PFC Hugh Adam Winkler Jr

courtesy of Des Philippet

PFC Hugh Adam Winkler Jr was born 16 Dec 1916 in Richmond, Virginia. He was the 2nd of the 3 children born to Hugh Adam and Ethel Clair (Wallace) Winkler. His father worked as a route inspector for Richmond Dairy Company for several decades and the family rented various homes during that time living on East Marshall Street, Jeter Avenue, North Mulberry and North Avenue in Richmond. The elder Hugh reported a 1939 income of $1500 and young Hugh reported $360 income for the same period working as a salesman for the same firm. 

Hugh had enlisted in the Virginia Army National Guard and attained the rank of CPL in Service Company, 1st Infantry (VA) and was assigned to that unit when it was federalized on 1 Feb 1941. He went to Fort George Meade, Maryland. A general reorganization took place there and he was promoted to SGT in March 1941. The unit was re-designated as the 176th Infantry to avoid confusion with the active army's 1st Infantry Regiment. After the Attack on Pearl Harbor resulted in the United States entry into World War II, the regiment was detached to guard Washington, D.C. as part of the Washington Provisional Brigade on 17 December. It was relieved from the 29th Division on 11 March 1942, coming under the control of GHQ. During this period, it served as the White House Honor Guard and the Presidential Special Guard while also guarding the Capitol, other government buildings, and the Combined Chiefs of Staff. The 176th was additionally responsible for ceremonial and escort functions in the capital, and provided guards for scattered key facilities in the Capital area. 

On 20 February 1943, the regiment was relocated to the A.P. Hill Military Reservation, where it was assigned to the Replacement and School Command on 1 April. The 176th was further relocated to Fort Benning, arriving on 11 April, for duty as School Troops. It was in May 1943 that Hugh married Betty Grace Eisenberg of Minneapolis, Minnesota and the couple had a son in February of 1944.  The 176th Infantry was inactivated at Fort Benning on 10 July 1944. SGT Winkler served with the regiment during this time at Fort Benning and was sent overseas to the European theater after the regiment was inactivated. We do not know why, but he was reduced in rank to PFC. PFC Winkler was transferred from the replacement depot to L Company 116th Infantry to serve as a light truck driver on 3 Sep 1944. Just 1-week later he was evacuated to hospital with an unidentified non-battle injury. After returning to the unit, now identified as a rifleman, PFC Winkler was struck by artillery fire and killed in action on 6 Oct 1944 near Ubach, Germany just about 6 kilometers WNW of Baesweiler. 

PFC Winkler is buried in the Henry-Chapelle American Cemetery. 

Hugh's younger brother, Dean Wallace Winkler, also served as a PFC in the U.S. Army during the war.