Ilion High School - Class of 1936

Herkimer Evening Telegram - June 18, 1948

Military Rites to Be Given Sgt. Sterling

Article 5

Ilion - The body of Provost Sgt. M. Hale Sterling of Ilion, killed in New Guinea in an automobile accident in 1943, will arrive at the Herkimer railroad station at 3:46 p.m. Tuesday accompanied by a military escort.

The body will be taken immediately to Oak Hill cemetery in Herkimer where full military honors will be conducted by Ilion Memorial Post, American Legion, and William Hempstead Post, VFW. Services at the cemetery will be at 4:80 p.m.

The Rev. Ernest Pugh, rector of St. Augustine's Episcopal Church will officiate and bearers will be boyhood friends of Sgt. Sterling John Caswell, John Fitzgibkons, William Ringwood, Harry McGowan, Leonard Wright and Charles Harter.

The Rev. Ernest Pugh, rector of St. Augustine's Episcopal Church will officiate and bearers will be boyhood friends of Sgt. Sterling John Caswell, John Fitzgibbons, William Ringwood, Harry McGowan, Leonard Wright and Charles Harter.

Sgt. Sterling was born April 27, 1919, a son of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Sterling, 16 Armory St.

He was graduated from Ilion High School in 1936 and from the Cincinnati College of Embalming in 1940. He was working for a White Plains, N. Y. funeral home at the time of his enlistment in June 1941.

After basic training and his assignment to the Medical Corps he was sent to Australia in June 1942. In November of that year he was transferred to New Guinea.

He was a member of St. Augustine's Episcopal Church and of the Order of DeMolay.