Title	Mr.
Last Name	Carter
First Name	Shirley
Middle Name
Maiden Name
Nick Name	Buddy
Place of Birth	Washburn, ME
Date of Birth	1915-00-00
Place of Death	Middle Eastern Theatre
Date of Death	1942-08-21
Publication	The Eastern Gazette 9-9-1943, p.1
Obituary	Sgt. CARTER REPORTED DEAD Missing in Action Was the Report Received by the Family a Year Ago.----Death Now Officially Confirmed The hopes and prayers of family and friends were crushed when on Saturday, September 3, Mrs. Charlotte Carter of Bangor, until recently of Dexter, received the official notification of the death of her son, Staff Sgt. Shirley (Buddy) Carter, as of August 21, 1942. Just a year ago word came that he was reported missing in action while on a mission from the African Theatre of War. Though a number of letters from army officers and buddies were received offering faint rays of hope of his return nothing definite could be learned as to his whereabouts. It was known, however, that his plane was forced down at sea near an enemy ship and at that time it was believed the occupants of the plane, which also included the squadron commander, might have been taken prisoners. The letter received by Mrs. Carter Saturday follows: War Department The Adjutant General's Office "Mrs. Charlotte Carter, Dexter, Maine Dear Mrs. Carter: "It is my very distressing duty to inform you that all possible efforts have failed to locate your son, Staff Sergeant Shirley Carter, 11,042,766, Air Corps, who was officially reported missing in action in the Middle Eastern Theatre on August 21, 1942. Staff Sergeant Carter was aboard an air plane which failed to return from a combat mission. All available records, reports and circumstances relating to the disappearance of your son have been carefully reviewed and considered and accordingly the death finding in Staff Sergeant Carter's case shows the presumed date of death as August 21, 1942. I very much regret that the conditions of warfare on many fronts and over isolated areas and vast expenses of water as well as the disinclination of some of our enemies to report deaths in occupied territory, have all served to deny some of us an accurate knowledge of the actual dates and circumstances of the deaths of our loved ones. We can nevertheless find sustaining comfort in the knowledge that this uncertainty regarding actual circumstances of time and location can in no way alter the significance of their sacrifice; and to them, as to those others the circumstances of whose deaths have been fully recorded, must be ascribed the great honor of having given their lives for their country in her gravest crisis. I extend, my heartfelt sympathy to you. Sincerely yours, J. A. ULIO, Major General The Adjutant General Sgt. Carter's death was the first Dexter casualty of the war and brings sorrow to a very wide circle of friends. In one of his last letters home he wrote, "…I figure that God will let me live until I finish the job He intended me to do. We must all admit this job we are doing is a big one, but we can and will do it well." Sgt. Carter surely "did the job, and did well." He was born in Washburn twenty-seven years ago, but spent the greater part of his lifetime in Dexter where he graduated from N. H. Fay High school in the class of 1934, also from Higgins Classical Institute in Charleston. He was prominent in football and other athletic activities at both schools. He enlisted in the U. S. Army Air Corps in January 1942. After a short period of training he was sent to Las Vegas Aerial Gunnery School in Nevada. Graduating from this school with high honors, he was sent as instructor to Lakeland, Florida. Three months later he went overseas on the American bomber, the San Antonio Rose, as gunner, and was among the first in service in the African campaign. Sgt. Carter is survived by his mother, now residing in Bangor; his father, Alexander W. Carter of Millinocket; a brother, Master Sgt. Sheldon Carter of the Finance Detachment, Air Signal Service Command, Warner Robbins Depot, Georgia; and his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Bugbee with whom he made his home for a number of years. Memorial services will be conducted at the Methodist church in this town Sunday afternoon, September 12, at 3 o'clock.