PFC Samuel Way Sechrest

courtesy of Mary Fry Stevens

PFC Samuel Way Sechrest was born 24 Apr 1923 in High Point, North Carolina. He was the youngest of the 5 children and only son of Samuel Mallilue and Lizzie Louella (Pritchard) Sechrest. The family lived in High Point and later in Randleman, North Carolina. Young Samuel eventually went to work for Commonwealth Hosiery Mills after completing only 1-year of high school. His sister, Mable, died suddenly at age 28 of acute endocarditis in June 1942. She had also been working in the hosiery mill.

 Samuel was drafted in January 1943. He initially went to Camp Croft, South Carolina. After completing his military training he was sent to England and assigned to M Company 116th Infantry. He trained with that unit for and participated in the amphibious landing that was the major part of the invasion of occupied northern France. PFC Sechrest continued to fight with the unit until killed in action on 17 Jun 1944.

PFC Sechrest was repatriated and re-interred in the Midway Wesleyan Church Cemetery in Randleman, North Carolina.