1SG Henry Lester Brightwell

1SG Henry Lester Brightwell was born 17 June 1913 in Roanoke, Virginia to HenryWycliffe and Flora Etta (Dowdy) Brightwell.  The family only had 3 children.  In 1920 his father was a "tinner" or roofer, in 1930 a sheet metal worker for the steam railway and in 1940 a gang leader on the steam railway.  He made a very good living in 1939, $2121.  Henry Lester was working as a file clerk for an electrical power company and made $1080 in 1939. 

Henry was a SGT in the National Guard when his unit was federalized in February 1941.  It is probable that he stayed with his unit through all the training and missions they had before D-Day and participated with Headquarters Company 1st Battalion 116th Infantry in the landing.  He was promoted to SSG prior to the landing and to 1SG on 20 Jun 1944.  On 4 Sep 1944 he went to hospital as a non-battle casualty.  On 9 Sep 1944 he was returned to duty.  On 22 Nov 1944 he went to hospital with a serious wound (artillery?) and died of wounds on 23 Nov 1944. 

1SG Brightwell is buried in Fair View Cemetery in Roanoke, Virginia.

Henry's brother, Woodrow Carlyle Brightwell, also served begging the war at the rank of SSG of infantry in the local National Guard unit. 

CPL Alvin Edward Wolf

CPL Alvin Edward Wolf was born 7 Apr 1924 in Harlan, Kansas. He was the youngest and only son of the 2 children born to Herman Andrew and Vera (Eisele) Wolf. Both families were of German descent and had spoken German in their homes when they were children. The family farmed on rented land, first near Harlan and then near Washington, Kansas. 

Alvin was drafted in February 1942 and after completing his military training he was sent to England and assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company 29th Infantry Division. It was likely with this unit that he trained for the amphibious assault and landing in which he took part on 6 or 7 Jun 1944. He remained with this unit until CPL Wolf was transferred to Headquarters and Headquarters Company 1st Battalion 116th Infantry as a "basic soldier" on 14 Aug 1944 probably executing duties of security for the battalion headquarters and as a courier. He was cited and received a Bronze Star for his actions on Hill 203 near Vire, France, a fight for which the battalion received the Distinguished Unit Citation. CPL Wolf was then transferred to B Company 116th Infantry to serve as a squad leader. It was with this unit, in bitter fighting at Setterich, Germany that he performed actions, including the destruction of a machinegun position, that earned him a Distinguished Service Cross. CPL Wolf was killed in action at Koslar, Germany on 22 Nov 1944. 

CPL Wolf was repatriated and re-interred in the Fairview Cemetery in Smith Center, Kansas.

1LT Robert Thomas Hackett

1LT Robert Thomas Hackett was born 8 Sep 1922 in Ramsey County, Minnesota to Francis James and Catherine Ellen (Sammon) Hackett. 

Robert entered the service in April 1942.  2LT Hackett was sent to England and assigned to Headquarters Company 1st Battalion 116th Infantry.  After training with the unit for the amphibious assault he landed with that unit and was wounded on 6 Jun 1944.  Evacuated to hospital he was transferred to D Company 116th Infantry as a platoon leader on 20 Jul 1944. He was assigned to Headquarters Company 1st Battalion 116th Infantry as Company Commander on 3 Aug 1944.  2LT Hackett was promoted to 1LT on 14 Sep 1944.  1LT Hackett was killed in action on 21 Nov 1944.

1LT Hackett was repatriated and is buried in Calvary Cemetery in Saint Paul, Minnesota. 

PFC Gerald Lyons

courtesy of Des Philippet

PFC Gerald Lyons was born 9 May 1910 in Trappe, Maryland the fifth of six children of Frederick V. and Sarah Julia (Lowery) Lyons.  The family farmed.

After entering the Army, Gerald was sent to England and assigned to Headquarters Company 1st Battalion 116th Infantry as a light truck driver. After training with the unit for the amphibious assault and coming ashore with the unit he was promoted to PFC on 13 Aug 1944.  PFC Lyons was a non-battle casualty on 25 Aug 1944 and evacuated to hospital. He returned to the unit on 30 Aug 1944.  PFC Lyons continued to serve until 21 Nov 1944 when he was killed in action.

PFC Lyons was buried in the Netherlands American Cemetery.

2LT John Moreland Lambertson Jr.

2LT John Moreland Lambertson Jr. was born 5 Feb 1921 in Montreal, Canada to  John M. and Margaret (Moreland) Lambertson.  His father was born in Denmark and his mother in Belfast, Ireland. They had apparently met and married in Canada where their three sons were born.  The family had been living in Montreal as recently as 1935 but by 1940 were living in Asbury Park, New Jersey. John Jr. was working as a theater manager and supporting his family.  He reported a 1939 income of $400.

John voluntarily enlisted in May 1942.  After training he was assigned to Headquarters Company 1st Battalion 116th Infantry. He trained with the unit for the amphibious assault that would take place on D-Day on Omaha beach.  He did take place in that attack.  He continued to serve in that unit and on 20 Jun 1944 was promoted from PFC to SSG and served as the battalion Intelligence NCO.  On 5 Nov 1944 he was commissioned as a 2LT still in the same unit now serving as the Battalion S-2 (Intelligence Officer).  2LT Lambertson was reportedly on a reconnaissance mission when he was killed in action on 21 Nov 1944.

2LT Lambertson was repatriated and buried in Arlington Memorial Park in Kearny, New Jersey.

Brother, Charles William Lambertson, served in the U.S. Navy from 1944 to 1946.

PVT Armand Anthony DiPiero

PVT Armand Anthony DiPiero was born 11 Nov 1922 in Coraopolis, Pennsylvania to Cesidio and Maria Gemma (Moreschi) DiPiero. Both parents were Italian immigrants and his father was a case maker in a foundry.

When he was drafted in May 1943, Armand was an apprentice machinist.  Trained as a medic, he was sent overseas and assigned from the replacement depot to Medical Detachment 116th Infantry on 3 Jul 1944.  On 13 Jul 1944 he was attached to Headquarters Company 1st Battalion 116th Infantry to work in their aid station.  He was relieved of attachment on 18 Jul 1944.  On 3 Aug 1944 he was seriously wounded and sent to hospital.  On 25 Oct 1944 he was returned from the replacement depot to Medical Detachment 116th Infantry.  PVT DiPiero was killed in action on 21 Nov 1944.

PVT DiPiero is buried in the Grafton National Cemetery in Grafton, West Virginia.

SSG Robert Lee Patsel Jr.

courtesy of Des Philippet

SSG Robert Lee Patsel was born 7 Feb 1918 in Botetourt County, Virginia. He was the 7th of the 10 children born to Robert Lee and Emily Gertrude (Fulton) Patsel. The family was not well off. While his father repaired furniture, employment was spotty and in 1939 he reported no income while the family lived in a house at 27 Tenth Street in Roanoke, Virginia which they rented for $4 a month. Young Robert and his sister Dorothy were the only ones in the household working and only Dorothy reported an income in 1939 and that for only $185.

That was undoubtedly one of the reasons that Robert Junior enlisted in the local national guard unit. He was with that unit when it was federalized/activated in February 1941. He would have then trained with the unit at Fort Meade, Maryland, in the Carolinas and at Camp Blanding, Florida. He would have then sailed with the unit aboard the Queen Mary in September 1942. Assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company 1st Battalion 116th Infantry he was later a section leader. PVT Patsel took part in the D-Day landings and was promoted to SSG on 20 Jun 1944. On 30 Jun 1944 he was wounded by a bullet in his right arm but remained on duty. On 9 Sep 1944 he was reported as a non-battle casualty (probably resulting from an accidental injury) and evacuated to hospital. He returned to the unit on 21 Sep 1944. SSG Patsel was killed in action on 21 Nov 1944 in the vicinity of Koslar, Germany.

SSG Patsel is buried in the Netherlands American Cemetery.

Robert's oldest sibling, brother S1C Arlie McKinley Patsel was killed in action on 13 Nov 1942 aboard the USS Juneau in the battle for Guadalcanal. Youngest brother SGT David Alexander Patsel served in the U.S. Marine Corps for many years.

PFC Milton Ross Matteson Jr.

PFC Milton Ross Matteson Jr. was born 1 Jul l923 in Detroit, Michigan.  He was the eldest of the 2 children born to Milton Ross and Marion Louise (Robinson) Matteson. His father worked as a purchasing agent for a paint dealer and later had his own business dealing in lumber. Milton attended Cooley High School in Detroit and then attended and graduated from Pennsylvania Military Prep in Chester, Pennsylvania. 

Milton enlisted in the Army enlisted reserves while attending the Pennsylvania Military College. He was called to active duty in July 1943. After completing training he was sent to England in January 1944 and assigned to Headquarters 1st Battalion 116th Infantry where he was to serve as ammunition handler, intelligence observer and scout. He trained with the unit and was with the unit for the D-Day landings on 6 Jun 1944 on the coast of Normandy.  On 30 Jun 1944 he suffered shrapnel in his left arm but remained on duty. Promoted to PFC on 22 Jul l944, he was wounded on 7 Aug 1944 and evacuated to hospital. PFC Matteson returned to the unit from the replacement depot on 5 Nov 1944.  He was serving as a scout when he was killed in action on 21 Nov 1944.

PFC Matteson was repatriated and re-interred in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.

Milton's father served in WWI. Milton has no known relationship to PVT Earl G. Matteson who served in the same unit at the same time.

PFC John Arthur McDonald

PFC John Arthur McDonald was born 15 Apr 1925 in Syracuse, New York. He was the 3rd of 4 children and only son born to Louis Edward and Evaline Lorena (Knapp) McDonald. His father worked as a house painter.

John was drafted in August 1943. After his initial training he was sent to England. He was transferred from the replacement depot to Headquarters 1st Battalion 116th Infantry on 22 Jul 1944. Serving as a scout, PFC McDonald was wounded by shrapnel in the left leg on 21 Oct 1944 but he remained on duty. PFC McDonald was killed in action on 21 Nov 1944.

PFC McDonald was repatriated and re-interred in Oakwood Cemetery in Syracuse, New York.

CPT Luther Allen Hausenfluck Jr

CPT Luther Allen Hausenfluck Jr, b. 1 Apr 1914 - d. 21 Nov 1944, son of Luther Allen and Emma Florence (Rhodes) Hausenfluck. Born in Rockingham County, his father died about 1925 and Luther attended Harrisonburg HS. He worked his way through college and married twice and was survived by his mother and his wife, Frances M. CPT Hausenfluck was assigned to HQ Company 1st Battalion 116th Infantry at the time of his death. CPT Hausenfluck is buried in the Netherlands American Cemetery. 

PVT William Richard Simpson

PVT William Richard Simpson was born 10 Apr 1925 in Oneida, New York. He was the 2nd of 4 children born to George Edwin and Gladys Eva (McClellan) Simpson. His father worked in a furniture factory in Vernon, New York for many years. The family was living on Foster Street in 1940 which they rented for $14 a month. His father reported a 1939 income of $1200 or about $25000 in today's money. By 1943, William was working for Ledley Drug Company.

William was drafted in July 1943. he trained at Camp Croft, South Carolina before heading to Fort Meade, Maryland and shipping out for England. As you can see from the shoulder insignia he is wearing in the photograph, PVT Simpson was at one time assigned to the 17th Airborne Division. PVT Simpson was sent to England and on 13 or 20 Jun 1944 was transferred from the replacement depot to Headquarters and Headquarters Company 1st Battalion 116th Infantry. He was transferred to B Company 116th Infantry on 2 Oct 1944. He was wounded in action on 21 Oct 1944 and evacuated to hospital where he died of his wound(s) on 22 Oct 1944.

PVT Simpson was repatriated in 1947 and re-interred in Glenwood Cemetery in Oneida, New York.

William's brother, Donald Edwin Simpson, served as a a CPL in the Dutch East Indies.

SGT William Joseph Giroux

SGT William Joseph Giroux Was born 15 Aug 1914 in Chicago, Illinois to William Joseph and Mary C. (Grogan) Giroux.  His father died in 1923. In 1940, William was working as a clerk for a railroad and reported a 1939 income of $1600.

William entered the army in November 1942.  After training as a radio operator, William was sent to England and assigned to Headquarters Company 3rd Battalion 116th Infantry on 14 Jul 1944.  He was immediately reassigned that same day to Headquarters Company 1st Battalion 116th Infantry. He was a SSG at that time.  On 18 Aug 1944 he was reduced in rank to PVT and then promoted that same day to T4.  On 17 Sep 1944 William was promoted to SGT.  SGT Giroux was killed in action on 14 Oct 1944.

SGT Giroux was repatriated in 1947 and buried in the Calvary Cemetery in Evanston, Illinois.

TSGT James Bilinski

photo courtesy of MandyK

TSGT James Bilinski was born 16 Jan 1918 in Moravia, New York to Tomascz (or Thomas) and Mary (Taralo) Bilinski.  Both parents were Polish immigrants.  The family farmed.  In 1940, James was driving a truck for a saw mill. He reported an income of $505 for 1939.

James entered the service in June 1942.  He was eventually assigned to Headquarters Company 1st Battalion 116th Infantry and made the D-Day landing with that unit.  James was promoted from SSG to TSGT on 20 Jun 1944 serving as a Platoon Sergeant. On 18 Sep 1944 he was killed when a captured German pistol was accidentally discharged.  We are researching the details of this incident.

TSGT was repatriated in 1949 and is buried in Saint Joseph's Cemetery in Auburn, New York with other family members. 

CPT Wayland Clinton Hooks

courtesy of D. L. Melville

CPT Wayland Clinton Hooks was born 6 Jan 1922 in Maricopa County, Arizona to William Clinton and Edno O. (Smith) Hooks. His father was a salesman.  In 1940 both father and son were working as salesmen for Standard Oil Company and they reported a combined income of $3320.

Wayland volunteered for Army service in January 1942. Selected for officer training he was sent to England after graduating OCS and assigned to Headquarters Company 1st Battalion 116th Infantry where he was serving as Company Executive Officer on D-Day, 6 Jun 1944.  On that day he was ordered to assume duties as Battalion S-1 Officer. On 28 Jul 1944 he had a non-battle related injury and was sent to hospital.  He returned to the unit from the hospital on 31 Jul 1944. Wayland was promoted to CPT on 1 Aug 1944.  On 5 Aug 1944 he was again sent to hospital with a non-battle related injury but returned to be assigned as Commander C Company 116th Infantry on 11 Aug 1944. On 1 Sep 1944 he was wounded with shrapnel in the leg but remained on duty. On 3 Sep 1944, CPT Hooks was killed in action. CPT Hooks was awarded the Bronze Star medal

In 1949 CPT Hooks was repatriated and buried in the Mesa City Cemetery in Mesa, Arizona.

PFC John Frank Wojtach

PFC John Frank Wojtach was born in Cleveland, Ohio on 2 Dec 1918. He was the youngest of the 4 children born to Boleslaw and Michalina (Murawska) Wojtach. Both parents were natives of Poland having immigrated in 1904 and 1905 respectively. His father worked at American Steel and Wire in Cleveland as a wire drawer. Boleslaw died in 1926 and Michalina supported her family working in a garment factory. John's mother remarried in 1936. Step-father Anton Rutkowski was a Polish immigrant, combat veteran of WW1 and also worked at American Steel and Wire. John graduated from John Adams High School in Cleveland and worked as a time keeper for a play ground amusements company and for the Statler Hotel. 

John was drafted in May 1942 and after completing his basic military training was sent to England and assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company 1st Battalion 116th Infantry were he served as an anti-tank gun crewman. PFC Wojtach took part in the D-Day landing and fought with his unit until he was struck by fragments from an artillery shell and killed in action near Vire, France on 8 Aug 1944.

PFC Wojtach was repatriated in 1948 and re-interred in the Calvary Cemetery in Cleveland, Ohio.

PFC Frank Minnick

courtesy of Jan Robinson

PFC Frank Minnick was born 13 Feb 1908 in New Market, Virginia.  He was the 5th of 7 children born to Martin Christian and Melvina Virginia (Good) Minnick. His father worked at odd jobs, as farm labor and as a sawyer before dying of a paralyzing stroke in mid-January 1929. Before a year had passed Frank was sent to Pennsylvania to live with family there. By 1940 he had returned to Virginia working in Fairfax for W. S. Sisler.

Frank was drafted in May 1941. According to the system in place at the time he was most likely assigned to the 116th Infantry, then at Fort Meade, Maryland. Once there he was then assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company 1st Battalion 116th Infantry and eventually earned the MOS of transportation NCO. He went with the unit to Camp Blanding, Florida and then to England where he participated in training for the amphibious landing that would take place on Omaha Beach. He survived the landing and served until killed in action on 8 Aug 1944.

PFC Minnick was repatriated and was re-interred in Saint Matthews Cemetery in Winchester, Virginia.

Brother Herbert Leon Minnick served in France with the U.S. Army 1918-1919. PFC George William Minnick was killed in action on 22 Nov 1944 while assigned to F Company 411th Infantry.

T5 Corwin Cuatt Jr

T5 Corwin Cuatt Jr was born 14 Dec 1920 in Ithaca, New York to Corwin and Lena (Kent) Cuatt. His father farmed and he lived in Clyde, New York in 1940. Corwin married Ann Parker of Clyde.

In 1940, Corwin Jr. was already a PVT in the army stationed at Fort Ontario in Oswego, New York nd in Virginia before being shipped to Europe in late 1943. Assigned to Medical Detachment 116th Infantry and attached to Headquarters 1st Battalion 116th Infantry by the time of the Allied invasion of Europe, Corwin was wounded by shrapnel in the neck on 23 Jun 1944 but remained on duty. Corwin was relieved on attachment and returned to Medical Detachment on 1 Jul 1944.  On 29 Jul 1944 he was promoted from PVT to T5. On 7 Aug 1944, T5 Cuatt was shot and killed in action. 

T5 Cuatt is buried in the Brittany American Cemetery.

Cousin, PFC James W. Donka was killed in action the next day while also serving in France. 

2LT William E. Stuart

William as a CPL in 1940

2LT William E. Stuart was born in 1919 in Roanoke, Virginia. He was the youngest of 4 children born to George William and Carrie Elizabeth (Palmer) Stuart. His father worked as a truck driver and an upholsterer before dying in 1934 at the age of 49 of acute appendicitis. The family continued to live at 723 Patterson Avenue in Roanoke. Sister Stella supported the family working in a rayon mill and William worked as a service station attendant but the pair only earned a reported 1939 income of $912. This is likely why William enlisted in the National Guard serving in Headquarters and Headquarters Company 1st Battalion 116th Infantry. 

When the unit was called to federal duty in February 1941 William was already a CPL. He would have initially trained with the unit at Fort George Meade, Maryland, in the Carolina Maneuvers, and at Camp Blanding, Florida. He then shipped for England with the regiment aboard the Queen Mary in September 1942. Sometime during the training in England William was promoted to SSG. He made the landing on D-Day, 6 Jun 1944. SSG Stuart suffered a bullet wound in the right side on 30 Jul 1944 but remained on duty. SSG Stuart received a battlefield commission as 2LT on 28 Jul 1944 and continued to serve in the same unit but as the Battalion S-2 Officer. 2LT Stuart was killed in action near Vire, France on 5 Aug 1944.

2LT Stuart rests forever in the Brittany American Cemetery. 

Williams grandfather served in the Civil War. James William Palmer served as a PVT in C Company 45th Virginia Infantry (CSA), captured at Cloyd's Farm 9 May 1864 and interned at Camp Chase, Ohio.

CPL Lynn Brunson Bailey

CPL Lynn Brunson Bailey was born 26 Oct 1911 in Bloomington, Wisconsin.  He was the fith of the xis children of Lee Brunson and Isa May Bailey. His father farmed in Grant County, Wisconsin. Lynn was working as a salesman for a bakery in Madison, Wisconsin. He married Ann Thingstad in September 1941 and the couple welcomed a daughter in December 1942.

After he entered service he was trained as a medic and assigned to the 104th Medical Battalion and then to the Medical Detachment 116th Infantry on 3 Jul 1944.  He was attached to Headquarters 1st Battalion 116th Infantry at that time. He was relieved of attachment and returned to the Medical Detachment on 25 Jul 1944.  On 29 Jul 1944 Lynn was promoted to CPL.  CPL Bailey was killed in action on 3 Aug 1944.

CPL Bailey is buried in the Brittany American Cemetery.  Ann did not remarry until 1949. 

LTC John Alfred Metcalfe III

as a West Point cadet

LTC John Alfred Metcalfe III was born 14 Oct 1914 in Montgomery, Alabama. He was the oldest of 2 sons born to John Alfred and May Swindell (Tallman) Metcalfe. John Sr. worked as an certified public accountant in Birmingham, Alabama. They attended Southside Baptist Church. John Sr. died in 1933. Young John attended first Philips High School and then was selected for the United States Military Academy (USMA) at West Point, New York.

2LT Metcalfe graduated in the USMA class of 1935. He married Rosa William Pitts on 18 May 1937. His mother and brother would live with John's new family. John reported a 1939 income of $2100. He was first posted to Fort McPherson, Georgia and then to Schofield Barracks in Hawaii. His first overseas duty of the war was in Iceland. He was sent to England where he commanded 1st Battalion 116th Infantry and was instrumental in training the unit for the amphibious assault that was key to the invasion of Hitler's "fortress Europe". LTC Metcalfe landed with his unit on 6 Jun 1944. In that effort, he led his unit to relieve the Rangers at Point du Hoc. LTC Metcalfe was wounded on 29 Jun 1944. The morning report shows him as dying on 2 Jul 1944 but he is officially recorded as having died of his wound(s) on 15 Jul 1944.  

LTC Metcalfe was awarded the Bronze Star. The citation follows:

For meritorious achievement against the enemy in Normandy, France. On June 9, 1944, elements of the First Battalion were pinned down by enemy mortar and machine-gun fire. Utterly disregarding his own safety, Lt. Col. Metcalfe moved forward in the face of intense fire to direct his men in engaging the foe. Lt. Col. Metcalfe’s initiative, courage and devotion to duty inspired the troops and were largely responsible for the success of his organization in seizing its objective, reflecting great credit upon himself and the military service.

LTC Metcalfe was buried Cambridge American Cemetery.

His father was a veteran of WWI. His grandfather, John Alfred Metcalfe, served in F Company 7th Alabama Cavalry (CSA) in the Civil War. 

Link(s):
- West Point Academy Alumni Memorial