SSG Aloysius Joseph Slater

courtesy of Stéphanie Pépin

SSG Aloysius Joseph Slater was born 25 Jun 1924 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was the 2nd of 7 children born to William Linderman and Mary Frances (Mellor) Slater. His father was a machinist but as the depression continued he supported his family as a gardener. Aloysius didn't attend high school. In 1942, he was working for W. C. Hamilton & Son, a publisher in Miquon, Pennsylvania.

Aloysius was drafted in March 1943. After completing his basic military training he was granted a furlough and on 10 Apr 1944 married Carolyn C. DiLuzio before he left for the European theater. PFC Slater was transferred from the replacement depot to C Company 116th Infantry on 28 Jun 1944. He must have demonstrated leadership and military competence because he was promoted to directly to SSG less than a month later on 25 Jul 1944. SSG Slater was killed in action in the drive on Vire on 30 Jul 1944.

SSG Slater rests forever in the Brittany American Cemetery. 

Great-grandfather, PVT William Mattis of C Company 88th Pennsylvania Infantry, died in Washington, D.C. of wounds received at Second Manassas and is buried at the Soldiers Home National Cemetery. Great-grandfather Frederick Mellor served as a PVT in C Company 72nd Pennsylvania Infantry.