SSG Cecil Frederick Runnells

courtesy of Royzee

SSG Cecil Frederick Runnells was born on 26 Sep 1920 in Monroe, Ohio. He was the youngest of the 8 children born to Elias and Emaline (Marshall) Runnells. His father was a teamster but died in October 1930. Cecil went to work at Kentham foundry.

Cecil was drafted in September 1943. After his basic military training he was sent to the European theater. PVT Runnells was transferred from the replacement depot to B Company 116th Infantry on 17 Jul 1944. He was almost immediately transferred to A Company 116th Infantry on the 23 Jul 1944 to serve as a rifleman. He was injured (a non battle casualty) on 3 Aug 1944 and evacuated to hospital but returned to duty on 6 Aug 1944. Cecil was promoted to SSG on 21 Aug 1944 just before the regiment conducted a road march to attack Brest, France. SSG Runnells was killed in action on 29 Aug 1944.

SSG Runnells is buried in the Brittany American Cemetery.

CPL William E. Holden

CPL William E. Holden was born in 1924 in New York state the son of Edward Francis and Frances V. (Fischer) Holden.  His father was a letter carrier.

After William entered the service he was eventually sent to the European Theater of Operations and on 11 Aug 1944 was transferred from the replacment depot to B Company 116th Infantry.  CPL Holden was killed in action on 27 Aug 1944.

CPL Holden is buried in the Brittany American Cemetery.

PVT Steve Mandich

courtesy of Erin Proctor

PVT Steve Mandich was born 6 Sep 1924 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He was the oldest of 3 children born to Andrew Michael and Sofie (Kosanovich) Mandich. His father was a native of Yugoslavia and worked in a steel mill reporting a 1939 income of $800.

Steve volunteered for military service on 15 Jul 1942 in Pittsburgh.  After training he was sent overseas to the European theater in August 1944. We do not know when he was assigned to I Company 116th Infantry. PVT Mandich was killed in action on 18 Sep 1944.

PVT Mandich's final resting place is in the Brittany American Cemetery.

PVT Alexander Sike

PVT Alexander Sike was born 15 May 1917 in Utica, New York. He was the oldest of the 3 sons born to Joseph and Anna (Fylip) Sike. Both parents were natives of Poland. His father worked as a spinner in a cotton mill and the family lived in a rented home at 512 Patter Street and then 520 Whitesboro Avenue in Utica. Alexander was working for the New York Central Rail Road by 1940. He married Flora B. Gadziala sometime after April 1940 and their first child, a daughter, was born in December of that year. They would have a son born in 1943.

It may have been because of his railroad work that Alexander was not drafted until January 1944. After his basic military training he was sent to the European theater arriving in England in late August and in France in early September. PVT Sike was transferred from the replacement depot to F Company 116th Infantry on 10 Sep 1944. The regiment was moving to attack German forces defending Brest, France and PVT Sike was killed in action in that fighting on 18 Sep 1944.

PVT Sike rests forever in the Brittany American Cemetery.

PVT Franklin Clark Joseph Anderson

PVT Franklin Clark Joseph Anderson was born 2 Sep 1914 in Chicago, Illinois to Ewald Warren and Mary (Kohler) Anderson. His father worked as a typesetter.

When Franklin entered the service in November 1940 he is noted has having 4-years of college and being an actor and single.  It is also noted that he enlisted for the Army Air Corps as an Aviation Cadet.  Whatever had happened in his military service, on 9 Sep 1944 Franklin was assigned from the replacement depot to A Company 116th Infantry.  PVT Anderson was killed in action on 17 Sep 1944.

PVT Anderson is buried in the Brittany American Cemetery.

PVT Clyde W. Lee

PVT Clyde W. Lee was born in 1908 in Wichita Falls, Texas.  In 1940 he was living with his wife Frances at 224 Cincinnati Street, El Paso, Texas managing Piedras Cleaners, a dry cleaning plant.  His wife was working as a stenographer.  They reported a combined income for 1939 of $2080 and rented their house for $15 per month. 

Clyde was drafted in June 1942.  He was eventually sent to Europe and may have served in another infantry unit before he was assigned from the replacement depot to F Company 116th Infantry on 5 Sep 1944.  PVT Lee was killed in action on 17 Sep 1944.

PVT Lee is buried in the Brittany American Cemetery.  We believe that by 1948 his wife had re-married because his sister, Eula Mae Lee Huffman, was his next of kin on the interment record. So far as we know the couple had no children.

TSGT Theodore Ford Fettinger

TSGT Theodore Ford Fettinger was born 14 Oct 1922 in Newark, New Jersey to Edwin Forrest and Louise Houghton (Ford) Fettinger.  His father worked as a secretary for an advertising agency.  Theodore attended the Forestry school in the University of Maine. 

After Theodore left school to serve his country he was sent overseas and assigned to G Company 116th Infantry.  It appears that he was with the unit on D-Day.  On 20 Jun 1944 he was promoted to SSG and then on 19 Aug 1944 he was promoted to TSGT.  As a platoon sergeant, he was reportedly shot by a sniper as the unit attacked German positions in Brest, France.  TSGT Fettinger was killed in action on 17 Sep 1944.

TSGT Fettinger is buried in the Brittany American Cemetery. There is a cenotaph in his memory in Laurel Hill Cemetery in Saco, Maine.

SGT Joseph Jerome Thompson

SGT Joseph Jerome Thompson was born 21 Jul 1915 in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania. He was the 4th of the 9 children born to Samuel Anthony and Ellen Mary (Tierney) Thompson. Both parents and his eldest brother were natives of Scotland, his father from Carfin, in Lanarkshire. His parents had immigrated in 1910 and soon moved to Washington County, Pennsylvania where his father worked as a coal miner. His mother Ellen suffered from heart disease and she died in 1937 at the age of 50. The family rented 183 Smith Street in Canonsburg for $25 a month and Samuel reported 1939 earnings of $1900. Joseph was working as a butcher for Central Market earning $960 in 1939. He married a nurse from Washington County, Pennsylvania, Nellie Judish, in December 1940. 

Joseph was drafted in August 1943. He took his initial military training at Camp Blanding, Florida and left for England in April 1944. However he was not assigned to B Company 116th Infantry until he was transferred from the replacement depot to the unit on 17 Jul 1944. At this time the unit was in the vicinity of Saint-Lo and PVT Joseph fought with the unit in the liberation of Vire. He was promoted to PFC on 13 Aug 1944. PFC Thompson was with the unit as the regiment began the campaign to liberate Brest. Although it wasn't recorded in the morning report, he was promoted to SGT sometime before 15 Sep 1944 when he was wounded by German machine gun fire. Evacuated to hospital he underwent surgery but died on 15 Sep 1944. 

SGT Thompson was ultimately interred in the Brittany American Cemetery. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star for his actions on the day he died. 

Younger brother, Gerard Alphonsus Thompson, also served in the U.S. Army during the war.

PVT William Bryant Strader

PVT William Bryant Strader was born 2 Feb 1920 in Pittsylvania County, Virginia. He was the 3rd of 9 children born to John Bryant and Jettie Elizabeth (Gammon) Strader. His father supported the family by farming, at first on rented land and later on a farm he owned, near Tunstall, Virginia. William was working on the family farm in 1940 but then went to work for the Riverside Cotton Mill in Danville, Virginia.

William was drafted sometime in 1943 and after his basic military training was sent to the European theater. PVT Strader was transferred from the replacement depot to I Company 116th Infantry on 7 Aug 1944 while the regiment was near Vire, France. He fought with the unit as it moved through Brittany in the effort to liberate Brest and was injured, a non-battle casualty, on 5 Sep 1944, sent to hospital and immediately returned to duty. He was transferred to A Company 116th Infantry the next day and fought with that unit until killed in action in Brest on 15 Sep 1944. 

PVT Strader rests forever in the Brittany American Cemetery.

2 of William's great-grandfathers served during the Civil War. It just so happens that they were brothers. Stephen Neal Strader served as a PVT in K Company 13th North Carolina Infantry (CSA) losing the sight in his left eye and being captured and confined at Camp Lookout until the end of the war. Robert B. Strader served as PVT in 18th North Carolina Cavalry. Sister, Bertha Bell Strader, enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1956.

PVT Frederick Charles Shaw

PVT Frederick Charles Shaw was born 2 Sep 1910 in Adams, Massachusetts the 6th of the 12 children born to Joseph Ashbrook and Annie (Cromblehome) Shaw. His mother had been born in Blackburn, England. His father supported the family by working as a spinner in a cotton mill for several decades. Unfortunately, 2 of Joseph and Annie's daughters died before Frederick was born. Frederick became a baker and went to work for Hammond Baking Company for several years and then became an assistant to his brother who operated a cafeteria for the Berkshire Fine Spinning Associates. He married Laura May Norman in 1934. The couple would soon have 2 children sharing their home at 79 Commercial Street in North Adams, Massachusetts.

Frederick was drafted in December 1943. He trained at Camp Croft, South Carolina and Camp Shelby, Mississippi before training at Fort Meade, Maryland. PVT Shaw was then sent to the European theater in August 1944 and transferred from the replacement depot to B Company 116th Infantry on 11 Aug 1944. He fought with the unit in the campaign to liberate Brest and was killed in action on 15 Sep 1944.

PVT Shaw rests forever in the Brittany American Cemetery.

Brother, Nelson Raymond Shaw, served in the U.S. Army infantry 1942-1945 including service in Italy. Lawrence Shaw served in the U.S. Army airborne infantry in New Guinea.

SSG James Arlon Gilbert

SSG James Arlon Gilbert was born 19 Jan 1923 in Decatur, Illinois to John Henry and Viola May (Coats) Gilbert. His father worked as a machinist for a railroad.  His parents divorced and his mother re-married.

When drafted in December 1942, James was working in metal fabrication.   Sent to England, James was assigned to C Company 116th Infantry.  We think it likely that he participated in the D-Day amphibious assault. Sometime around 15 Jul 1944 he was wounded and evacuated to the hospital.  He was returned to the unit via the replacement depot on 5 Sep 1944.  PFC Gilbert was promoted to SSG on 11 Sep 1944.  SSG Gilbert was killed in action on 14 Sep 1944.

SSG Gilbert is buried in the Brittany American Cemetery.

PVT Gustav Torres Martin

PVT Gustav Torres Martin was born 16 Dec 1917 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He was a son of Gustavo Torres and Mercedes Martin.  His father worked in a factory. In 1919 his mother moved with him and his older brother to New York City. Sometime before 1930 his mother married again.  She was working as dressmaker.

Gustav enlisted in the New York National Guard and Headquarters Battery 1st Battalion 212th Coastal Artillery.  The unit was federalized on 10 Feb 1941.  On 5 Sep 1944 PVT Martin was transferred from the replacement depot to C Company 116th Infantry. PVT Martin was killed in action on 14 Sep 1944.

PVT Martin rests forever in the Brittany American Cemetery.

PVT Dominic San Severino

PVT Dominic San Severino was born in 1920 or 1921 most likely in Watertown, Massachusetts the 4th of 7 children to Dominic and Mary (Narducci) San Severino. Of all his siblings it appears that only older brother Sabatino also served. Sabatino survived the war and lived until 1990.  Dominic never married.

Dominic was assigned to C Company 116th Infantry on 17 Jul 1944 and was killed in action on 14 Sep 1944.  He is buried in the Brittany American Cemetery. 

PVT Martin Louis Cox

PVT Martin Louis Cox was born 31 Jan 1909 in Ottawa County, Kansas to Martin Luther and Ellen Mary (Priest) Cox.  His mother died in 1932.  The elder Martin worked as a teamster. He married Helen Jeanette Williams in 1927 and they had 3 daughters.  He drove a truck to support his family. 

Drafted in December 1943 he was assigned to L Company 116th Infantry on 4 Sep 1944.  PVT Cox was killed in action on 14 Sep 1944.

PVT Cox is buried in the Brittany American Cemetery.  

SGT Ozro Thurston Whitacre

SGT Ozro Thurston Whitacre was born 9 Jan 1923 in Coffeyville, Kansas. He was the 4th of the 7 children born to Robert English and Thora Mae (Anderson) Whitacre. His father did odd jobs and mother worked as a laundress in Coffeyville and then his father worked on a Works Progress Administration road crew earning a reported 1939 income of $288. Ozro worked as a orchestral musician in 1940 before going to work at the Crane Packing Company in Chicago, Illinois. 

Ozro was drafted in 1943 and sent to England after completing his basic military training. PVT Whitacre was transferred from the replacement depot to A Company 116th Infantry on 7 Jul 1944 when the unit was in the fight to seize the important road junction city of Saint-Lo, France. He must have demonstrated leadership as well as military competence because Ozro was promoted to SGT on 25 Jul 1944 as the unit approached Vire, France. He fought with the unit until 30 Jul 1944 when he suffered a non-battle injury and went to hospital. He was returned to the unit on 4 Aug as it completed the liberation of Vire. SGT Whitacre then was with the unit as it progressed up the Brittany peninsual and in the fight for Brest, France. SGT Whitacre was killed in action on 14 Sep 1944. 

SGT Whitacre rests among other heroes in the Brittany American Cemetery.

Ozro's brother, Robert Anderson Whitacre, also served as a SGT in the U.S. Army during the war.

TSGT Joseph Spector

courtesy of C Giano

TSGT Joseph Spector was born 17 Sep 1914 in Saint Paul, Minnesota. He was the 2nd child of 4 children of Russian Jewish immigrants, David L. and Esther (Batush) Spector. His father worked as a tin smith in a packing plant and an independent shop. After high school, Joseph worked as proprietor of his own grocery at 329 Concord Street in Saint Paul and continued living with his parents at 343 Robie Street, also in Saint Paul, about a 37 minute walk.

We are unsure of when he was drafted or where he served prior to being transferred from the replacement depot on 7 Aug 1944 but he was already a SGT and was assigned as a squad leader in I Company 116th Infantry. This was right at the end of the fight to liberate Vire, France and the entire division was redirected to the priority fight to capture and remove the Nazi threat at Brest. SGT Spector fought with the unit until wounded in action on 6 Sep 1944 on the Conquet Peninsula, France probably in the attack on Hill 53. He was then evacuated to hospital where he died of his wound(s) on 13 Sep 1944.

TSGT Spector rests forever in the Brittany American Cemetery. A cenotaph memorializing him is in the Temple of Aaron Cemetery in Roseville, Minnesota with his family.

His older brother, Jack Spector, also served in the U.S. Army in Europe during the war.

SGT Charles Vinson Russell

courtesy of SirromC

SGT Charles Vinson Russell was born in 1915 in Maryville, Tennessee. He was the youngest of the 9 children born to Issac J. and Amanda Frances (Jackson) Russell. Frances was Isaac's second wife and Charles had 6 older half-siblings. Isaac supported the family by farming but he died at the age of 70 in October 1930. By 1940 Charles an his brothers Paul and Luke were working for a local coal company each earning a reported 1939 income of $470.

Charles was drafted in November 1942. After basic military training he was sent to England. PFC Russell was transferred from the replacement depot to C Company 116th Infantry on 10 Jul 1944. He was injured on 25 Jul 1944 (non battle casualty) and evacuated to the hospital. PFC Russell returned to the unit on 25 Aug 1944. He was promoted to SGT on 11 Sep 1944. The unit was fighting in the attempt to liberate Brest and SGT Russell was wounded that same day. He died of his wound(s) later on 11 Sep 1944.

SGT Russell is buried in the Brittany American Cemetery.

PFC Donald Eugene Culver

PFC Donald Eugene Culver was born 22 Oct 1924 in Uniontown, Pennsylvania to Germaine Bennett and Emma (Murphy) Culver. His father worked variously as an insurance agent and manager of a grocery store.

In May 1943 when Donald was drafted he had graduated from high school and was working as a "checker" in a grocery (likely his father's).  Sent overseas on 11 Aug 1944 he was transferred from the replacement depot to C Company 116th Infantry.  He was killed in action just one month later on 11 Sep 1944.

PFC Culver is buried in the Brittany American Cemetery.

PFC Louis John Turzer

PFC Louis John Turzer was born 16 Apr 1908 in Chicago, Illinois the 2nd of 5 children born to Louis and Marie (Schnirer) Turzer. Both parents had immigrated from Eastern Europe. His father worked as a teamster for a grocery and as a shipping clerk to support the family but died in April 1923 at the age of 46. Louis got a job as a laborer in a publishing company and in July 1930 married Theresa Wanda Hendricks. The couple had a son in March 1933. By 1940 Louis was working as a pressman for Herald-American earning a reported 1939 income of $1548 and renting an apartment in the rear of 2860 Woodard Street in Chicago.

Louis was probably drafted in late 1943 or early 1944. He was transferred from the replacement depot to G Company 116th Infantry on 13 Aug 1944 to serve as a rifleman. PFC Turzer was wounded on 5 Sep 1944 in the outskirts of Brest, France and evacuated to hospital where he died on 11 Sep 1944.

PFC Turzer is buried in the Brittany American Cemetery. 

Son, James Patrick Turzer, served in the U.S. Army in Korea.

PVT Coy Richardson Peebles

PVT Coy Richardson Peebles was born 9 Jul 1912 in Milburn, Kentucky. He was the youngest of the 4 children born to Iva Carl and Katie Ethel (Richardson) Peebles. His father farmed near Milburn. Coy did graduate from high school. His father died of a heart attack at age 65 in 1938. Coy and his mother tried to make a go of the farm which was valued at $800 in 1940. However, Coy and his mother moved to Madison, Illinois where Coy worked in a factory making leather goods.

Coy was drafted in September 1942. We do not know where he went after his initial military training. It was on 8 Sep 1944 that he was transferred from the replacement depot to K Company 116th Infantry. Before the day was over, PVT Peebles was killed in action on the 8th as the unit attacked Brest, France.

PVT Peebles rests forever in the Brittany American Cemetery.