CAPT Marvin P. Bradley
1913 - 1986
USAAC
WWII
Marvin Poole Bradley was born January 16, 1913 in Streator to John and Edith Poole Bradley.
Bradley completed high school in Chicago, then received scholarships to the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts, the National Art School in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, and the John Herron Art School in Indianapolis. In 1940, he signed his first syndicated cartoon deal with “Speed Spaulding,” followed by “Ramblin’ Bill” in 1942.
On February 21, 1942, he married Dorothy M. Jones in Elgin; they raised three children.
Bradley reported for World War II on September 9, 1942, and spent nearly four years in the U.S. Army Air Corps. He was first a glider pilot and instructor, and fighter control officer with the Flying Tigers of the 14th Air Force in the China-Burma-India Theater, and later, Executive Officer of a fighter squadron in Africa, India and China. He was discharged as a Captain.
During a stint in Chengdu, China, he drew a military comic strip called "Randall's Raiders," and soon after leaving the service, joined the staff of Publishers Newspaper Syndicate, later known as Field Enterprises Syndicate and then News America Syndicate. Bradley did some or all of the drawing for the "Kerry Drake," "Speed Spaulding," "Mary Worth," "Tex and Tandy" and "Ramblin' Bill" strips. But he was the principal artist for "Rex Morgan," which provided most of his work from May 10, 1948, until he retired in 1984.
CAPT Marvin P. Bradley died January 10, 1986 at his home in Tower Lake. He is buried with his wife in Barrington’s Evergreen Cemetery.
-----
Remember. Honor. Teach.
Courtesy of Signal Hill Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution.