Ivan Chester Shipley (1917 - 1973)

Born 29 Sep 1917 in Loda Township, Reno County, Kansas, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Elma Jane (Wimmer) Shipley — married 8 Jun 1942 in Hutchinson, Kansas, United States

Died 8 Apr 1973 at age 55 in Fresno, Fresno County, California, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Elizabeth James [send private message]

Biography

Ivan Shipley served in the United States Army in World War II
Service started:
Unit(s):
Service ended:

WW II Veteran

Ivan was born about 1918. He is the son of John Leroy Shipley and Anne Roberta Ozbun.

The battle of Okinawa occurred around April-June 1945. Operation Iceberg it's code name lasted for 82 days. [1]. It resulted in the largest casualties of World War II with over 100,000 Japanese casualties and 50,000 casualties for the Allies. During that time letters managed to get back home to loved ones. This is one such letter. My father Fay’s [2] ship had wreaked in the Solomon Sea. He managed to swim to a neighboring Soloman Island about 100 miles away with the help of a dolphin. He was there for a while and was treated with the greatest respect from the natives. The Navy eventually found him and took him back to Hawaii. Fay was already rescued when the letter was written as stated in the letter. Meanwhile Ivan was trying to get proof of life that Raymond Ball [3] was still alive. Ivan was behind the battle front. Not without hope he writes a letter to home:

A Letter to Back Home, From Ivan
(During The Battle of Okinawa (1945). Trying to get proof of life for relative Raymond Ball.

Okinawa

Dear Mom and All;
Well I just sent a letter to Jane so I will try to get one off to you all on the same mail. I've been trying to catch up with Bob Ball. Seen a guy from his outfit and found how to contact him. He is not so close but may get to see me sometime sent him a letter telling him my location last night. Tried to find Fay all the way out but while I was still on the boat I got a letter from Jennie he was home. I want only one more boat ride then boats and me we are through. I sure want no pleasure boat rides. My word will be "See America First" and I'm never going to get through seeing America.

I'm sure glad the war is turning out the way it is we will sure be home in 11 and I've hopes of sooner. I'm sending you a picture I found in a Bombed house. The roof was all caved in and every thing all broken up. But they have hardly any furniture in the house at all. No beds just sleeping mats. No chairs, no table except a tea table about knee high a few had radios. No stoves except a fire place, where the cooking was did the tools were all hand made. From plants to hoes, small garden patches of about 20'x20' of sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and sugar cane. Pair tomatoes are ripe now, so are the cucumbers. I'm where Bob came through. I found a insignia of his unit on the ground here, though he is quite sways from here now. You remember the letter he wrote to Ella describing how it was here. Well by for now, write soon. A flower I found here, there is a lot of them. *Ivan

Research Notes

• There is a discrepancy in his place of birth. One profile showed Arlington, Kansas; the other showed Loda Township -- both appear to be in Reno County, Kansas.

Sources

• "United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MF6J-595 : accessed 12 August 2017), Willie Shipley in household of John L Shipley, Kingman, Kingman, Kansas, United States; citing ED 103, sheet 21B, line 55, family 560, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1992), roll 536; FHL microfilm 1,820,536.

• "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X779-TNN : accessed 13 August 2017), Ivan Shipley in household of John L Shipley, Hutchinson, Reno, Kansas, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 17, sheet 10A, line 13, family 237, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 717; FHL microfilm 2,340,452.

• "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K77V-L5R : accessed 28 July 2017), Fay Black in household of John Shipley, Nottinghill Township, Ozark, Ozark, Missouri, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 77-13, sheet 2B, line 42, family 26, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 2135

• "California Death Index, 1940-1997," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VP65-KJX : 26 November 2014), Ivan C Shipley, 08 Apr 1973; Department of Public Health Services, Sacramento.

  Ivan C Shipley;

  Event Date: 08 April 1973;

  Event Place: Fresno, California;

  Birth Date: 29 Sep 1917;

  Birthplace: Kansas;

• Source:

  A Letter to Back Home, From Ivan

  (During The Battle of Okinawa (1945). Trying to get proof of life for relative Raymond Ball.)

  Transcribed by Loretta Black

  https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Okinawa

  Wikipedia [4]

• Check out this photo I found on the Ancestry mobile app: https://www.ancestry.com/sharing/11322794?h=ea44e7

• Dominic Flory Flory Family Site (23andMe). MyHeritage family tree; Family site: Flory Family Site (23andMe); Family tree: 270777971-2 Discovery Media: 270777971-2Ivan Chester SHIPLEY Certainty: 3 7 JUN 2018 Added by confirming a Smart Match Event: Smart Matching Role: 2018326