TSGT Robert Grover Chelf

courtesy of Bessie Savery

TSGT Robert Grover Chelf was born 2 Nov 1912 in Clementsville, Kentucky.  He was the first born of 4 children of Arthur Owen and Martha Ellen (McFarland) Chelf. The family farmed in Casey county, Kentucky. Brother Roy Harden Chelf died in 1917 at the age of 2. Then, in 1923, Martha died. The family moved in with Martha's parents. By 1930, Robert (apparently called Grover by the family) was working for a railroad.

Robert apparently enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1931 or 1932. On 2 Dec 1932 PVT Chelf departed Fort McDowell, California (on Angel Island in San Francisco Bay) for Manila in the Philippines. While overseas 2 of his family members died. His father committed suicide in 1936 and his sister, Mary Catherine Chelf, died at age 18 in Springfield, Illinois in 1937. In 1940, PVT Chelf was assigned to the 30th Infantry and stationed at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

Robert may have had a short break in service or re-enlisted 12 Jan 1940 he gave his residence as Sangamon County, Illinois. Sometime after his enlistment he was assigned to E Company 116th Infantry.  He was with that unit on the 6th of June 1944 for the D-Day amphibious assault on "fortress Europe".  TSGT Chelf was killed in action on 15 Jun 1944 reportedly by artillery fire.

TSGT Chelf is buried in the Normandy American Cemetery.  His youngest sister Geraldine Chelf was his next of kin and was living in Tampa, Florida in 1946.