Ship's Serviceman 3rd Class Walter J. Sutton

The Tribune
Seymour, Indiana
Monday February 11, 1952
Page 1

Freetowon Navy Man Dies From Crash Injury

Death at Campden, N.J., Saturday Follows Auto Accident-Rites Will Be Held at Freetown

Walter J. Sutton, 25, of Freetown, serving in the U.S. Navy, died Saturday at Camden, N.J., as the result of injuries sustained in an automobile accident there, relatives here have been notified.

The funeral party is en route to Jackson county and definite funeral arrangements will not be made until its arrival. Services will be conducted from the Freetown Chirstian Church with the Rev. A.E. Howard in charge, followed by burial in the Freetown Cemetery. Military rites will be conducted by Veterans of Foreign Wars from Seymour and Brownstown.

Mr Sutton, a U.S. Navy ship's serviceman, third class, was scheduled to have left today for duty in Cuba. He served with the USS Gatling, CD 671.

Wife Returned Thursday

His wife, Mrs. Louise Sutton, had returned home Thursday from Camden where she had been with her husband, since he was planning to leave the United States today, She received a message Friday that he had been hurt critically in an automobile accident and she was enroute to Louisville Saturday with members of the family to board a plane to go to his bedside when the message concerning his death was received. State police stopped the car in which she was riding at speed to give her the death message and she returned to Freetown.

No details of the accident have been learned here but the message said a letter would follow.

Was VFW Commander

Mr. Sutton, who was commander of the Freetown post of the Veterans of Foreign Wars in 1950-51, was born March 1, 1926, at New Castle, the son of Raymond and Lula M. Sullivan Sutton, who survive. He was married September 17, 1948, in Seymour to Louise Beickman, daughter of Mrs. William Beickman, of Brownstown.

He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in May, 1944, and was discharged in 1946. He was in the active Naval Reserve and was recalled to duty March 26, 1951. After two weeks at the Great Lakes Naval Training Station, he was sent to Charleston, S.C., for duty and in August, he was sent to Cuba. He returned to the United States October 18, 1951, and had been stationed at Camden.

Mr. Sutton was employed at the local plant of the Seymour Tool and Engineering Company prior to his recall to active Navy duty about a year ago. He was widely known and a host of friends throughout the city and county are shocked to learn of his tragic death.

Besides the parents and widow, he is survived by two sisters, Mrs. Virginia Bray, of Mt. Vernon, Kentucky, and Miss Dorothy Sutton, at home.

The Tribune
Seymour, Indiana
Thursday, February 21, 1952
Page 16

The body of Walter J. Sutton, Shipman 1st Class of the U.S. Navy, who was killed in an automobile accident at Camden, N.J., near his Army post, arrived here February 13, several days after his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Eaymond Sutton had received notice of his death from Navy officials.

The funeral service was held at the Church of Christ, in charge of Rev. A.E. Howard and the Veterans of Foreign Wars of Seymour, Brownstown and Freetown. The pallbearers were from the Veterans of Foreign Wars organization. At the gravesite which was in the Freetown Cemetery, the Veterans paid honor to their departed comrade in their impressive military ritual.

During the ceremony, the highway was lined with automobiles on both sides of the burying ground. The parents, the wife, and all other of the relatives have the sympathy of the community.