A Christmas-time baby, Edith Maxine Lewis (Ballenger) was born December 19, 1920 in Washington Township, Blackford County, Indiana[i] to Paul Parnell Lewis and Florence E. Brown Lewis, both from Indiana. She was the third child in the family, following behind her older brother, John Paul Lewis, and her older sister, Evelyn Louise Lewis Sutton Augspurger McManus.[ii]

They called her Maxine. The family was living on the family farm with Florence’s parents, John and Sarah Brown, as well as Maxine’s maternal grandmother, Mary Ellen Mack.[iii]

In 1930, the family is still living in Washington, Indiana. Florence’s mother, Sarah, still lives with them. Her father, Paul, is a farmer doing general farm work.

Maxine went to school in Washington Township, Blackford County and graduated from Roll High School in 1938.[iv]

By 1940, just Maxine is left living at home with her mother, father and grandmother. Her father still running the family farm. Maxine, 19, is working as a housekeeper in a private home. She completed her four years of high school.[v]

HER LIFE BEFORE MILITARY

Before joining the WAAC’s, Maxine was employed at the Fort Wayne Corrugated paper company.[vi] She worked as a general office clerk. [vii]Her brother, John and his wife, Ruth, lived near-by and he worked for Knecht Trucking Co. Her sister, Evelyn, was married to Fred Suttan and the two were working at a Hartford City papermill. He worked in packing and she in nesting at the mill. Maxine must have enjoyed her family. In March of 1942, she is mentioned in the newspaper as the hostess who threw her mother, Florence, a surprise birthday dinner. A dozen or so people were present.

Maxine fell for Walter Edward Ballenger of Indiana Gap, Pennsylvania.[viii] He also was born and grew up around Blackford County, Indiana. She was 22 and he was 23. Before the war, he had graduated from high school. Walter worked as a manager at the Morris Five and Ten Store in Washington, Ohio and he was living in Fayette, Ohio. On February 10, 1941, he enlisted at Fort Hayes, Columbus, Ohio. He was a Warrant Officer[ix] in foreign service during WWII.[x] Sgt. Walter Ballenger served in the Pacific area and Fiji Islands.[xi] He served in the army from February 1941 to August of 1945.

Maxine married Walter on April 11, 1942. The wedding took place on a Saturday evening in the parsonage of the United Brethren Church. A double ring ceremony solemnized the event. When the local paper published news of the marriage, it noted that Maxine would reside with her parents while her husband was away in the service.[xii]

HER MILITARY STORY

Maxine enlisted on February 13, 1943 in Indianapolis, Indiana.[xiii] She was a member of the Woman’s Army Auxiliary Corps.[xiv] She was a Technician 5th Grade attached to the 753rd WAC Post HQ Co. at Baer Field in Fort Wayne, Indiana.[xv] Her service number was A-502914.[xvi] At the time of her enlistment, she stood 5’4” and weighed 120 pounds.

Her enlistment made the news under the headline “First County Woman in Army,” according to The Star Press newspaper. She was sworn into federal service at Baer Field.[xvii]

After spending four weeks in Daytona Beach, Florida for basic training and six weeks in administration work, Maxine began duty at Baer Field in Fort Wayne, Indiana. She arrived on May 11, 1943 [xviii]from Daytona Beach, Florida as part of the first contingent of WAAC’s at Baer Field, according to a newspaper report.[xix] She was pleased to be stationed so near her home, the paper stated. Maxine told the Garrett Clipper newspaper reporter that she had not known where the group would be stationed but when the train passed through town, she had a hunch Baer Field would be their landing point.[xx]

News that the first group of women to serve were arriving spread quickly throughout the base. By the time the train pulled in, groups of soldiers were on hand to witness history. They were officially welcomed by the Baer Field military band, an honor guard from the 849th and base officers.[xxi]

As the first group of 155 WACs at the field, they spent their first day getting organized in their new quarters, setting up special barracks, opening their own mess hall and becoming acquainted with their duties, according to the Garrett Clipper newspaper. The women would relieve men of their duties so the men could serve elsewhere. Women would now be working as weather observers, teletype operators, mimeograph operators, cooks, bakers, photographers, postal clerks, motor drivers, mechanics and office clerks.[xxii]

**HER LAST DAY- ** September 20, 1943[xxiii]

Corp. Tech. Maxine Ballenger was enjoying a furlough in September of 1943. She’d made a trip to Portsmouth, Virginia to enjoy a visit with her husband Walter’s brother, Howard, and his wife. She’d grabbed a flight to head toward her home in Hartford City.[xxiv]

Maxine was aboard an army transport plane making a daily shuttle run between Pope Field and Stout Field in Indianapolis. The plane carried official mail, passengers and cargo. Shortly after takeoff, it fell into the woods near the end of the runway and burst into flames.[xxv] Maxine was killed instantly, along with 24 more passengers and crew, at Laurinburg-Maxton Army Air Base,[xxvi] an installation of the First Troop Carrier Command used for training air units[xxvii], near Maxton, in Scotland County, North Carolina[xxviii]. It was one of North Carolina’s deadliest military aircraft accidents. Incidentally, the Laurinburg-Maxton Army Air Base is known as the forgotten air base that made D-Day possible.

Col. Copsey, commanding officer, provided the news of the death of their daughter to Paul and Florence Lewis. The telegram read “Regret to inform you your daughter, Edith M. Ballenger, died instantly as a result of an airplane accident at Laurinburg-Maxton Army Air base. Request reply whether it is desired to have remains of your daughter shipped home…”

Her body was sent from Maxton, North Carolina to the home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Lewis.[xxix] The Home Service department of the Blackford County Red Cross made attempts to contact her husband, Walter in the Fiji Islands.[xxx]

She was 22 years old.

COMMENDATIONS

World War II Victory Medal

American Campaign Medal

Army Presidential Unit Citation

Army Good Conduct Medal[xxxi]

MEMORIALS

The name of E. Maxine Ballenger appears first on a list of those fallen on the WWII Memorial on the Blackford County Courthouse lawn in Hartford, City, Indiana. The memorial reads “Dedicated to the honor and sacrifice of our men and women of Blackford County who served our country in World War II, 1941 to 1945. In honor of those who made the supreme sacrifice.”[xxxii]

HER GRAVE

Edith Maxine Lewis Ballenger’s body traveled by train was accompanied by military escort to Hartford City. Her remains were then transported to her parent’s home.[xxxiii] An afternoon service was held at the United Brethren Church.[xxxiv] She was buried in the Hartford City Cemetery in Hartford City, Indiana[xxxv] with full military honors.[xxxvi] A group of WACS from Fort Wayne came to the funeral service held at United Brethren Church on September 25, 1943. Full military honors were accorded Corporal Ballenger.[xxxvii]

ABOUT THIS STORY

This story is part of the Stories Behind the Stars project (see www.storiesbehindthestars.org). This is a national effort of volunteers to write the stories of all 400,000+ of the US WWII fallen here on Fold3. Can you help write these stories? Related to this, there will be a smart phone app that will allow people to visit any war memorial or cemetery, scan the fallen's name and read his/her story.

[i] https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/73755029/edith-maxine-ballenger

[ii] https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/73755029/edith-maxine-ballenger

[iii] https://www.honorstates.org/index.php?id=462227 https://basic.newspapers.com/image/140372366/?terms=%22Maxine%2BBallenger%22https://www.ancestryinstitution.com/imageviewer/collections/6061/images/4300598_00567?ssrc=pt&treeid=85426334&personid=182123003610&hintid=&usePUB=true&usePUBJs=true&pId=86434329

[iv] Muncie Evening Press, September 23, 1943

[v] https://search.ancestryinstitution.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=8939&h=3049670&tid=&pid=&queryId=10c044bd4da932f7095d80d681268b92&usePUB=true&_phsrc=cjq447&_phstart=successSource

[vi] https://images.findagrave.com/photos/2019/161/73755029_50d39e81-d7d9-443e-9cff-dfc43822c418.jpeg

[vii] https://search.ancestryinstitution.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=8939&h=3049670&tid=&pid=&queryId=10c044bd4da932f7095d80d681268b92&usePUB=true&_phsrc=cjq447&_phstart=successSource

[viii] Muncie Evening Press, April 14, 1942

[ix] https://search.ancestryinstitution.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?dbid=8939&h=3050409&indiv=try&o_vc=Record:OtherRecord&rhSource=2441

[x] https://images.findagrave.com/photos/2019/161/73755029_b37a0518-1ffb-4f2f-b692-71872e073701.jpeg

[xi] Muncie Evening Press, September 23, 1943

[xii] Muncie Evening Press, April 14, 1942

[xiii] https://www.ancestryinstitution.com/family-tree/person/tree/85426334/person/182123003664/facts?_phsrc=cjq434&_phstart=successSource

[xiv] https://images.findagrave.com/photos/2019/161/73755029_b37a0518-1ffb-4f2f-b692-71872e073701.jpeg

[xv] https://www.ancestryinstitution.com/imageviewer/collections/1121/images/S123_1261-2160?ssrc=pt&treeid=85426334&personid=182123003664&hintid=&usePUB=true&usePUBJs=true&pId=1565150

[xvi] https://www.honorstates.org/index.php?id=462227

[xvii] The Star Press, September 22, 1943

[xix] https://images.findagrave.com/photos/2019/161/73755029_50d39e81-d7d9-443e-9cff-dfc43822c418.jpeg

[xx] https://basic.newspapers.com/image/140372366/?terms=%22Maxine%2BBallenger%22

[xxi] https://basic.newspapers.com/image/140372366/?terms=%22Maxine%2BBallenger%22

[xxii] https://basic.newspapers.com/image/140372366/?terms=%22Maxine%2BBallenger%22

[xxiii] https://www.ancestryinstitution.com/imageviewer/collections/1121/images/S123_1261-2160?ssrc=pt&treeid=85426334&personid=182123003664&hintid=&usePUB=true&usePUBJs=true&pId=1565150

[xxiv] Muncie Evening Press, September 23, 1943

[xxv] https://basic.newspapers.com/image/42006946/?terms=%22edith%2Bm%2Bballenger%22

[xxvi] https://images.findagrave.com/photos/2019/161/73755029_b37a0518-1ffb-4f2f-b692-71872e073701.jpeg

[xxvii] https://www.legeros.com/history/nc/disasters.shtml

[xxviii]https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/73755029/edith-maxine-ballenger

[xxix]https://www.google.com/search?q=%22edith+maxine+ballenger%22&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwjG_LmF_K_sAhUQ66wKHaOIAnEQ2-cCegQIABAA&oq=%22edith+maxine+ballenger%22&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQA1DHLFi6VGC0Y2gAcAB4AIABYIgB6QSSAQE3mAEAoAEBqgELZ3dzLXdpei1pbWfAAQE&sclient=img&ei=r8aEX4bpCpDWswWjkYqIBw&bih=625&biw=1366&rlz=1C1OKWM_enUS897US897#imgrc=O4C3iHBreFCFMM

[xxx] Muncie Evening Press, September 23, 1943

[xxxi]https://www.honorstates.org/index.php?id=462227

[xxxii] https://images.findagrave.com/photos/2013/349/73755029_138723698026.jpg

[xxxiii] Muncie Evening Press, September 23, 1943

[xxxiv] The Star Press, September 25, 1943

[xxxv]https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/73755029/edith-maxine-ballenger

[xxxvi] Muncie Evening Press, September 23, 1943

[xxxvii]https://www.google.com/search?q=%22edith+maxine+ballenger%22&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwjG_LmF_K_sAhUQ66wKHaOIAnEQ2-cCegQIABAA&oq=%22edith+maxine+ballenger%22&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQA1DHLFi6VGC0Y2gAcAB4AIABYIgB6QSSAQE3mAEAoAEBqgELZ3dzLXdpei1pbWfAAQE&sclient=img&ei=r8aEX4bpCpDWswWjkYqIBw&bih=625&biw=1366&rlz=1C1OKWM_enUS897US897#imgrc=O4C3iHBreFCFMM

Edith Maxine Lewis Ballenger at Baer Field crop.jpeg - https://images.findagrave.com/photos/2019/161/73755029_50d39e81-d7d9-443e-9cff-dfc43822c418.jpeg

Edith Maxine Lewis Ballenger crop.jpeg

Edith Mazine Lewis Ballenger headstone.jpeg - https://images.findagrave.com/photos/2019/112/73755029_0535befe-a063-409b-9aa9-418b1c9c254e.jpeg

Maxine Ballenger death notice.jpeg - https://images.findagrave.com/photos/2019/161/73755029_b37a0518-1ffb-4f2f-b692-71872e073701.jpeg

Walter Edward Ballenger husband of Edith Mazine Lewis Ballenger.jpg

Walter Edward Ballenger - center- husband Edith Maxine Lewis Ballenger.jpg

Edith M Ballenger