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James Lester Bitner

PFC in 23rd Headquarters Co

Military occupational specialty: 675

ASN#38475172

Born 1918 in TX, Died 1977

Other residence(s): Houston, TX; Lovelady, TX (1950s, Martin spreadsheet)
United States Army, did not accompany the unit to Europe
Source: Unit Shipment 10143-A, 23d HQ, from la Havre 23 June 1945; Ghost Army roster by state

NOTE: I was unable to find any record with the serial number listed in the roster, or to find an enlistment record under either James Bitner (of TX) or Lester Bitner.

James Lester Bitner was born on December 9, 1918 in Houston, Texas. His parents had both been born in Texas, and they lived on a farm in Houston surrounded by the farms of three other Bitner families. James (who sometimes used his middle name of Lester) was the oldest of two brothers.

He graduated from high school and at the time of the draft in 1940 was working on the family farm.

He served in the Army from March 12, 1943 to November 18, 1945.

After the war he returned to Houston. He married Margie Irene Locke (nee Bailey) in Richmond, Texas on January 7, 1950, and found work as a trucker. At some point, he and Margie divorced; they had no children.

James Lester died of a stroke on October 15, 1977, and is buried at Houston National Cemetery.

Photo:

See Find a Grave record below

Sources:

1920 census

https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/6061/images/4392081_00881?treeid=&personid=&hintid=&queryId=9bef574d3dbfaf7db81b2997dcc18d5c&usePUB=true&_phsrc=ItV135&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true&_ga=2.187480737.863550336.1600187562-40471818.1599504853&pId=36587446

1940 census (using middle name of Lester, same age and parent/sib names)

https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=2442&h=156328995&ssrc=pt&tid=15339724&pid=222202836670&usePUB=true

1940 draft card (using middle name of Lester, same birthdate, same father)

https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=2238&h=21307104&ssrc=pt&tid=15339724&pid=222204124180&usePUB=true

1950 marriage record

https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/9168/images/661e27cb80ab81c53ba88e9ec120d7d1?treeid=&personid=&hintid=&queryId=a7cc42379c9cff1821744ca7b2a3e46d&usePUB=true&_phsrc=ItV138&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true&_ga=2.189496098.863550336.1600187562-40471818.1599504853&pId=23069847

1977 Texas death certificate

https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=2272&h=1502161&tid=&pid=&queryId=9bef574d3dbfaf7db81b2997dcc18d5c&usePUB=true&_phsrc=ItV132&_phstart=successSource

1977 Find a Grave record

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/370265/james-lester-bitner

1977 US Veterans Gravesites (contains service dates)

https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=8750&h=305973&tid=&pid=&queryId=9bef574d3dbfaf7db81b2997dcc18d5c&usePUB=true&_phsrc=ItV134&_phstart=successSource

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