PFC Charles Edward Mattern

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.