December 5, 1917 – February 8, 1945

Thomas Malcolm Sumrall was born on a 150-acre farm near Purvis, Lamar County, Mississippi on December 5, 1917. He was the son of Joe and Annie (Geiger) Sumrall, both lifelong residents of Mississippi. Joe Sumrall was a schoolteacher and for many years was the Chancery Clerk for Lamar County. Malcolm had two younger sisters. He graduated from Purvis High School where he played football and was President of his Senior Class. He graduated from Pearl River Junior College in 1938 where he participated in ROTC and was President of his Class there also. In 1939, he started classes at Mississippi Southern College in Hattiesburg and joined the 114th Field Artillery of the Mississippi National Guard. A cousin remembered that Malcolm’ dream was to become Governor of Mississippi. His peers described him as an outstanding young man, who was a lifelong Christian with great integrity.

Malcolm left college when the Mississippi National Guard was Nationalized by President Roosevelt in December 1940 and the 114th Field Artillery became part of the 31st Dixie Division at Camp Blanding in Florida. Malcolm volunteered for Army Air Corps pilot training and began flight training at Lincoln Field in Lakeland, Florida. He also trained at Gunter Field and Maxwell Army Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama. He graduated from flight school (Class SE 41F) August 15, 1941 at Maxwell and received a 2nd Lieutenant Commission and silver pilot wings.

His was one of ten Pilots in his class chosen to receive orders to Pan American Airlines where he would be trained and sent to India and “Fly the Hump” to furnish supplies to our Allies in the China Burma India theater. But the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor on December 7, and his orders were changed to B-17 transition advanced training.

Malcolm had known Miss Marcelle Davis since their high school days at Purvis. They had fallen in love and were married at the First Baptist Church in Purvis on January 19, 1942. Marcelle graduated from Mississippi Southern College and was a schoolteacher.

For two years, Malcolm was a flight instructor in the States. Their first child Sarah was born in 1943. Malcolm received several promotions during this time becoming a Major and serving as Operations Officer for his Squadron in 1944. Orders for overseas service came. His last visit home came in January 1945.

Malcolm was assigned to a B-17 (Flying Fortress) Squadron with the 15th Air Force in Italy. The 416th Bomb Squadron of the 99th Bomb Group was based at Tortorella Airfield near Foggia. He flew his second mission on February 8, 1945, a long-range bombing mission to Graz, Austria. He was still being trained and flew this mission as Co-Pilot. His B-17 never returned, and Malcolm was reported Missing in Action. Other aircrews in the Squadron reported Malcolm’ aircraft was seen having a midair collision with another aircraft over Austria and exploding in midair. He had only been in Italy for two weeks.

After a year, the War Department notified Marcelle that her husband was officially declared Killed in Action and he was awarded the Purple Heart.

By this time, their son, Thomas Malcolm Sumrall Jr. (Mac) had been born. Malcolm’ body was eventually recovered, and his remains returned to Mississippi in February 1949. His funeral was held at the Purvis First Baptist Church; the same Church building where Malcolm and Marcelle had been baptized and where they were married. Malcolm was buried with Full Military Honors at the Coaltown Cemetery in Purvis. Marcelle remarried five years later and died in 2017.

References:

Interview of Thomas Malcolm Sumrall Jr., Birmingham, Alabama on October 2, 2020

WW2fallen 15th AF Major Thomas Malcolm Sumrall