SGT Alvin Preston Webster

SGT Alvin Preston Webster was born 4 Oct 1910 in Roanoke, Virginia. He was the 5th of the 7 children born to Thomas Frankford and Kernie Hatteras (Moore) Webster. His father farmed on a farm he owned in Botetourt County, Virginia. Alvin was able to graduate from high school. In 1940 he was working for Boyle Swecker Tire at 103 Church Street in Roanoke and living with his sister and her husband at 1205 Campbell Avenue. Alvin reported a 1939 income of $680. 

Alvin was drafted in May 1941. In accordance with the policy at that time he was sent to Fort George Meade, Maryland and it was there that he was assigned to F Company 116th Infantry. PVT Webster then trained with F Company at Fort Meade, in the Carolina maneuvers near Fort Bragg, North Carolina and at Camp Blanding, Florida. He sailed for England with his unit in September 1942. It may be that the climate didn't quite agree with him as he had to go to hospital with a severe cold in November. Once he returned to the unit in December he trained with the unit as it prepared for the amphibious assault on occupied France. In the course of that training he must have demonstrated soldier and leadership skills that resulted in his promotion to SGT before he participated in the D-Day landings on 6 Jun 1944. He continued to fight with his unit until he was shot through the thigh and killed in action on 17 Jun 1944.

SGT Webster was repatriated in 1948 and re-interred in the Evergreen Burial Park in Roanoke, Virginia.