A One-Name Study for the BARNUM/BARNHAM Surname

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Notes for Burrall BARNUM

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The New York Times, October 19, 1913. Son to Mr. and Mrs. Walter Barnum.
Mr. and Mrs. Walter Barnum (Miss Rowena Stewart), are receiving congratulations upon the birth of a son on Friday at their home, 11 East Sixty-eighth Street.

The New York Times, April 6, 1943. American Air Hero Killed Over China. Capt. Burrall Barnum of Old Lyme Tackled 39 Japanese Planes Single-Handed. D.F.C. Awarded for Feat. Flier, in Air Corps Since 1940, Stationed Formerly at L.I. and Connecticut Fields.
With the United States Air Forces in China, April 4 (Delayed) (AP) — Captain Burrall Barnum of Old Lyme, Conn., holder of the Distinguished Flying Cross for an exploit in which he took on thirty-nine Japanese planes single-handed, was killed in the April 1 air battle in which American fighters shot down five and probably destroyed two more of nine planes attempting to attack an advanced airdrome.
Captain Barnum, who was said to have had three confirmed victories, died in combat with a Zero. His was the one United States plane lost in the action.
He won the D.F.C. for attacking successive waves of Japanese planes Sept. 6 at Hengyang in the only P-40 on hand, going into the air three times for a four-hour period against the thirty-nine raiders. The citation said that he had prevented the enemy from effectively observing and strafing the airdrome.
Captain Barnum had been in the Air Corps since Sept. 7, 1940. He received his wings at Maxwell Field, Ala., in April, 1941, and was later stationed at Mitchell Field. L.I., and Sikorski Field, in Connecticut.
Last May he was sent to China in charge of the first group of Army pilots who were to relieve the American Volunteer Group under Major Gen. Claire L. Chenault. His exploits against the Japanese brought him several citations and a recent recommendation for the Air Medal.
Captain Barnum was the son of Walter Barnum of Old Lyme, Conn., and Mrs. Rowena S. Barnum of 133 East Fifty-sixth Street. He was married on June 12, 1937, to the former Miss Lucille Hall, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Louis Ford Hall of Greenwich, Conn. They had a son, David Burrall, who also survives.
Captain Barnum was a graduate of Yale University and was associated with the Crowell Publishing Company.

Here is correspondence related to the death of Captain Burrall Barnum:

Headquarters 23rd Fighter Group
Office of the Chaplain
Captain James E. Tull
Headquarters, 23rd Fighter Group
A.P.O. 627, c/o Postmaster
New York, New York
April 6, 1943

Dear Mrs. Barnum:
            This afternoon we laid your husband to rest.  There was a simple religious service, followed by the firing of volleys over the grave, and by the sounding of ‘Taps’.  A group of his comrades stood reverently by.  The day was the most beautiful that we have had this year—clear and balmy, with spring evident in green grass, pink and white blossoms, and leafing trees.
            We placed him by his comrades who have come in lengthening rows to rest.  Nearby is a friend of the same squadron, who met death in the skies not many days ago.  Nearby also is the navigator of a bomber who was fatally injured while on a combat mission.  Just to the right is another of his friends who crashed into the side of a mountain.  He rests among his friends.
            On every side the Himalayas form a far horizon, rising in masses of deep blue, adding grandeur to the scene.  I think you would be pleased if you could see the place, for it is of great natural beauty, altogether appropriate as a resting-place for the American soldier who gives his life for his country in an alien land.  One of our airfields is nearby.  In days and months to come his friends will take off in their speedy fighters to engage the enemy.  On their way they will soar over the graves of their fallen comrades, as though in salute, as though in assurance that the torch which was thrown from failing hands is being carried still, aloft, until it blaze in full light of victory.
            I knew Capt. Barnum personally.  I little thought that I should ever need to write a letter like this about him, but am glad that I can write from the warmth of friendship, without evasion of the details of his life.  He was always manly, always courteous, always willing to do his part.  There was about him an absence of falseness, of crudeness, of littleness.  Many men have died for the ideals for which we fight; fewer of them lived for those ideals for which they died.  He not only died for them, but embodied them in his life.  When I heard of his death, I thought of a comment made about another pilot killed in battle here: ‘It seems that the best ones are going first.’
            If ever I can do anything for you—if ever you would like for me to put flowers on his grave during certain days or seasons, or to visit his resting-place for any reason, it would give me pleasure to do so for you and for him.  Please feel free to write to me.
            Capt. Barnum died for honor, for duty, for freedom, for country.  Through the years to come may that that fact be for you a cherished heritage, to alleviate your sorrow, and to sweeten the memories that remain.  May your little son, with the example of his father before him, and of his mother with him, grow to be as fine a man.

Sincerely yours,

James Tull
Chaplain

Lucille Barnum, Captain Barnum’s widow, responded to Chaplain Tull’s letter in the following handwritten letter:
                                                                                                                        “Wildwood Drive
Greenwich, Conn.
P.O. Box 424
May 14, 1943

Dear Chaplain Tull,

Your letter was very fine and it means a great deal to us.  Thank you for describing the service, I feel that it was very lovely and can almost see the scene from your description.  Burrall appreciated scenic beauty as much as anyone I’ve ever known and I believe that his resting place is most fitting.  I am so glad that Burrell knew you personally, for I’m sure you must add a great deal to the lives of the boys you know.  It is hard to think that he isn’t coming back, but his memory and accomplishments will live forever with those who knew him.  My little boy, David Burrall, was just three and a half when he last saw his Daddy, but he remembers him very clearly.  In the years to come I will show him the wonderful letters I’ve received, and I feel he will derive an inspiration from them which will help fill his loss.

There is a flight surgeon whose letters are sometimes published in the N.Y. Journal American.  He wrote an account of the April 1stair battle and of going out to hunt for Burrall.  Then he told of how he was probably killed, and that he died instantly.  If you by any chance know and happen to see the writer of the article, will you please tell him that his account was most comforting to us and his parents.

Thank you for offering to visit his grave.  If you should be near it June 12th I would appreciate if you would put some flowers beside it.  I realize that this letter may not reach you before then, and I know that you have many duties.  We were married six years ago on that date, so if convenient it would please me to have just a few wild flowers or something from me there.  Captain Tull, won’t you please tell me if there is something in turn I could do for you.  And please let me know if there is anything I could send the boys who are still fighting for us.  I copied your letter and sent it to Burrall’s Father and Mother; it has helped and meant so much that I would be grateful if you would only name anything I could do in return.

With appreciation and good wishes,

Lucille Barnum

Walter Barnum, Captain Barnum’s father, wrote the following typed letter to Colonel Holloway and copied it to Colonel Allison and Chaplain Tull:

Walter Barnum
Copies: Col Allison, Capt. Tull
Old Lyme, Conn.
August 23, 1943

Lt. Col. B. K. Holloway
Commanding Officer
23rd. Fighter Group
14th Air Force
A.P.O. 627
c/o Postmaster New York
 
Dear Col. Holloway:
            I duly received your fine letter regarding the death of my son Capt. Barnum on April 1st.  Father and son could hardly be closer than were Burrall and I.  He was no longer a child and his loss can never be made up.  Only now do I realize how completely my own life was built around his; but we back here carry on just the same with all our might.
            Burrall wrote me many wonderful letters, highly descriptive, which I hope to publish with War Department approval, so I have some idea of the remarkable things you are doing, and some of the conditions.
            I had the great privilege of meeting and talking with General Chennault when he was recently in Washington.  We also had a wonderful and inspiring letter from Capt. Tull.
            In addition to thanking you for writing, I am writing to make a few requests.
            I have never heard anything regarding the disposition of Burrall’s personal effects, such as his wings and bars and decorations and anything else of like nature.  He left a son of four and a half, and a small estate of which I am trustee.  I assume he had at least a small amount of money with him, which should be added to the estate account when this can be arranged.  He made several remittances from China, and mentioned in his last letter that he expected to make another very shortly.
            He wrote often of his Movie Camera and the pictures he hoped some day to show me.  Have these been preserved and will it be possible for me eventually to have them?  I never saw any pictures of him taken abroad although he mentioned enclosing a snapshot once but it was not in the envelope.  If any of the officers have any pictures of him you can imagine how grateful I would be to have copies.  It may be impossible to mail them, in which case some returning officer may be able to bring them home and perhaps some of the personal effects mentioned above also.
            I have however received one package mailed by Lt. J. H. Griffin from Pauls Valley Oklahoma.  No letter accompanied this, but it contained Burrall’s Gun, a Silk Banner with Chinese Inscription and an Inscription on Cardboard, which I assume is a translation which reads:

In Memory of
Captain B. Barnum
He, died in Service
His Chivalry and Bravery will
Shine Forever
Presented by the Associated Public Organizations
Ling Ling, Hunan Province, China.

            I wrote to Lt. Griffin immediately but had no reply.
            In any case, as you may be able, I trust you can convey to the presenting organizations my deep appreciation for the honor which the city of Ling Ling has shown my son.
            Finally I most particularly hope that I may have the greatest of all pleasure some day of meeting you or any of the other officers who were associated with Burrall.  He often mentioned Col. Allison.  I wrote General Chennault to the same effect and take the liberty of enclosing copy of my letter to him which I hope he received.  I imagine that in the natural course of events certain officers will be coming home from time to time.  I would travel far to see them and most particularly I would be happy to have any of them visit my home, if they ever happen to be in this area.  This is a lovely spot and they would at least be comfortably entertained. 
            Since all Army officers do not stay put indefinitely, I am taking further liberty of sending copies of this letter to Col. Allison and Capt. Tull, since it is in part addressed to them.
            This has become a little lengthy.  I do not wish to burden you, but bespeak your help short of that, in any way you may find convenient.  I feel I owe my own effort to my grandson, the family, and Burrall’s friends, to gather such information as I can for the further inspiration of these good citizens.  My respectful regards to you, sir.
                                                                                                Sincerely yours,
                                                                                                Walter Barnum

Hand written on Chaplain Tull’s copy of Barnum’s letter was the following:

Dear Capt. Tull,
            Your wonderful letter was tremendously appreciated by all the family.  I hope you let us hear from you when you get home or before.
                                                                                                  Sincerely,
                                                                                                  Walter Barnum

Walter Barnum met briefly with General Chennault when the general was in Washington in early May of 1943 and after the meeting wrote the following letter to him:

Walter Barnum
Old Lyme 
Connecticut
May 5, 1943

Major General C. L. Chennault
Room 3E-809
Pentagon Building
Arlington, Virginia
 
My dear General:
            I particularly appreciated the opportunity to talk to you on Monday about my son Captain Burrall Barnum, as I felt taking any of your time at this particular moment almost a trespass. 
            You asked me to write, which I venture to do, hoping that this may be noted, and if possible acted on by some of your Staff when and if convenient.
            I hope I may some day hear from Major Allison about whom Burrall wrote so much, and if ever possible he will look me up when he comes home, or any other officers who knew Burrall well.
            If there are any snapshots of Burrall taken in China (I have none) I would greatly appreciate a chance to copy them, and either take care of them or return them.
             Burrall mentioned several times taking movies from his plane.  I can understand that it may be impractical to release them now, but perhaps I can have them eventually, and if they can be considered part of his personal effects, I hope they can be cared for until that time.
            It would be a particular pleasure to have a visit from any officers who have been with Burrall, who may return from the theater from time to time.  They might need a rest in my part of the country, and I am sure I could keep them comfortably and pleasantly entertained.
            I have considered it the finest honor and good fortune that my son served under such a distinguished and successful Commander, an honor which I assure you he felt most deeply himself.  Having been a man of the greatest singleness of purpose, and having long since made his decision, I can also assure you that he accepted the risks he took with a mind free of all care of regret except that his ultimate sacrifice might bring pain to his family and to his friends.
            Again my greatest thanks for your courtesy.
                                                                                    Very sincerely yours,
                                                                                    Walter Barnum
From the NY Times of April 6, 1943: American Air Hero Killed Over China. Captain Burrall Barnum of Old Lyme, Conn.,holder of the Distinguished Flying Cross for an exploit in which he took on thirty-nine Japanese planes single handed, was killed in the April 1 air battle in which American fighters shot down five and probably destroyed two of nine planes attempting to attack an advanced airdrome. Captain Barnum, who was said to have had three confirmed victories, died in combat with a Zero. His was the one United States plane lost in the action. He won the DFC for attacking successive waves of Japanese planes Sept. 6 at Hengyang in them only P-40 on hand, going into the air three times for a four hour period against the thirty-nine raiders. The citation said that he had prevented the enemy from effectively observing and strafing the airdrome.

Captain Barnum had been in the Air Corps since September 7, 1940, He received his wings at Maxwell Field, Alabama in April 1941 and was later stationed at Michel Field, L.I., and Sikorski Field in Connecticut. Last May he was sent to China in charge of the first group of Army pilots who were to relieve the American Volunteer Group under Major Gen. Claire Chenault. His exploits against the Japanese brought him several citations and a recent recommendation for the Air Medal. Captain Barnum was the son of Walter Barnum of Old Lyme, Conn., and Mrs. Rowena S. Barnum of 133 E. 55 Street. He was married on June 12, 1937 to the former Miss Lucille Hall, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Louis Ford Hall of Greenwich, Conn., They had a son, David Burrall who also survives. Captain Barnum was a graduate of Yale University and was associated with the Crowell Publishing Company.

Burrall Barnum is buried in Long Island National Cemetery, Farmingdale, New York.
Birth: Oct. 17, 1913, Death: Apr. 1, 1943. Burial: Long Island National Cemetery, Farmingdale, Suffolk County, New York, USA. Plot: H, 8107.

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