Orville Drue Andrews was born in Rocky Mount on September 8, 1919. He attended N. C. State College (today, NCSU) for his first two years before transferring to ECTC. Andrews was reportedly “a well-known and liked young man” at ECTC, serving as co-editor of the Teco Echo during summer school of his first year on campus, and then as associate editor the following year. His senior year, he was vice president of the class. A science and math major, Andrews completed his bachelor’s degree in December of 1941. Prior to graduating, Andrews did his practice teaching at the Greenville High School.
On January 12, 1942, just a month after Pearl Harbor and his graduation from ECTC, Andrews, then 21, enlisted as an aviation cadet in the U. S. Army Air Corps. Following a special training course at Turner Field, Albany, Georgia, Andrews graduated in May of 1942 as a navigator and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Army Air Corps. He was stationed at Langley Field, Virginia. In early June, Andrews was allowed a ten-day leave to visit his mother, Mrs. O. D. Andrews, in Rocky Mount. During that time, Andrews also visited friends at ECTC.
On July 18, 1942, Andrews was fatally injured, just six months after he enlisted, when his bomber crashed and burned in a wooded area near North Reading, Massachusetts, killing all ten on board. His remains were taken to Rocky Mount, North Carolina for burial in the Pineview Cemetery. The Rocky Mount Service Men’s Organization initiated special ceremonies for Andrews that stood as a precedent for honoring those fallen while serving in the armed forces.
Andrews was the first of 24 ECTC alumni to fall in the line of duty in WWII. His popularity on campus made his loss even more heartfelt for many. Just as the first year of WWII for the U.S. was ending, a classmate of Andrews, John C. Johnson, also a member of the U. S. Army Air Corps, died in service to his country. The December 11, 1942, issue of the Teco Echo, dedicated to ECTC alumni serving in the armed forces, included a picture of Lt. Andrews and Lt. Johnston on its front page, honoring the two fallen students, the first and second at ECTC.
Sources:
- “Aviator To Be Buried In Rocky Mount Today: Rites to Be Held at Home for Lt. O. D. Andrews, New England Crash Victim.” News and Observer. July 26, 1942. P. 12.
- “Bomber Crash Inquiry Board Named by Army.” Boston Globe. July 21, 1942. P. 22.
- “College Dedicates Gym.” East Carolinian. January 9, 1953. P. 2. https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/38311
- “E.C.T.C. Casualty.” Teco Echo. October 9, 1942. Pp. 1, 4. https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/37908
- “Local Students Graduate At ECTC.” Rocky Mount Telegram. June 2, 1942. P. 3.
- “Lt. O. D. Andrews.” Teco Echo. December 11, 1942. P. 1. https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/37912
- “Mrs. Andrews Attends Her Son’s Graduation.” Rocky Mount Telegram. May 26, 1942. P. 3.
- “O. D. Andrews.” Tecoan. 1941. Pp. 23, 25. https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/15346
- “Rocky Mount Boy Killed In Crash: Lt. Orville D. Andrews Fatally Injured in Bomber Crash in Massachusetts.” News and Observer. July 22, 1942. P. 5.
- “Those Killed In The Services.” Tecoan. 1945. https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/15350
- “With The Boys In Service.” Rocky Mount Telegram. June 6, 1942. P. 12.
- “With The Boys In Service: Home On Leave.” Rocky Mount Telegram. June 5, 1942. P. 10.
Related Materials
Orville Drue “O. D.” Andrews . Image Source: East Carolina Yearbooks, Tecoan 1941. UA50-01. University Archives, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC.
Senior Class Officers: Maisie Castleberry, President; O. D. Andrews, Vice President; Mattie Davis, Secretary; Rebecca Shanks, Treasurer. Image Source: East Carolina Yearbooks, Tecoan 1941. UA50-01. University Archives, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC.
Orville Drue “O. D.” Andrews’ Draft Registration Card. Image Source: U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947.Ancestry.com
Citation Information
Author: John A. Tucker, PhD
Date of Publication: 5/6/2022