Military Rites For Lt. Maher Killed in Plane:

Wilton - Military funeral services for Lt. William T. Maher, 20, son of Mr. and Mrs. Edward F. Maher of Abbott Hill, were held yesterday. Lieutenant Maher, Wilton's fifth casualty of the present war, was killed in a plane crash in Idaho last Wednesday. Requiem high mass was conducted at the Sacred Heart church by the pastor, Rev. M. J. Moher. Mrs. Bertha Burke was vocal soloist, and Mrs. Charles Lucas Sr., was the organist. A firing squad from Grenier Field acted as escort. Cpl John H. Cashwell was in charge. Other members were Pfc. Ballard Marvin, Pfc. Stephen Simonich, Pvt. Noah Mauldin and Pvt. Joseph Potocnik, with Pfc. Lionel Casimoro as bugler. Bearers were two of Lieutenant Maher's classmates at Wilton High school, Benjamin Holt and Harold Jowders; Lt. Nathan Shapiro of Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho; Pvt. Armand Therriault of Wilton; and George S. Forbush and Wilfrid S. Pellerin of Roy Bent post, American Legion. Ushers were Pvt. Alvin Fairfield, USA, and Joseph Stanton, S 2/c, USN, both of Wilton. The church was filled for the service, with members of Roy Bent post and the auxiliary unit attending in a body. George S. Forbush represented the Capt. Harry B. Doremus post No. 55, AL, of Hackensack, NJ, at the request of that post, Lieutenant Maher's parents are spending the winter in Hackensack. Lieutenant Maher was killed when the four-motored bomber in which he was the navigator crashed in the desert in Idaho. He was stationed at Gowen Field in Boise. His body was accompanied here by Lieutenant Shapiro. Burial was in Mt. Calvary cemetery with a salute by the firing squad and "Taps" sounded by the bugler. Fred C. Nelson was the funeral director. The town flag has been flown at half-mast since word of Lieutenant Maher's death was received here last Thursday.

(The Nashua Telegraph, Nashua, NH, Wednesday, March 15, 1944, p. 5, Col. 5-6)