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ARMY SSGT. ROBERT J. CONWAY
ARMY SSGT. ROBERT J. CONWAY

SGT. R. CONWAY DIES IN ITALY AFTER BATTLE

The sad news of the death of S/Sgt. Robert J. Conway, former Farmington boy, on Jan 23rd reached here this week. He was with the 133rd Infantry, 34th Division, 5th Army in Italy.
Born at Castle Rock in 1915 he moved to Farmington, when just a young boy with his mother, brother Glenn and grandfather Joe Doub.
He will be remembered as an outstanding athlete, especially in basketball.
In 1939 he went to Fort Dodge, Iowa, and made his home with the W.H. Tucker family who now reside in Farmington. Bob and the Tucker boys had been close school friends.
Sgt. Conway had three times been injured in action, once on the 100 mile march on Rome, which was made in three days. Being a mess sergeant he had quite a responsibility keeping food supplied. Later in hand to hand combat, after being shot in the leg, he bettered his opponent for which he had received the Combat medal and recently wrote of a Tommy gun bullet passing through his raincoat and then ten minutes later shrapnel getting in the chest. This occurred up in the mountains on the Italian drive. He got back four miles to a road way and was picked up by a jeep. In that territory he said if a fellow can’t get down to a road on his own it is hopeless.
Sgt. Conway was awarded the Purple Heart decoration.
In 1941 Bob joined the National Guards, at Fort Dodge as a cook. Coming home that day he said “Mrs. Tucker will you teach me to cook?” There were three competitors for this position, but Mrs. Tucker said that they got down to real work, Bob with his persistence conquered it and was made mess sergeant at Camp Claiborne and served in that capacity until his death.
His plans were just complete we had learned in a letter received here four days after his death, for a 30 day much earned furlough.
He had made many friends in Farmington and Fort Dodge and plans were made for a real homecoming.
Bob’s father had died several years ago and his mother is in a sanatorium. His brother Glen, wife and child are residing in Los Angeles. He leaves a saddened host of friends in his boyhood hometown and at Fort Dodge Iowa.
The accompanying photo was taken in Algiers during the African campaign. He and his family were members of the Farmington Methodist Church.