TSGT Joseph A. Riddick

courtesy of Frogman

TSGT Joseph A. Riddick was born in 1914 in Farmville, Virginia. He was the 6th of the 10 children born to Frances Logan and Viola Virginia (Clark) Riddick. His father farmed on Vieso Road and elsewhere in Prince Edward County. In 1940 the family was renting their home on Route 604 for $2 a month. Joseph worked as a farm hand for the remainder of his civilian life.

Joseph had been in the National Guard and had been discharged before voluntarily enlisting again as a SGT in April 1941. He was probably assigned to G Company 116th Infantry at Fort Meade, Maryland soon after his enlistment. He would then have trained with the unit in the Carolina maneuvers and at Camp Blanding, Florida before sailing for England aboard the Queen Mary in September 1942. Once in England he would have participated in all the training the unit underwent when preparing for the amphibious assault that ultimately took place on 6 Jun 1944. TSGT Riddick fought with the unit until killed in action on 18 Jun 1944.

TSGT Riddick is buried in Normandy American Cemetery.

Joseph's 2 youngest brothers also served. SSG James Oliver Riddick served in G Company 116th Infantry 1939-1945. MSG Charles Flournoy Riddick retired from the Army in December 1970.