PFC Ardell Winston Payne

courtesy of Des Philippet

PFC Ardell Winston Payne was born 15 Dec 1921 in Cartersville, Georgia. He was the 2nd of the 6 children born to Ollie and Bertha Mae (Bivins) Payne. The family moved to Jacksonville, Florida after 1930 and would come to live in 954 East Monroe Street. His father worked as a steam shovel operator and for St. John's River Shipbuilding Company in Jacksonville. Ardell did not attend school beyond the 6th grade.

Ardell was drafted in June 1943. Despite his education level he must have been pretty smart because he was sent to training as a medic. After completion of that training PVT Payne was sent to England and assigned to Medical Detachment 116th Infantry and then attached to D Company 116th Infantry in time for the amphibious assault at Omaha Beach on 6 Jun 1944. He was wounded on that day and sent to hospital. PVT Payne did not return to the unit until 27 Jul 1944 when he returned from the replacement depot to the Medical Detachment. He continued to serve with D Company until he was wounded a 2nd time on 14 Oct 1944 and again evacuated to hospital. He returned from the replacement depot again on 28 Jan 1945 and again served with the Medical Detachment. It was sometime during this period that he was promoted to PFC. PFC Payne continued to serve as a medic at the Regimental aid station until he was killed in action on 5 Apr 1945 near Waltrop, Germany as the regiment participated in mop up operations in the Ruhr industrial area.

PFC Payne was ultimately interred in the Netherlands American Cemetery.