Walter Herbert Marshall
Corporal Walter Herbert Marshall of Collingswood, NJ, known as “Red.”
Rank: Corporal, U.S. Army Air Forces
Serial Number: 13094024
Unit: 32nd Photographic Squadron, 5th Reconnaissance Group
Hometown: Collingswood, New Jersey
Killed: , Mediterranean Sea
Memorial: Tablets of the Missing, North Africa American Cemetery, Carthage, Tunisia
Awards: Purple Heart
Corporal Walter Herbert Marshall was born in Philadelphia on March 15, 1921. An only child, he grew up at 210 West Browning Road in Collingswood, NJ, where his father was a cashier at the First National Bank of West Collingswood, member of the school board, and was a past president of the Rotary Club. He entered Dickinson College in Carlisle, PA in September 1939 after his graduation from Collingswood High School. As a member of Dickinson’s class of 1943, “Red” was a member of Phi Kappa Psi fraternity, participated in the International Club, and worked on the Microcosm. He also took advantage of the College’s accelerated program, graduating with his bachelor of arts degree on January 24, 1943. He then joined sixteen other Dickinson men in the first group to leave in a body for the armed services, assigned to Camp Lee, Virginia.
Marshall trained at Miami Beach, FL and then was selected for technical school in photography at Lowry Field, near Denver, CO. He studied photo topography at Colorado Springs and finished first in his class. He was offered an assignment as an instructor but rejected this in favor of an overseas assignment with the Intelligence Corps and was sent to the Mediterranean theater in April.
On April 20, 1944, the naval “Liberty ship” transport S.S. Paul Hamilton, part of a large convoy, was attacked near sunset by twenty-three Ju-88 bombers approximately 30 miles off the Coast of Cape Bengut, Algiers, in the Mediterranean Sea. A single torpedo struck the ship, which was also carrying ammunition, and it immediately exploded, killing all 508 men aboard in one of the most serious losses of life in a single Liberty ship sinking during the war. The explosion was recorded by Coast Guard photographer Russell Green aboard the U.S.S. Menges and the photograph was published in Time Magazine on May 22, 1944. Only a single body was found and recovered. “Red” Marshall was among the 154 men of the 831st Squadron, U.S. Army Air Corps traveling to Naples aboard the Paul Hamilton and died with his comrades.
S.S. Paul Hamilton
The explosion of the S.S. Paul Hamilton, April 20, 1944, photographed by Coast Guard photographer Russell Green aboard the U.S.S. Menges. Published in Time Magazine, May 22, 1944.
Walter Herbert Marshall
Prepared by Mr. and Mrs. Walter Marshall, Collingswood, NJ
Walter Herbert Marshall — of the Army Air Forces, was lost in action when the Transport SS Hamilton was sunk by enemy action in the Mediterranean Sea, April 20, 1944. The ship was attacked by aeroplanes off the coast of Algiers while en route to Naples. Although on the transport until saved, not even one of the crew. The plane had no attachments even able to pick him up.
Less than a month after his graduation from Dickinson College he received his A.B. degree, our son left for Camp Lee, Va., in February ’43 with seventeen other Dickinson men the first group to leave the college in a body for a training camp. He was classified as a training in photographic, having the rating of PFC, after the three months’ training course he went to Lowry Field, Denver, Colorado, where the technical school in photography. He completed this course first in his class, then photography interpretation at Colorado Springs. He graduated first in his class and the commanding officer wanted to appoint him an instructor. He did chose, however, to continue in the field. His reason for this choice was that he would also be assigned to the intelligence and also to have some experience before returning to studies again in civilian life. He obtained a position with the Intelligence Corps as a photo interpreter. He completed a course of military training and on this certificate bore the rating of Corporal. He left for overseas on April 8.
Born in Philadelphia on March 16, 1921, he graduated from Collingswood High School in June 1939, and entered Dickinson College in the following fall. He was with Dickinson College three and one-half years. He was a member of the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity.
Following the formal notification of our Son’s loss, we have received the Purple Heart medal and the Citation of Honor signed by H.H. Arnold, Commanding General of the Army Air Forces. He is our only child.