VETERAN OF THE MONTH—PVT. WILLIS FARMER
The Ohio County Veterans Museum will pay honor to a local WWII soldier who was killed in action as its Veteran of the Month. Pvt. Willis Farmer was born in the Adaburg Community in Northern Ohio County in 1923 to Martin Gilbert and Mary Eliza Farmer Farmer. He was their youngest son: their oldest son was killed in a car wreck in 1924, and his mother passed away in 1928. He attended a local one-room school in the area as was available during that period of time. It is thought to be the Greer School.
He entered the service in January 1944 and was placed in the Infantry. He was sent overseas to France in July and earned the Infantry Combat Medal. Willis was killed in action there on November 8th of the same year, according to word received by his father & family from the War Department. His body was returned to US in 1948 by train. His nephew, Wayne Kaysinger, remembers very plainly going with his mother, Frankie Farmer Kaysinger, to meet the train and take home the body. He was buried in the Adaburg Baptist Church Cemetery, with military honors, beside his mother and siblings. The family received his Purple Heart posthumously.
Pvt. Farmer is listed on the WWII causality memorial marker displayed on the lawn of the Ohio County Court House in Hartford. He was, (as most war casualties) never married. He had nieces and nephews by his sisters, Frankie and Birtie. (Some information for this article was supplied by nephews, Wayne and Owen Kaysinger.)
It is a privilege to salute, pay honor and respect to Ohio County’s KIA-MIA’s who fought for our country, but was not able to again see the homeland which they died for.
A special exhibit in his honor will be highlighted for the month at the Ohio County Veterans Museum in Hartford (415 Mulberry St.). Hours are 11-4 on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, & Fridays and on Saturdays 9-3. There is no admission charged, donations are accepted and appreciated. The museum is operated by the volunteers of the Ohio County Historical Society and is not affiliated with any county, state or federal military or veteran’s organizations.