Gunners Mate Third Class William Frank "Billy" Long,) United States Navy, was stationed aboard the USS Pennsylvania (BB-38) and was in the Marshall Islands at the time of his death. He died when a powder tank exploded while being loaded into Turret #1 on the ship during battle. He was first buried on the Island of Bikini. In 1945, in preparation to secretly test the atomic bomb on the islands of Bikini and Enewetak, he was moved to Mausoleum #1, Scofield Barracks, Hawaii. He was reinterred at Cedarvale Cemetery on November 6, 1947 near his maternal grandfather William Henry Mangum who died in 1944. At the time of Billy's death his family was living in Dickinson, Texas.
Memorial services were held Tuesday in Dickinson, Texas, for Billie Frank Long, son of Mr. and Mrs. Hayward Long, who was reported killed in action in a dispatch to his parents from the U. S. War department. He was with the U. S. Navy.
Billie Frank is remembered by many in Matagorda County where he grew up when his parents lived in Old Gulf.
The Daily Tribune, Tuesday, February 22, 1944
CITY WILL PAY HOMAGE TO WAR DEAD
Young Hero's Body To Arrive Here Tomorrow
Body Will Lie In State At Funeral Home
Bay City will pause momentarily from its usual daily tasks Wednesday afternoon to pay homage to the first of the Nation's war dead heroes to be returned here for reinterment.
Although no formal ceremony has been planned, many of the city's citizens will be present at the Missouri Pacific depot when the body of William F. Long, son of Mr. and Mrs. J. Haywood Long, former residents here, arrives from San Antonio. An honor guard of Legionnaires from Bay City Post No. 11, the American Legion, will be on hand to pay homage to the dead hero.
The body will be accompanied here by an escort, and will lie in state at Taylor Bros. Funeral Home until services at Cedar Vale Cemetery Thursday at 3 p.m.
The 19-year-old veteran held the rating of Gunner's Mate 3/c at the time of his death, February 11, 1944, in the Marshall Islands. Before meeting death in an accident during the Marshall Islands campaign, the youthful seaman served in the Aleutian Islands and was stationed at Kiska, and the Gilbert campaigns in the Central Pacific theatre.
He entered service February 6, 1943. He enlisted after graduating from Dickerson[Dickinson] High School where he was a member of the football team, earning his letter for three years. He was captain of the team his senior year. He also earned his varsity letter in basketball, and while in high school won state and national honors as a tenor saxophone soloist. He also attended school at Newgulf and Boling.
Pall bearers will be Roy Lee Walker, who enlisted with young Long and served with him aboard the U. S. S. Pennsylvania, Ernest Martell, Phillip Corona, Virgil Elkenberg of Rice Institute, Maurice Crazzy of Velasco and John Jolly of Dickinson.
Bay City Post No. 11 will furnish the honor guard for the rites.
The young hero was among the first contingent of war dead to arrive in the United States from the Pacific area. His body among the 3,000 war dead arriving aboard the Honda Knot in San Francisco last month.
The Daily Tribune, Tuesday, November 4, 1947
Memorial services were held Tuesday in Dickinson, Texas, for Billie Frank Long, son of Mr. and Mrs. Hayward Long, who was reported killed in action in a dispatch to his parents from the U. S. War department. He was with the U. S. Navy.
Billie Frank is remembered by many in Matagorda County where he grew up when his parents lived in Old Gulf.
The Daily Tribune, Tuesday, February 22, 1944
CITY WILL PAY HOMAGE TO WAR DEAD
Young Hero's Body To Arrive Here Tomorrow
Body Will Lie In State At Funeral Home
Bay City will pause momentarily from its usual daily tasks Wednesday afternoon to pay homage to the first of the Nation's war dead heroes to be returned here for reinterment.
Although no formal ceremony has been planned, many of the city's citizens will be present at the Missouri Pacific depot when the body of William F. Long, son of Mr. and Mrs. J. Haywood Long, former residents here, arrives from San Antonio. An honor guard of Legionnaires from Bay City Post No. 11, the American Legion, will be on hand to pay homage to the dead hero.
The body will be accompanied here by an escort, and will lie in state at Taylor Bros. Funeral Home until services at Cedar Vale Cemetery Thursday at 3 p.m.
The 19-year-old veteran held the rating of Gunner's Mate 3/c at the time of his death, February 11, 1944, in the Marshall Islands. Before meeting death in an accident during the Marshall Islands campaign, the youthful seaman served in the Aleutian Islands and was stationed at Kiska, and the Gilbert campaigns in the Central Pacific theatre.
He entered service February 6, 1943. He enlisted after graduating from Dickerson[Dickinson] High School where he was a member of the football team, earning his letter for three years. He was captain of the team his senior year. He also earned his varsity letter in basketball, and while in high school won state and national honors as a tenor saxophone soloist. He also attended school at Newgulf and Boling.
Pall bearers will be Roy Lee Walker, who enlisted with young Long and served with him aboard the U. S. S. Pennsylvania, Ernest Martell, Phillip Corona, Virgil Elkenberg of Rice Institute, Maurice Crazzy of Velasco and John Jolly of Dickinson.
Bay City Post No. 11 will furnish the honor guard for the rites.
The young hero was among the first contingent of war dead to arrive in the United States from the Pacific area. His body among the 3,000 war dead arriving aboard the Honda Knot in San Francisco last month.
The Daily Tribune, Tuesday, November 4, 1947
Gunners Mate Third Class William Frank "Billy" Long,) United States Navy, was stationed aboard the USS Pennsylvania (BB-38) and was in the Marshall Islands at the time of his death. He died when a powder tank exploded while being loaded into Turret #1 on the ship during battle. He was first buried on the Island of Bikini. In 1945, in preparation to secretly test the atomic bomb on the islands of Bikini and Enewetak, he was moved to Mausoleum #1, Scofield Barracks, Hawaii. He was reinterred at Cedarvale Cemetery on November 6, 1947 near his maternal grandfather William Henry Mangum who died in 1944. At the time of Billy's death his family was living in Dickinson, Texas.
Memorial services were held Tuesday in Dickinson, Texas, for Billie Frank Long, son of Mr. and Mrs. Hayward Long, who was reported killed in action in a dispatch to his parents from the U. S. War department. He was with the U. S. Navy.
Billie Frank is remembered by many in Matagorda County where he grew up when his parents lived in Old Gulf.
The Daily Tribune, Tuesday, February 22, 1944
CITY WILL PAY HOMAGE TO WAR DEAD
Young Hero's Body To Arrive Here Tomorrow
Body Will Lie In State At Funeral Home
Bay City will pause momentarily from its usual daily tasks Wednesday afternoon to pay homage to the first of the Nation's war dead heroes to be returned here for reinterment.
Although no formal ceremony has been planned, many of the city's citizens will be present at the Missouri Pacific depot when the body of William F. Long, son of Mr. and Mrs. J. Haywood Long, former residents here, arrives from San Antonio. An honor guard of Legionnaires from Bay City Post No. 11, the American Legion, will be on hand to pay homage to the dead hero.
The body will be accompanied here by an escort, and will lie in state at Taylor Bros. Funeral Home until services at Cedar Vale Cemetery Thursday at 3 p.m.
The 19-year-old veteran held the rating of Gunner's Mate 3/c at the time of his death, February 11, 1944, in the Marshall Islands. Before meeting death in an accident during the Marshall Islands campaign, the youthful seaman served in the Aleutian Islands and was stationed at Kiska, and the Gilbert campaigns in the Central Pacific theatre.
He entered service February 6, 1943. He enlisted after graduating from Dickerson[Dickinson] High School where he was a member of the football team, earning his letter for three years. He was captain of the team his senior year. He also earned his varsity letter in basketball, and while in high school won state and national honors as a tenor saxophone soloist. He also attended school at Newgulf and Boling.
Pall bearers will be Roy Lee Walker, who enlisted with young Long and served with him aboard the U. S. S. Pennsylvania, Ernest Martell, Phillip Corona, Virgil Elkenberg of Rice Institute, Maurice Crazzy of Velasco and John Jolly of Dickinson.
Bay City Post No. 11 will furnish the honor guard for the rites.
The young hero was among the first contingent of war dead to arrive in the United States from the Pacific area. His body among the 3,000 war dead arriving aboard the Honda Knot in San Francisco last month.
The Daily Tribune, Tuesday, November 4, 1947
Memorial services were held Tuesday in Dickinson, Texas, for Billie Frank Long, son of Mr. and Mrs. Hayward Long, who was reported killed in action in a dispatch to his parents from the U. S. War department. He was with the U. S. Navy.
Billie Frank is remembered by many in Matagorda County where he grew up when his parents lived in Old Gulf.
The Daily Tribune, Tuesday, February 22, 1944
CITY WILL PAY HOMAGE TO WAR DEAD
Young Hero's Body To Arrive Here Tomorrow
Body Will Lie In State At Funeral Home
Bay City will pause momentarily from its usual daily tasks Wednesday afternoon to pay homage to the first of the Nation's war dead heroes to be returned here for reinterment.
Although no formal ceremony has been planned, many of the city's citizens will be present at the Missouri Pacific depot when the body of William F. Long, son of Mr. and Mrs. J. Haywood Long, former residents here, arrives from San Antonio. An honor guard of Legionnaires from Bay City Post No. 11, the American Legion, will be on hand to pay homage to the dead hero.
The body will be accompanied here by an escort, and will lie in state at Taylor Bros. Funeral Home until services at Cedar Vale Cemetery Thursday at 3 p.m.
The 19-year-old veteran held the rating of Gunner's Mate 3/c at the time of his death, February 11, 1944, in the Marshall Islands. Before meeting death in an accident during the Marshall Islands campaign, the youthful seaman served in the Aleutian Islands and was stationed at Kiska, and the Gilbert campaigns in the Central Pacific theatre.
He entered service February 6, 1943. He enlisted after graduating from Dickerson[Dickinson] High School where he was a member of the football team, earning his letter for three years. He was captain of the team his senior year. He also earned his varsity letter in basketball, and while in high school won state and national honors as a tenor saxophone soloist. He also attended school at Newgulf and Boling.
Pall bearers will be Roy Lee Walker, who enlisted with young Long and served with him aboard the U. S. S. Pennsylvania, Ernest Martell, Phillip Corona, Virgil Elkenberg of Rice Institute, Maurice Crazzy of Velasco and John Jolly of Dickinson.
Bay City Post No. 11 will furnish the honor guard for the rites.
The young hero was among the first contingent of war dead to arrive in the United States from the Pacific area. His body among the 3,000 war dead arriving aboard the Honda Knot in San Francisco last month.
The Daily Tribune, Tuesday, November 4, 1947
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