SSG Karl Henry Metz

SSG Karl Henry Metz, b. 3 Oct 1916 - d. 3 Mar 1945. Son of Frederick and Julia Ann (Snyder) Metz, Karl was born in Coshocton, Ohio. This is his high school photo from the 1930 Coshocton High School annual. He worked as a laborer and salesman in Philadelphia and St. Louis. It was in St. Louis where he met his wife, Helen D Gerhard a nurse from Hazleton, Pennsylvania. They were married before he went overseas where he served with both A and B Companies, 116th Infantry before being killed. SSG Metz is buried in the Ardennes American Cemetery. Helen never remarried and worked for many years in nursing in the Hazleton area before retiring and moving to Harrisburg where she died, aged 94, in 2011.

PVT Charles F. Carroll

PVT Charles F. Carroll enlisted from Maryland.  Assigned to D Company 116th Infantry from the replacement depot on 22 Jun 1944, Charles was first wounded on 1 Jul 1944 and evacuated to hospital.  He returned to the unit from the replacement depot on 15 Aug 1944.  PVT Carroll was killed in action on 17 Oct 1944.  He was a recipient of the Bronze Star Medal.

PVT Carroll is buried in the Ardennes American Cemetery.  He was survived by his wife Florence.

SGT Ira Claude Morris

SGT Ira Claude Morris was born 13 Aug 1916 in Rockingham County, Virginia. He was the 3rd of 6 children and only son born to Luther Isaac and Iota Belle (Rodeffer) Morris. The family moved to Fairfax county where his father found work as a motorman, laborer and later as a farmer. Ira managed to complete high school. In 1940, Ira was working with his father. Shortly after that he found work as a motorman on a streetcar in Richmond, Virginia.

He was working in Richmond when he was drafted in May 1941. Like many draftees of that period, Ira was sent to a regional training center at Fort Meade, Maryland where he was assigned to E Company 116th Infantry. He trained with that unit at Fort Meade and Camp Blanding, Florida before being sent to England with E Company in September 1942. He trained there for the amphibious landing that was to be part of the invasion of occupied France. That landing took place on 6 Jun 1944. PFC Morris continued to fight with the unit as a rifleman until promoted to SGT on 25 Jun 1944. SGT Morris was killed in action on 12 Jul 1944 near Saint Lo, France.

SGT Morris was ultimately buried in the Ardennes American Cemetery.