SSG Richard Henry Shuttleworth

Richard in 1939

SSG Richard Henry Shuttleworth was born 29 Sep 1922 in Camp John Hay, Philippines. He was the first-born of 2 children and only son of MAJ William Swann and Willian E. (Bell) Shuttleworth. His father was an Army dentist. As with most military families, they moved quite a bit. The family would live in the Philippines, Highlands and Plattsburg, New York and San Francisco, California before moving to Monterey, California. Richard attended Galileo High School in San Francisco, graduating in 1939. Richard was still unemployed but attending college and living in Pacific Grove, California when he registered for the draft in June 1942.

Richard had managed to complete 3-years of college when he was drafted in January 1943, After his basic military training he must have exhibited leadership potential because he was a CPL when transferred from the replacement depot to G Company 116th Infantry on 24 Oct 1944. He was promoted to SSG on 1 Nov 1944. He fought with the unit in the vicinity of Aachen and was wounded on 27 Nov 1944 but remained on duty. SSG Shuttleworth was killed in action on 3 Dec 1944 as the regiment worked to clear the west bank of the Roer River.

SSG Shuttleworth was repatriated and re-interred in the Golden Gate National Cemetery in San Bruno, California. His parents are also buried there.

PVT Adolph Mejia Castro

PVT Adolph Mejia Castro was born 27 Mar 1925 in Belvedere, California one of seven children of Jesus Ruiz and Mercedes Perez (Mejia) Castro.  Both of his parents were born in Mexico.  His father worked as a gardener and laborer doing odd jobs.  His mother picked fruit as did other members of the family.

Adolph was drafted in September 1943 and may have been working as a mechanic at the time.  PVT Castro was assigned to B Company 116th Infantry on 11 Aug 1944 and was killed in action on 25 Aug.  He will rest forever in Golden Gate National Cemetery in San Bruno, California. 

PFC Willis Raymond Capen

PFC Willis Raymond Capen was born 28 Apr 1922 in Sacramento County to Willis Merritt and Leta Luella (Caples) Capen. The senior Willis was a truck driver.  In 1940 young Willis was keeping attendance and had earned $40 for all of 1939.  By the time he was drafted in October 1942 he had completed 2 years of college and was apparently working as a driver as well. It was apparently when he knew that he'd be drafted that he married Arlene Juanita Richardson on 21 Oct 1942. The couple would have no children.

After his training Willis was shipped overseas.  We don't yet know what he was doing earlier but he was assigned to E Company 116th Infantry on 22 Jul 1944. 

A quick note here, many times soldiers who were wounded and hospitalized would be moved from the hospital to the replacement depot and go to fill the first personnel request regardless of unit.  A soldier who had gone to hospital multiple times could conceivably go to a new unit each time.  We are only looking at the 116th's morning reports to see what/when/where/why soldiers were being processed.  We don't have a means to follow a soldier through multiple units unless they are all in the 116th. 

PFC Capen was seriously wounded when shot in the abdomen on 30 Jul 1944 and he was evacuated to hospital.  Despite surgery he died of his wounds on 3 Aug 1944.  

In 1948 his body was returned to the U.S. and he is now buried in Golden Gate National Cemetery in San Bruno, California.

Although Arlene had remarried and had 7 children with her second husband before they divorced, her ashes were interred with Willis upon her death at age 95 in 2018.

PVT Clyde Owen Gero

PVT Clyde Owen Gero was born 10 May 1922 in Vienna, Michigan to George Alexander and Margaret Etta (Gibbs) Gero. His father worked as an excavator.

After he had entered the service, Clyde was sent to Europe and on 19 Jun 1944.  PVT Gero was killed in action on 2 Aug 1944.

PVT Gero was repatriated in 1948 and is buried in the Golden Gate National Cemetery in San Bruno, California.

TSGT Roy A. Gift

TSGT Roy A. Gift was born 27 Feb 1921 in Topeka, Kansas to Clarence and Ida Ann (Burris) Gift. His father drove trucks and taxis.

Roy was married and living in Monterey County, California when he was drafted in September 1942.  This was the same month that the 116th boarded the Queen Mary for England.  It wasn't long before Roy followed them and was assigned to C Company 116th Infantry.  He was with the unit on D-Day, participating in the amphibious assault on Omaha Beach.  On 20 Jun 1944 he was promoted from PVT to SGT.  On 9 Jul 1944 he was promoted to SSG. Sometime between then and 30 Jul 1944, Roy was promoted to TSGT.  TSGT Gift was killed in action on 30 Jul 1944. 

TSGT Gift was repatriated and buried in the Golden Gate National Cemetery in San Bruno, California. We know nothing about Roy's wife or possible children. 

PVT Bernal Martinez

courtesy of Tom Brocher

PVT Bernal Martinez was born 3 Aug 1918 in Grants, New Mexico.  We think he was one of two sons of Ignacio Martinez. Bernal was working as a laborer in early 1940 and reported a 1939 income of $106. The family members apparently moved to Marin County, California after mid-1940.

Bernal was drafted in June 1943. Trained and sent to England, PVT Martinez was assigned to A Company 116th Infantry. He trained with that unit for the amphibious assault that would take place on 6 Jun 1944. He survived he participation in the first wave of that assault but was killed in action 2 days later on 8 Jun 1944.

PVT Martinez was repatriated in 1947. His body was returned aboard the USAT Robert Burns and re-interred in the Golden Gate National Cemetery in San Bruno, California.

PVT Roland Homer Coates

PVT Roland Homer Coates, b. 16 Jul 1924 - d. 7 Jun 1944. The only child of Reverend Harry and Sadie (Steinbrecher) Coates he was probably born while the family lived in Manning, Iowa. Homer, as his family called him, was raised in Iowa but attended high school in Spokane where his father was pastor of Bethany Methodist Church for many years. PVT Coates enlisted 23 Jun 1943 and became a medic assigned to Medical Detachment and D Company 116th Infantry. He is buried in the Golden Gate National Cemetery, San Bruno, California.