05/21/2026
In observance of Memorial Day, the Jackson County Historical Society will be closed on Monday, May 25.
On Wednesday, May 27, a graveside service will be held at Riverside Cemetery in Jackson for LT JG Thomas A. Ruth of Jackson, who was killed in action on June 30, 1943. Ruth's remains were identified in April 2025 and will return to Minnesota this Friday. This represents a unique opportunity for the community to honor a man who made the ultimate sacrifice over 80 years ago.
Ruth's brother, Lt. Wesley H. Ruth, detailed the final moments of Thomas's life in a letter to their parents, which was published in the July 29, 1943 edition of the Jackson County Pilot. Here is the text of that letter, unedited except to censor an epithet against Japanese people.
Wednesday, July 21, 1943
Dearest Mother and Dad:
I had always hoped that I never would have to write this letter. The same day that I received your letter telling me of the notification by the Navy department of Tom being missing in action, I received a telephone call. One of the fellows who was fighting alongside of Tom in the same battle saw everything that happened.
On June 30th, at two o'clock in the afternoon, Tom's group went in to attack Munda airfield. They were quite high in the air. They saw some J*p planes coming in to attack some of our ships on the water, so they dived down to stop them. This other fellow was flying right beside Tom. They each shot down a J*p plane. (I don't know how many more Tom had shot down since he went south). Suddently they were attacked from behind by more J*ps. Well, it was every man for himself.
This other fellow said he broke away from Tom to engage some J*ps in a dogfight. He said that Tom did the same. Then the plane that this fellow was flying was hit hard and disabled so badly that he had to make a crash landing in the water along the shore line.
Just before he landed in the water this fellow looked back to see how many J*p planes were falling. He said that he saw four more J*p planes fall into the water, but he doesn't know who shot they down. At the same time he noticed one of their own planes spinning upside down. It landed on the beach with a very hard impact. I estimate that the plane was probably doing 300 miles per hour. There was an explosion and a fire.
When this other fellow was picked up and returned to his base that night, he learned that only Tom and he were missing from that flight. Before Tom's plane hit the ground this other fellow noticed that the cockpit hood was still closed. There was no parachute seen by this fellow.
Tom did not escape. He was apparently knocked unconscious by a bullet from one fo the J*p planes, then his plane went into a spin. If that is the case, he never knew what hit him. That is the best way to go. I want you to know now that none of us ever care to be captured by the J*ps after what we have heard about their treatment of war prisoners. I really don't think he knew what happened, and he probably felt no pain.
I know how you must feel about this very untimely accident. I know how I feel. I have always been very proud of him and I know that the other fellows in the squadron like himn very much. They all called him 'Babe' Ruth. Words cannot express how I feel about him: He gave his life for his country, which hundreds of other fellows are doing every day to save us from what happened in Europe. If only the people at home could realize that we are in a war and that the longer we prolong it by poor production, strikes, etc., the more people will be killed.
I wish I could be with you. All my love,
Your son, Wes.
