SGT Wilbert Joseph Trudell was born 4 Jan 1926 in Simonton, Texas. He was the only child of William Joseph and Ollie Ida (Rheman) Trudell. His father was an auto mechanic. This was a 2nd marriage for both his parents and they were divorced before 1930. Wilbert was living with his mother in Brookshire, Texas in a home they rented for $20 a month with his older half-brother and the family cook. It doesn't appear that his father was ever again a part of his life. His mother may have been working as a seamstress as she was in 1940. By then she owned their home on Sixth Street valued at $1500 and, although his half-brother was still living with them, they no longer had any servants. Wilbert had only completed 1-year of high school before he left home and went to Bard, California where he was when he registered for the draft. He was apparently lying about his age, giving his age as 18 on the registration card. It seems that he was supporting himself as an auto mechanic and he also stopped using the middle name "Joseph".
When Wilbert was drafted in February 1943, he continued to give his birth year as 1924 rather than 1926, he would not have been eligible for the draft if he had given his correct date of birth. After his basic military training he was sent to England and then assigned to A Company 116th Infantry. He trained with that unit for the amphibious assault that took place on 6 Jun 1944 and was one of the few soldiers in the company that survived the landing uninjured. PFC Trudell was promoted to SGT on 20 Jun 1944 at the time the regiment was making every effort to reorganize in the midst of continued fighting. He fought with the unit through the bocage and in the campaign to seize Saint-Lo. SGT Trudell was killed at Saint-Lo on 16 Jul 1944. He was 18-years old.
SGT Trudell is buried in the Normandy American Cemetery.
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