Bonham, Harley Paul

1927 - 2018  (90 years)

• Name	Bonham, Harley Paul
  		Harley Paul Bonham (1927-2018)
  		Illinois State Police
  Birth	24 Nov 1927	Oskaloosa Township, Clay County, Illinois   [1]
  	He was born November 24, 1927, at the family home in Oskaloosa Township, the son of Everett H. and Lena (Allphin) Bonham.
  Gender	Male
  Reference Number	BONH.H002
  _FGRAVE	194585128
  Funeral	12 Nov 2018	Frank & Bright Funeral Home, Flora, Clay County, Illinois   [1]
  Military Service	World War II, Technician Fifth Grade, 795th Military Police Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division, United States Army  [1, 2]
  	Entered service in April 1946. Served with the Provost Marshall, 795th Military Police Battalion in the Philippine Islands during the Japanese war crimes trials in that country. Returned to the U.S. and was discharged in November 1947. (This information has been posted on the National World War II Memorial's Registry of Remembrances website by Robert Medley Gatewood. It is entered here with his permission.) Source: https://wwiiregistry.abmc.gov/honoree-plaque/?honoree_id=1642039
  		United States of America Flag, 48 Stars (1912-1959) In 1912, two stars were added to the United States flag, representing Arizona and New Mexico, bringing the total number of stars to 48. They were arranged in six rows of eight stars each. American fighting men would fight under this flag during four wars: World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the beginning of the Vietnam War. (In 1959,…
  		Harley Paul Bonham (1927-2018)
  		United States Army
  		Technician Fifth Grade, United States Army and United States Army Air Forces (Sep 1942-Aug 1948) This insignia was worn during World War II. The Technician ranks were removed from the U.S. Army rank system in 1948, although the concept was brought back with the Specialist ranks in 1955.
  		Technician Fifth Grade, United States Army and United States Army Air Forces (Sep 1942-Aug 1948) This insignia was worn during World War II. The Technician ranks were removed from the U.S. Army rank system in 1948, although the concept was brought back with the Specialist ranks in 1955.
  		United States Army Enlisted Rank Insignia
  		World War II (1939-1945)
  		2nd Infantry Division ("Indianhead"), United States Army
  		2nd Infantry Division ("Indianhead"), United States Army
  		Brochure, World War II Memorial, Flora, Illinois, Nov 11, 2007 On Veterans' Day, 2005, the city of Flora, Illinois dedicated a memorial to all known Clay County, Illinois World War II Veterans. Located on the south side of the city library, this is a copy of the brochure honoring that event. This 2007 brochure adds a matrix for locating the memorial brick that was laid in honor of each veteran. …
  		World War II Honoree, Bonham, Harley Paul (1927-2018)
  Death	8 Nov 2018	Carle Foundation Hospital, Urbana, Champaign County, Illinois   [1]
  	Harley P. Bonham, age 90, of Flora, Illinois, passed away Thursday morning, November 8, 2018, at Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana.
  Burial	Oskaloosa Cemetery, Oskaloosa, Clay County, Illinois   [3]
  	Interment will follow in Oskaloosa Cemetery with Illinois State Police and Military Funeral Honors presented. Visitation will be 5-7 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home.
  		Headstone, Bonham, Harley P.
  Person ID	I42375	Carl Wayne Gray Research
  Last Modified	25 May 2023

  
  

  Father	Bonham, Henry Everett,   b. 1897   d. 1993 (Age 96 years)
  Mother	Allphin, Evalene Myrtle 'Lena',   b. 1909   d. 1985 (Age 76 years)
  Family ID	F16507	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Wildbur, N.A.
  Children	1. Bonham, J.   2. Bonham, R.   3. Bonham, A.
  Family ID	F16506	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Event Map

  Birth - 24 Nov 1927 - Oskaloosa Township, Clay County, Illinois Death - 8 Nov 2018 - Carle Foundation Hospital, Urbana, Champaign County, Illinois Funeral - 12 Nov 2018 - Frank & Bright Funeral Home, Flora, Clay County, Illinois Burial - - Oskaloosa Cemetery, Oskaloosa, Clay County, Illinois  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Notes

  Harley served in the Army during World War II, stationed in the Philippines. He later graduated from the Illinois State Police Academy, continuing on to serve as an Illinois State Trooper for 25 years, retiring from his post in 1982. He was baptized into the Shiloh Church of Christ in 1949 and was known for his lifelong commitment to reading and studying his Bible. He was an elder of the church for 70 years and took pride in baptizing all 8 of his grandchildren. He was recognized as an accomplished author and historian of local and American history, publishing and appearing as a resource in countless articles and publications, and was a founding member of the Clay County Regulators reenactment group. An outdoorsman, he enjoyed hunting and fishing. He has served as chaplain for the Sailor Springs American Legion for many years, and will also be remembered for his interest in performing and listening to bluegrass music.

  
  

• Sources

  [S13181] http://www.findagrave.com, Obituary, Bonham, Harley P., 90, (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/194585128/harley-p.-bonham), none. (Reliability: 2). [S14875] World War II Honoree, Harley Paul Bonham, (https://wwiiregistry.abmc.gov/honoree-plaque/?honoree_id=1642039) (Reliability: 2). [S11679] http://www.findagrave.com, Headstone, Bonham, Harley P., (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/194585128/harley-p.-bonham), none. (Reliability: 2).