PFC Joseph Miller Shaw

Joseph from his High School 1938 annual

PFC Joseph Miller Shaw was born 28 Aug 1921 in Frederick, Maryland. He was the eldest of the 3 children of John LaMotte and Mary Ruthella (Witter) Shaw. His father farmed and land owned outside Frederick and worked as a foreman in a brick factory and as a personal secretary. Joseph graduated Frederick High School in 1938 and then attended the University of Maryland. In 1940 the farm was valued at $9200 and his father reported a 1939 income of $1800. His father then went to work as a Manager for Taney Homes in Frederick. Joseph received his BS in Animal Husbandry in June 1943.

Joseph was drafted in July 1943. He was first sent to North Camp Hood, Texas for his basic military training and then to Camp Shelby, Mississippi for advanced training.  When he took a 10-day furlough in January 1944 he was still stationed at Camp Shelby and assigned to B Company 272nd Infantry. He was able to take another furlough in May, the last time he was to see his family. and then sent to England and the European theater. PFC Shaw was transferred from the replacement depot to C Company 116th Infantry on 17 Jul 1944. He fought with the unit through to the vicinity of Vire, France where he was killed in action on 7 Aug 1944.

PFC Shaw was repatriated in 1949 and re-interred in the Mount Olivet Cemetery in Frederick, Maryland.

Joseph's father served during WWI as a SGT in I Company 313th Infantry and was wounded in the Argonne.