PVT Peter Joseph Shapella

PVT Peter Joseph Shapella was born on 24 Jun 1908 in Middleport, Pennsylvania. He was the 7th of the 11 children born to John George and Ellen (Kovach) Shapella. Their first-born, a daughter, had died in 1897 at the age of 3-years. Both parents were natives of Slovakia which was then a part of the Austrian Empire and John Shapella worked as a coal miner. Peter's education did not progress past the 8th grade and he went to as a miner, working at the Kaska Colliery when he was drafted. He married Catherine Mary Paltanavage on 12 Nov 1934. The couple would have 2 daughters, Catherine Mary in May 1935 and Barbara Jean in August 1943.

Peter was drafted in January 1944 and in-processed at the New Cumberland induction center. He then went to Camp Pickett, Virginia and Fort George Meade, Maryland for his basic military training. He was sent overseas in August 1944 and transferred from the replacement depot to E Company 116th Infantry soon after. It is likely he was with the unit in the fight for Brest. PVT Shapella was struck by artillery shell fragments and killed in action near Wurselen, Germany on 14 Oct 1944. 

PVT Shapella was repatriated in 1947 and re-interred in the Gettysburg National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. 

Several of Peter's brothers also served during WW2. Andrew Leo Shapella served as a PFC in the US Army. George Thomas Shapella served from 1942-1945 in the Army.