Obituary of
Lt. John E. Cottingham
The Dillon Herald, Dillon, South Carolina
Thursday, January 7, 1943, Page 1 Col. 7
Lieut. John Ernest Cottingham Jr. Killed In Action
News was received Sunday by Mr. and Mrs. John Ernest Cottingham that their only son,
John Ernest, Jr., had been killed in action while on duty with the American Expeditionary Forces in the New Guinea
area on November 21st. He was a Lieutenant in the army, and had been in service since August 1st.
When he first volunteered for military service, Lieut. Cottingham was sent to
Camp Claiborne, La., and was later transferred to Camp Livingston, La., Fort Devins, Mass., and finally to
Australia and New Guinea. The last letter received by his family from him was on November 7th, at which time
he was stationed in the region of New Guinea.
Ernest was 23 years old, his birthday being November 3rd. Since early childhood,
he was a member of St. Paul's Methodist Church of Little Rock. He attended the schools of Dillon, graduating
from Dillon High School in 1941. He then attended Clemson College where he was a member of the ASAE fraternity,
Alpha Zeta and the Wesley Foundation. Because of his outstanding record in his chosen field of agriculture,
he was awarded a fellowship at Iowa State University, at Ames, Iowa, and he would have pursued his studies
further at this university had not the war intervened. When it became known that he was to enter military
service in preference to continuing his education, the president of Iowa State University wrote to express
his regret, stating that the fellowship would be open to him as soon as he was released from the army.
A young life so full of promise sacrificed in the struggle for freedom,
justice and Christian civilization cannot be in vain, but his example of cheerful service, fortitude
and patriotism will continue to inspire all others whose lives he has touched.
Ernest is survived by his father and mother, who was
Miss Ruth Wannamaker of Orangeburg, and two sisters, Mrs. George Ashley, of Bloomfield, Mo.,
and Ruth Cottingham, a student at Winthrop College.
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