By Scott Wheeler

The following is a letter that I received from John Sumner of Newport, remembering his brother, William Sumner.

“William M. Sumner was an outstanding athlete and attended U.V.M. on the first of their athletic scholarships. He joined the United States Marine Corps in 1938. Early in his service duties he became an aerial photographer. He attained the rank of sergeant.

            Just before World War II he applied and was accepted into the pre-flight program administered by the United States Navy that trained USMC pilots. He trained in Athens, Georgia; Opalocka, Florida; Pensacola, Florida, and Mejoro, California.  At this time he was classified as a Naval Air Personnel. He became a USMC officer a short time later.

            He shipped out with VMF 422 which was an F4U Vought Sikorsky Fighter Group. VMF 422 served in Hawaii, the South Pacific, and the Central Pacific. While serving in the Central Pacific VMF 422 practiced and became adept at close air support and dive bombing. Let Sumner received a commendation for a dive bombing attack on the island of Ponape. Lt. Sumner was qualified for aircraft carrier landings and made several task force missions.

            Family members in Newport are John and Elsie Sumner, Joanne Vachon and William Sumner. Lt. Sumner died December 1944 in the Naval Hospital in Geneva, New York and is buried in Sharon, Vermont. He was survived by his wife Caroline and daughter Sharon.”