SSG Ralph Leroy Oveson

Argus Leader, 14 Nov 1944

SSG Ralph Leroy Oveson was born 27 Mar 1924 in Minnehaha County, Minnesota. He was the 4th of the 9 children born to Albert Cornelius and Alma Maria (Froseth) Oveson. His father worked as a laborer on farms in the area of Brandon, Minnesota and later in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Ralph apparently moved out of the household prior to 1940. By 1943 he was working for a defense contractor in Los Angeles, California.

Ralph was drafted in December 1943. He trained at Camp Fannin, Texas before shipping overseas in June 1944. PVT Oveson was transferred from the replacement depot to A Company 116th Infantry on 17 Jul 1944. He must have demonstrated leadership and soldier skills to have been promoted from PVT to SSG by the time he was killed in action near Aachen, Germany on 18 Oct 1944.

SSG Oveson rests forever in the Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery.

Ralph's brother, Arnold Leland Oveson, also served in the infantry during the 2nd world war.