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Betsy Mills and Ron Brothers. The Death and Cemetery Records of Lamar County, Texas, ReBroMa Press, 2008, http://www.lamarcountytx.org/cemetery. (05/12/2025)

THE PARIS NEWS. 12 Sep 1943, Sun • Page 1. "Honey Grove Man, Marine Pilot, Dies. Capt. Dale Thrasher Succumbs in Hospital At San Diego. HONEY GROVE.--- Capt. Dale E. Thrasher, United States Marine Corps flier, died Friday night in the base hospital at San Diego Calif. After extended active service in the Southwest Pacific, he had spent a 30-day leave at home here, and left, August 23 to report in San Diego for a new assignment. No funeral arrangements had been made, pending word as to the probable time of the body's arrival here. The only immediate relatives are his grandmother, Mrs. Mary Thrasher, and a sister, Mrs. Earl Collins, both living here. Capt. Thrasher, 23 had come home on leave after a rest in a Southern Pacific base, following a narrow escape in an attack on Japanese destroyers. With one wing of his plane afire, his gunner wounded, the plane radio and phone system wrecked, and one wheel stuck fast, he made a one wheel landing at his home base according to an official report at Marine Corps headquarters in Washington. Capt. Thrasher wore five ribbons, four denoting campaigns, including Guadalcanal in which he participated, and the fifth bore two gold stars, denoting a presidential citation for his dive bomber squadron's service in action. Capt. Thatcher attended Paris Junior College before enrolling in the Marine Corps and his election as business manager of the Galleon, college yearbook, in his first year there is indication of his standing among the students."

THE PARIS NEWS. 15 Sep 1943, Wed • Page 6. "Capt. Dale Thrasher. Funeral Incomplete. HONEY GROVE (Special) -- Funeral arrangements were incomplete here, pending arrival of the body of Capt. Dale E. Thrasher, sent from San Diego, Calif., Monday, according to notification received here by his grandmother, Mrs. Mary E. Thrasher. Capt. Thrasher had recently returned to the west coast to report after sending a month's leave at home. He had narrowly escaped death when his plane was disabled while returning from a combat mission in the South Pacific and in addition, he had suffered an attack of tropical malaria and dysentery."

THE PARIS NEWS, 19 Sep 1943, Sun • Page 5. "Military Rites Held for Flier. Funeral Conducted at Honey Grove for Capt. Thrasher. HONEY GROVE (Special) -- Flags here flew at half-mast Thursday and Friday from the time of the arrival of Capt Dale E. Thrasher's body until after funeral Serves and interment in Oakwood Cemetery. Business houses were closed during the funeral hour. First Lt. John O. Hull, military escort, who had been Capt. Thrasher's roommate in foreign service and after his return to the United State, said Capt. Thrasher died September 10, in a hospital 12 hours after suffering a heart attack at their quarters. Capt. Thrasher had spent a 30-day leave at home after being in the Southwest Pacific area 15 months as a Marine Corps flier, and left here, August 23, to report to California for reassignment. The Rev. T. J. Watts, the pastor conducted the funeral Friday at 3 p.m. at First Baptist Church assisted by the Rev. W. R. Zimmerman of the Methodist Church and Chaplain Joseph Conrad from Camp Maxey. A letter to Captain Thrasher's sister from an Australian citizen who had met the officer there and one written by Capt. Thrasher to his nephew on the latter's first birthday, were read and Mervin Rutherford, Sunday school superintendent, placed a gold star over the blue one designating Capt. Thrasher on the church's service flag. Full military rites were observed a color bearer and a bugler, as well as a platoon escort of 60 men from a Military Police battalion at Camp Maxey, participating. The customary volley was fired over the grave and five planes from Jones Field, Bonham flew over at conclusion of the service there. Pallbearers were Tech. Sgt. Jack Shelton of the Army Medical Det., Oklahoma City, Okla; Gene Howell, Houston; Floyd Blair, Hollis Hindman, Curtis Brown, Herbert Bell and Heita Lankford. Capt. Thrasher was born here July 31, 1918, son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Bedford D. Thrasher and after graduation from high school here in 1936, he attended Paris Junior College. he enlisted in the Marine Corps in April, 1949, ad received his training successively at Kansas City , Kans.; Pensacola, and Miami Beach Fla., receiving his commission ad pilot's wings at the latter base, in March, 1941. He was on duty at Quantico Va., before assignment to foreign duty where he had taken part in 10 major engagements, including Guadalcanal. He had come home on convalescent leave, having been ill from tropical diseases for some time in addition to suffering from severe shock in a forced landing. Surviving are his grandmother, Mrs. Mary E. Thrasher, and a sister, Mrs. Earl Collins.

Name: Dale Eugene Thrasher
Event Type: Death
Event Date: 10 Sep 1943
Event Place: Orange, California, United States
Birth Date: 31 Jul 1918
Birthplace: Texas
Gender: Male
Citing this Record: "California, Death Index, 1940-1997," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/VPQC-HP4 : accessed 25 February 2015), Dale Eugene Thrasher, 10 Sep 1943; Department of Public Health Services, Sacramento.