PFC Birger Ernest Levendahl

PFC Birger Ernest Levendahl was born 21 Oct 1911 in Merrill, Wisconsin the youngest of four children of Gustav Emil and Ingererd Mary Levendahl. Both parents were natives of Aland, Finland.  His father worked in a sawmill and died in 1927. Brother, Armas Carl Levendahl died in 1932 age 31. His sister, Claudia Levendahl, worked as a gardner to support the family for a while. By 1940, Birger was supporting his mother and nephew by working as a "common laborer" and reported a 1939 income of $455.

Birger entered Army service in December 1942. We suspect that he served with other units before or after being sent to the European theater but he was transferred from the replacement depot to E Company 116th Infantry on 19 Jun 1944.  PFC Levendahl served as a rifleman and was wounded on 11 Jul 1944 and evacuated to hospital. After returning to the unit, PFC Levendahl was killed in action on 22 Nov 1944.

PFC Levenhdahl was repatriated in 1948 and buried in Merrill Memorial Park in Merrill, Wisconsin.

Older brother, Walter Gustav Levendahl, born in Aland, Findland, served in the Army in the first World War.