Sam Shaw’s and John Cockayne’s letters during WWII

Published in the “Moundsville Daily Echo” “Jots” feature

Samuel Cockayne Shaw was the only son of Craig and Irena (Cockayne) Shaw. His parents took ownership of the Moundsville Daily ECHO after Craig’s father passed in 1917, and in 1957, following Craig’s death, Sam became the third Shaw to serve as editor.

During World War II, Sam served in the U.S. Army as a Tech-4 Intercept Operator with the 2nd Signal Battalion. Stationed in the Pacific, he intercepted and decoded Japanese radio messages. Throughout his service, Sam wrote letters home to his family and friends who followed the ECHO. His mother, Irena, published these letters in the “Jots” column, a collection that later earned Sam the prestigious Ernie Pyle Award. After the war, Sam continued his work as editor of the ECHO. Shared here are many of the “Jots” published between 1942 and 1946.

John Cockayne, the second son of Samuel Alexander and Beulah Cockayne, also contributed to the “Jots.” Samuel was Irena Cockayne Shaw’s brother, making John her nephew. Aunt Irena published John’s letters from World War II throughout his time in service. John served in the U.S. Army as a Technician Fifth Grade (Tec 5), and his writings offered a different perspective on wartime life. Together, Sam and John’s letters capture two unique voices from the same family, preserved in the ECHO and remembered through “Jots.”