PVT Joseph Harold Spooner

courtesy of Des Philippet

PVT Joseph Harold Spooner was born 15 Mar 1912 in Keeseville, New York. He was the only son and youngest of the 2 children born to Joseph and Malvina (Rougia) Spooner. His father worked as a day laborer before going to work for the city of Plattsburgh, New York where the family rented a place at 4 Allen Street for $15 a month. The younger Joseph married Georgianna Garrow in April 1933 and the couple lived in a home they owned at 100 Wall Street in Plattsburgh whicch was valued at $200 in 1940. They would eventually have a total of 8 children. In 1940 Joseph was supporting his family by working for the Works Progress Administration on a road construction project and reporting a 1939 income of $434.

Joseph was drafted in April 1944. After his basic military training he was sent to the European theater in late September 1944 and then transferred from the replacement depot to A Company 116th Infantry on 25 Oct 1944. He was with A Company for the fighting at Aachen, Baesweiler and Julich in Germany. PVT Spooner was killed in action near Koslar, Germany in the fighting to clear the west bank of the Roer River.

PVT Spooner rests forever in the Netherlands American Cemetery and there is a cenotaph to his memory in Saint Peter's Cemetery in Plattsburgh, New York.