William Arnold Switzer Jr.

William Arnold Switzer, Jr. (W. A.) was born on January 15, 1921, in Isola, Mississippi when his father, Will, was 32 and his mother, Augusta, was 25. He was known as Bubba to very close family and friends. To everyone else, he was W. A.

W. A. attended and graduated from Isola High School, where he participated in all sports. He married Mervin Laverne Crawford on March 2, 1941, in Vicksburg, Mississippi. In December, 1942 he enlisted in the U. S. Army and reported for duty at Camp Shelby, Forrest County, MS, and was sent to Fort McClellan, Anniston, AL. In March, 1943, he departed the U. S. for Oran, Africa; arriving in April 1943. On July 9, 1943, he participated in the Battle of Sicily as a member of the First Infantry Division (The Big Red One). Two days later, he was wounded in Salerno, Italy, when the train he was riding in was bombed by the German Army. He was hospitalized by the Germans in Italy and Germany, and was imprisoned in Stalag II-B, Hammerstein, Prussia. In August, 1943, Mervin was advised by telegram that he was missing in action. Shortly thereafter, she received another telegram saying that the International Red Cross reported that he was a prisoner of war. Approximately 24 months later (July 1945), he was liberated from Stalag II-B by the Russian Army.

Mervin and W. A. had three children in 11 years. He was a farmer for most of his life, except a short stint as a truck driver for an oil and gas jobber early in his life, and later, during the period of approximately 1961 - 1962, as the Manager of Service Gin Company in Isola - a Company in which he was stockholder. His farm consisted of approximately 300 acres that he owned and approximately 200 acres that he rented from others. While he was not a business partner of his father, Mr. Will, they worked closely together sharing labor, equipment, etc. He idolized both his mother and his father.

W. A. was a quiet, laid-back, unassuming man who loved hunting, fishing and college and professional football and baseball. He loved to shoot, and won various rifle shooting competitions around Isola. He always kept two or three hunting dogs around the farm that were trained to locate small game such as rabbits, squirrels and Bobwhite quail. He particularly enjoyed playing catch with his children with a football or baseball and watching them participate in organized sports of all kinds.

He died in an automobile accident within site of his home outside Isola on February 26, 1963, the day before Mervin's birthday, and was buried in the Belzoni Cemetery, Belzoni, Humphreys, Mississippi. He was 42 when he died, and his wife, Mervin, was age 38. Their children, Dennis Ray, Lynn and Jackie, were 16, 14 and 4, respectively.