Pearl Harbor and trained as a fighter pilot, reporting for active duty on December 27, 1941. He won his wings and commission on August 5, 1942, at the Southeast United States Army Air Force Training Center at Spence Field, Moultrie, Georgia. Granted a leave, he married Miss Alice Leavitt, daughter of State Senator Ralph A. Leavitt, commissioner of the port of Portland, Maine, in Portland on August 9, 1942. The wedding culminated a college romance—the bride had attended Bennington College while Walton went to nearby Williams.
Edward B. A. Walton Jr. went overseas as a member of the 318th Fighter Squadron, 325th Fighter Group, flying a P-40 fighter. Although his letters home insisted the war was “very dull,” he was awarded the Air Medal for directing his squadron after its commanding officer was shot down. He disappeared while flying a mission over Tunisia on May 7, 1943. His father, of 319 South Camac Street in Philadelphia, received the Air Medal which Lieutenant Walton had earned.
‘Ted’ Walton Joins Air Corps of Army
Camden Courier-Post —
Former Haddonfield Youth Will Report Saturday for Flying Service
Edward B. A. Walton, Jr., 21, former resident of Haddonfield, gave up his job with the Courier-Post Newspapers last night to enter the employ of Uncle Sam as an aviation cadet.
Walton, known in the Morning Post Editorial department as “Ted,” will report Saturday in Philadelphia for duty with the United States Air Corps.
Ted enlisted Friday and was accepted yesterday after passing his physical examination at the recruiting station, 111 South Third street, Philadelphia.
Walton lives at 319 South Camac street, Philadelphia, with his parents, Edward B. A., Sr., and Margaret Walton. He moved to Philadelphia about four years ago, after residing in Haddonfield. He was graduated from Haddonfield High School in 1937 after participating in football and with the track work. He entered Williams College that year and was graduated last June.
While in college Walton was an editor of two college magazines, “Sketch” and “The Purple Cow.” His father is prominent in this area as an artist and is a member of the faculty at the Philadelphia School of Industrial Art and of the Philadelphia Textile School.
Ted is the nephew of George Howard Walton, chairman of the Camden County Republican Committee, and a grandson of Joseph Walton, chairman of the Camden County Selective Service Advisory Board.
Haddonfield Man Wins Army Wings
Camden Courier-Post —
Edward Walton, Jr., Completes Flying Course; Will Get Lieutenancy
Completing his course, Edward B. A. Walton, Jr., of Haddonfield, will graduate tomorrow from the Southeast Army Air Forces Training Center, Spence Field, Moultrie, Ga., and receive his commission as a lieutenant. The wings of a full-fledged Army pilot will be awarded to him at the ceremonies.
Lieutenant Walton, who is a former editorial employe of the Courier-Post Newspapers, is 22 years old and is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Edward B. A. Walton, Sr., and a nephew of George H. Walton, Republican state committeeman.
He graduated from Haddonfield High School where he starred in football and track, in 1937 and later graduated from Williams College.
Following his enlistment in the Air Corps, he was sent to Arcadia, Fla., and subsequently to Shaw Field, S. C. His training was completed at Spence Field
state committeeman. He graduated from Haddonfield High School, where he starred in football and track, and later attended Williams College.
The wedding Sunday followed a year’s engagement, prolonged by flight training in the South.
Flier Wins Medal But Calls War Dull
Camden Courier-Post —
Ted Walton Silent on Details of Heroism in Letter
The war in North Africa is “very dull” according to “Ted” Walton, Army fighter pilot, so dull in fact he has been awarded the Air Medal.
“Ted,” who is Lieut. Edward B. A. Walton, Jr., on the records of the United States Army Air Force, has been in Africa for several months. Announcement of his citation was received yesterday by his parents in a letter mailed by Ted on April 28.
Walton, an employe of the editorial department of the Courier-Post Newspapers before entry into service, said in his letter “the war here is very dull. I got the Air Medal yesterday.”
The letter was blunt and to the point and did not mention what he did to earn the decoration. Walton would say “it was nothing”; but government records doubtless will shed a different light on the award.
In a second letter, also received yesterday by the flier’s parents, Walton relates it “is remarkable how the air opposition has disappeared.” He said, however, as the American forces forced the Axis army into more concentrated positions, the anti-aircraft defense became more intensive.
“Ted, in his letters home, seems to pay more attention to the ancient ruins he is seeing in Africa, particlarly [sic] around Carthage, than he does the war,” his father said last night.
A former Haddonfield High school athlete and graduate of Williams College, class of 1941, Walton enlisted a few days after Pearl Harbor attack. He is a nephew of George Howard Walton, Republican state committeeman from Camden county.
Walton was graduated last August 5 from the advanced training school at Spence Field, Ga., where he received his commission. Before that he trained at Maxwell Field, Ala., Dorr Field, Fla., and Shaw Field, S. C.
Four days after receiving his wings, Ted married his college sweetheart, the former Miss Alice Leavitt, daughter of Ralph A. Leavitt, commissioner of the port of Portland, Me., and a Maine state senator. His wife is living with her parents at Portland until the end of the war.
Lieut. Walton’s parents live at 319 South Camac street, Philadelphia.
Medal Awarded To Ted Walton, Missing in Air
Camden Courier-Post —
Father Receives Decoration for Haddonfield Flier Lost Over Tunisia
The Army Air Medal which Lieut. Edward B. A. “Ted” Walton Jr., Haddonfield High school athlete, won in the skies over Africa, but which he never received, was awarded today.
“Ted” disappeared on a flight over Tunisia in his P-40 on May 7, 1943, and is presumed to be dead. He was awarded the medal on direct orders of President Roosevelt.
The former Courier-Post Editorial department employe’s, father, Edward B. A. Walton, of 319 Camac street, Philadelphia, accepted the honor for his son from Capt. William G. Freeman, of Merchantville. The ceremony took place at the Philadelphia area office of the Materiel Command, Army Air Force, Ledger Building.
Ted has been on the War Department’s “missing list” since that last flight. He never was declared dead although now the records list him as presumably dead.
Walton, nephew of Capt. George H. Walton, former Republican state committeeman from Camden county, left his job with the Courier-Post immediately after Pearl Harbor to enlist in the Air Forces.
Receiving his wings in August, 1942, he married Miss Alice Leavitt, daughter of State Senator Ralph A. Leavitt, commissioner of the Port, Portland, Me.
Was Leading Squadron
Walton was assigned to Africa, flying his P-40 in the American invasion, and stories of his exploits began coming home. Although he saw “plenty” of action, his letters to his bride and parents always asserted “everything is dull over here.”
After directing his squadron when its commanding officer was shot down from the North African skies, Ted won the Air Medal but was reported missing before he could receive it.
Mrs. Edward B.A. Walton
Camden Courier-Post —
Mrs. Walton is playing one of the principal roles in “Captain Applejack,” the Haddonfield High school Alumni Association’s annual play to be presented in the auditorium of the New Memorial High School this Saturday evening. Mrs. Walton is well known in this section for her appearance in amateur theatricals here.