PFC Charles Edward Mattern was born 25 Aug 1916 in Kenmare, North Dakota. He was the 2nd of the 4 children born to Harry William and Lydia Rosetta (Lefferts) Mattern. Charles was not registered but he was of Native American (
Anishinaabeg) descent through his mother's family. His parents divorced in 1922 and both remarried. His father farmed, worked in a gravel mine, and in whatever else could provide an income making a reported 1939 income of $551. Charles went to work after after completing the 8th grade and in 1940 was working in a coal mine but only worked 18 weeks in 1939 earning $240. Nonetheless he married Frances Eileen Levchenko on 16 Dec 1941. Just 6 months later the couple would have twins. Premature at a time when such things were not as well understood as today, both died. Charles and Frances moved to Tacoma, Washington for better job opportunities. The couple had a son in May the following year.
Charles had already been drafted in December 1942. Wherever else he may have been assigned he was transferred from the replacement depot to K Company 116th Infantry on 5 Jul 1944 to serve as a rifleman. PFC Mattern served with the company until wounded when shot on 7 Aug 1944. He died of his wound in a field hospital near Vire, France on 8 Aug 1944.
PFC Mattern was repatriated in 1953 and re-interred in the Rosehill Memorial Park in Minot, North Dakota.
Great-grandfather, Addison North Atwater, served as a PVT in I Company 189th New York Infantry (USA) in the Civil War. Grandfather, Oliver Paxson Lefferts, served as a PVT in Captain John Q. Adams Company of the First Regiment of Calvary (USA) 1884-1889.
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