The Unfinished Story of Evesham WW2 Veteran Wilbur Bakley, A World Record Fruitcake, and a Missing US Flag
Admittedly this story is incomplete.
As much as I dislike writing a story I know isn't finished, I have run out of leads to chase down, so I am hoping there is someone out there who can help, because somewhere, hiding in a storage closet or shed owned by either Evesham Township or the Evesham Township School District, is the end of the story.
Several months ago, at an Evesham Town Council meeting in December, Mayor Jaclyn Veasy read a proclamation commemorating the anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941. I was trying to find some way to tie that commemoration to Evesham, and I disovered that Sargent Wilbur Bakley of Marlton was in Hawaii during the attack.
Wilbur Bakley was the son of Charles and Elena Bakley, who lived at 13 East Main Street in Marlton, along with Wilbur's sister Rose and brother Edward. According to reports, Wilbur "was the first [Evesham] township boy to enter the armed forces". On September 15, 1940, Wilbur went to Camden to enlist in the army. He was placed in the 'Hawaiian Department' and was stationed at Hickam Air Field in Hawaii as part of the 324th Signal Company, 19th Bomb Wing when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. With him at Hickam were two other Evesham residents - Corporal Hans Backman of the Pine Grove section and Armand Perlingero of Evesboro. It wasn't until early January that the Bakleys received a letter from their son and learned he had survived the attack.
Sargent Bakley spent the rest of the war in the Pacific Theater. While there isn't much I could find on where he was, we know he spent some time on the island of Saipan. In early January 1945, the Morning Post of Camden had an article entitled "Marlton Fruitcake Holds Travel Record". Sargent Bakley's mother thought he could use a reminder of home, and in October 1944, sent him a fruitcake to Saipan. By the time the fruitcake reached Saipan, Sargent Bakley was no longer there, and the fruitcake was returned to Marlton, nearly 4 months and 8900 miles later. It was thought to be a world record distance traveled for a fruit cake. The cake was reported to be in excellent condition and was still edible.
Sargent Bakley survived the war and came home to Marlton. He became an electrician and union member and moved to Maple Shade. He got married and had 2 sons and a daughter. He died in 1989 at the age of 69, and was buried at Calvary Cemetery in Cherry Hill.
And here is the reason for me writing this story: during the war, towns would frequently have 'Flag Dedications' to honor their native sons who were fighting in the war. On July 6th, 1943, a ceremony was held at the Marlton School (now known as the Evesham Township School District Administration Building). At the ceremony, a flag was presented by the Marlton-Medford-Vincentown Rotary club and dedicated to the 78 men and 2 women from Marlton fighting overseas. An address was given by Sargent Bakley's mother, and Violet Van Zant presented an honor roll. The flag and honor roll were accepted on behalf of the town by Garrison C Foster Jr, chairman of the Township Committee (precursor to the Town Council). Songs and hymns were sung by the choirs of the local Methodist and Baptist churches.
So what happened to the flag and plaque dedicated that day? Through some contacts within the school district, I learned that they were displayed in the administration building until some time in the late 1990s, when they were replaced with a display and plaque dedicated to school district employees. Reportedly, the flag and plaque were given to a 'township employee'. While I reached out to several people I thought might have knowledge, I am unable to determine where these might be. I can't imagine anyone throwing out a plaque and flag, so I am hopeful that a current or former township employee reading this may have knowledge. The plaque and flag should see the light of day again, and I think there are a few bare walls at the Municipal Building that would be a perfect home.
If you have any information, please feel free to reach out. Like my Facebook Page to get the latest posts - A View From Evesham. You can email me at MarltonNeil@yahoo.com.
I've written about a few other World War 2 soldiers from Marlton in the past. In case you missed them:
Private George L Cooper Jr - As per news accounts, Private Cooper was the first war fatality from Evesham. He name is probably on the Honor Roll, though I cannot be sure he was overseas in 1943.
Corporal Jack H Bennett - Corporal Bennett was fighting in the Pacific when the Flag Dedication ceremony took place, so his name is probably on the Honor Roll as well
As much as I dislike writing a story I know isn't finished, I have run out of leads to chase down, so I am hoping there is someone out there who can help, because somewhere, hiding in a storage closet or shed owned by either Evesham Township or the Evesham Township School District, is the end of the story.
Several months ago, at an Evesham Town Council meeting in December, Mayor Jaclyn Veasy read a proclamation commemorating the anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941. I was trying to find some way to tie that commemoration to Evesham, and I disovered that Sargent Wilbur Bakley of Marlton was in Hawaii during the attack.
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| Wilbur F Bakley of Marlton |
Wilbur Bakley was the son of Charles and Elena Bakley, who lived at 13 East Main Street in Marlton, along with Wilbur's sister Rose and brother Edward. According to reports, Wilbur "was the first [Evesham] township boy to enter the armed forces". On September 15, 1940, Wilbur went to Camden to enlist in the army. He was placed in the 'Hawaiian Department' and was stationed at Hickam Air Field in Hawaii as part of the 324th Signal Company, 19th Bomb Wing when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. With him at Hickam were two other Evesham residents - Corporal Hans Backman of the Pine Grove section and Armand Perlingero of Evesboro. It wasn't until early January that the Bakleys received a letter from their son and learned he had survived the attack.
Sargent Bakley spent the rest of the war in the Pacific Theater. While there isn't much I could find on where he was, we know he spent some time on the island of Saipan. In early January 1945, the Morning Post of Camden had an article entitled "Marlton Fruitcake Holds Travel Record". Sargent Bakley's mother thought he could use a reminder of home, and in October 1944, sent him a fruitcake to Saipan. By the time the fruitcake reached Saipan, Sargent Bakley was no longer there, and the fruitcake was returned to Marlton, nearly 4 months and 8900 miles later. It was thought to be a world record distance traveled for a fruit cake. The cake was reported to be in excellent condition and was still edible.
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| Draft Registration card from 1945 |
Sargent Bakley survived the war and came home to Marlton. He became an electrician and union member and moved to Maple Shade. He got married and had 2 sons and a daughter. He died in 1989 at the age of 69, and was buried at Calvary Cemetery in Cherry Hill.
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| Calvary Cemetery, Cherry Hill, NJ |
And here is the reason for me writing this story: during the war, towns would frequently have 'Flag Dedications' to honor their native sons who were fighting in the war. On July 6th, 1943, a ceremony was held at the Marlton School (now known as the Evesham Township School District Administration Building). At the ceremony, a flag was presented by the Marlton-Medford-Vincentown Rotary club and dedicated to the 78 men and 2 women from Marlton fighting overseas. An address was given by Sargent Bakley's mother, and Violet Van Zant presented an honor roll. The flag and honor roll were accepted on behalf of the town by Garrison C Foster Jr, chairman of the Township Committee (precursor to the Town Council). Songs and hymns were sung by the choirs of the local Methodist and Baptist churches.
So what happened to the flag and plaque dedicated that day? Through some contacts within the school district, I learned that they were displayed in the administration building until some time in the late 1990s, when they were replaced with a display and plaque dedicated to school district employees. Reportedly, the flag and plaque were given to a 'township employee'. While I reached out to several people I thought might have knowledge, I am unable to determine where these might be. I can't imagine anyone throwing out a plaque and flag, so I am hopeful that a current or former township employee reading this may have knowledge. The plaque and flag should see the light of day again, and I think there are a few bare walls at the Municipal Building that would be a perfect home.
I've written about a few other World War 2 soldiers from Marlton in the past. In case you missed them:
Private George L Cooper Jr - As per news accounts, Private Cooper was the first war fatality from Evesham. He name is probably on the Honor Roll, though I cannot be sure he was overseas in 1943.
Corporal Jack H Bennett - Corporal Bennett was fighting in the Pacific when the Flag Dedication ceremony took place, so his name is probably on the Honor Roll as well