These research notes are provided as-is and contain supplementary working research.
Lester Sawyer Gurney III (G03) Notes
Research notes for g03-lester-sawyer-gurney-iii-fact-sheet.md.
Working Notes
Family handwritten notes - birth, marriage, military service, and G2 birth context
Dana Gurney’s later notes identify Lester Sawyer Gurney III as born 10 June 1923 at Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts, and deceased 19 December 2011. They state that he married Edith Walberg Scott on 23 November 1942 in New York City. When he married Edith, he was serving with the Air Service Command at Robins Field, Georgia, and had been Norwich University class of 1945. The notes further state that he was a lieutenant, commissioned in June or July 1944, and stationed at Manila with the 536th Signal Heavy Construction Company when Lester Hayes Gurney was born on 16 November 1945 at St. Vincent’s Hospital in New York City. Family evidence supplied by Allen Gurney separately identifies Lester Sawyer Gurney III as a power engineer with a long McGraw Edison career in New Jersey.[1]
The Page 5 marriage date should supersede the earlier ambiguous “11-[42/43]” reading on Page 4 unless the New York City marriage record proves otherwise. The Page 5 reading is fuller, specific to day/month/year, and fits the later military and G2 birth sequence better than an 11-43 date.[1:1]
The earlier possible “Marine state side” reading should be downgraded. With Dana’s notes, the better interpretation is Army / Army Air Forces / Signal Corps context: Air Service Command at Robins Field, a lieutenant’s commission in June or July 1944, and service with the 536th Signal Heavy Construction Company at Manila. Unless separate Marine records are found, G3 should not be labeled as a Marine.[1:2]
Second marriage
Dana Gurney’s Page 5 note records that Lester Sawyer Gurney III married Dorothy Lillian Haben or Haden on 6 June 1965. The event and date are strong enough to preserve; the surname requires confirmation from the marriage record before being treated as settled.[1:3]
Research actions
- Locate G3 birth record: Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts, 10 June 1923.
- Locate G3 and Edith Walberg Scott marriage record: New York City, 23 November 1942.
- Locate G3 military commission / personnel record.
- Search Robins Field / Air Service Command personnel context for late 1942.
- Search 536th Signal Heavy Construction Company and Manila assignment records.
- Search Norwich University class-of-1945 records.
- Locate McGraw Edison retirement or employment paperwork.
- Locate G3 and Dorothy Lillian Haben/Haden marriage record, 6 June 1965.
Sources Consulted
- Gurney family handwritten oral-history and research notes, revised findings memorandum v3 prepared 4 May 2026 from eight photographed notebook pages. Source ID:
gurney-family-handwritten-notes-1963.