PVT Duncan Stevens Mendenhall was born 5 Jan 1917 in Conrad, Indiana. He was the oldest of the 4 boys and 1 girl born to Joseph Virgil and Lucille Andrea (Beck) Mendenhall. His father worked as an elementary school teacher and then, for many years, as a mail carrier. Duncan graduated from Fowler High School in 1935 having been a member of the 1934 state champion basketball team. He was artistic and attended an art school in Indianapolis. He was then employed by By 1940 Duncan was working as a designer and press man in the Bower Show print shop. Duncan married Elizabeth Ann "Betty" Dowell about 1942 and in December 1943 they had a daughter, Marsha Rae.
Duncan was drafted in November 1943 before his daughter was born. He trained at Camp Croft, North Carolina where his wife visited him with their daughter in March 1944. He then participated in a large exercise and enjoyed a 10-day furlough at home in mid-April 1944 before going to Fort Meade, Maryland and being shipped to England in the May of 1944. He served in England until 28 Aug 1944 when he was transferred from the replacement depot to L Company 116th Infantry. PVT Mendenhall was killed in action on 6 Sep 1944.
PVT Mendenhall rests forever in the Brittany American Cemetery.
Great-grandfather Joseph Webster Mendenhall served as a PVT in B Company 30th Ohio Infantry (USA) during the civil war. 3 brothers served during WW2. Joseph Beck Mendenhall served as a LT in medical corps, John Elmer Mendenhall was a PVT in Burma, Pharmicist Mate 3 Robert Bond Mendenhall was in Bougainville.
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