PVT Stewart Delaney Saffelle

courtesy of Ann Cady

PVT Stewart Delaney Saffelle was born 15 Apr 1923 in Alexandria, Virginia. He was the youngest of the 3 children born to Frank Hedrick and Annie Virginia (Dove) Saffell (different family members apparently spelled the name differently). Both parents had been previously married and Stewart and his siblings had 10 half-siblings. In his time, Stewart's father supported the family as a telegraph operator but he died at the age of 58 in 1931. While the family lived close to other family members, they likely struggled to make ends meet. Stewart's older half-brother and sister reported a total 1939 income of $384 although their mother owned the home on Duke Street valued at $3000.

Stewart was drafted in June 1943. After completing basic military training he was sent to England and assigned to K Company 116th Infantry. He trained with the unit for the amphibious assault that was a planned part of the liberation of occupied Europe. PVT Saffelle took part in that effort on D-Day, 6 Jun 1944 and was killed in action on that day.

PVT Saffelle was repatriated and re-interred in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.

Stewart's brother, Milton Franklin Saffelle, also served in the U.S. Army during the war.