PVT Stephen Rigo

PVT Stephen Rigo was born 5 Jan 1918 in Cleveland, Ohio. He was the youngest of the 7 children of Michael and Bertha (Korba) Rigo. His father worked as a repairman and in a steel mill. In 1940 they were living at 4520 Jewett Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio. While Stephen was noted as a "new worker" on the 1940 census, he was working as an electrician by 1942.

Stephen was drafted in September 1942 but apparently didn't arrive in the European theater before May or June 1944. PVT Rigo was transferred from the replacement depot to I Company 116th Infantry on 20 Jul 1944. He was killed in action on 2 Aug 1944 as the unit moved towards Vire, France.

PVT Rigo is buried at the Normandy American Cemetery.

PFC George Paul Conway

PFC George Paul Conway, b. 14 Sep 1922 - d. 2 Aug 1944. Son of Charles George and Mary Elizabeth (Foy) Conway of Roanoke, VA and husband of Mary Katherine Waldis of Princeton, WV. PFC Conway was serving with Anti-tank Company 116th Infantry when he was killed. He is buried in the Normandy American Cemetery.

PFC James Francis Sheehan

courtesy of Frogman

PFC James Francis Sheehan was born 4 Feb 1923 in County Cavan, Ireland. He was the 4th of the 6 children of Edward P.  and Margaret (McGovern) Sheehan. Just 5-months after his birth his family emigrated to the U.S. and settled in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts. His father worked as a hired hand on a farm and was later able to purchase a home at 54 School Street in Shrewsbury. The house was valued at $2000 in 1940. Members of the family lived there and elsewhere along School Street for many years.

James was drafted in January 1943 and went from Fort Devens, Massachusetts to Camp Croft, South Carolina for training. It was at Camp Croft that PVT Sheehan chose to become a naturalized citizen of the U.S. on 3 Apr 1943. After his training was completed, PVT Sheehan was sent to England and assigned to M Company 116th Infantry. He trained with the unit for and participated in the amphibious assault on the Normandy Beaches and fought with the unit through the bocage, Saint-Lo and to the outskirts of Vire, France. It was there that he was killed in action on 2 Aug 1944.

PFC Sheehan rests with many other soldiers from the 116th in the Normandy American Cemetery.

Younger brother, Edward P. Sheehan Jr, served in the U.S. Army, 1943-1945.

PVT Billie Robert Springer

courtesy of Frogman

PVT Billie Robert Springer was born 10 May 1919 in Missoula, Montana. He was the only child of Clayton Harry and Clara Luella (Caston) Springer. His parents divorced in 1930 and his mother re-married. His father worked for local farmers. Billie moved to California and found work as a cook.

Billie voluntarily enlisted in December 1941. He married Omar Beatrice Chenault in August 1942 in Corinth, Mississippi. PVT Springer was sent to the European theater and transferred from the replacement depot to C Company 116th Infantry on 17 Jul 1944. He then served with C Company as a rifleman until he was shot and killed in action on 1 Aug 1944.

PVT Springer is buried in the Normandy American Cemetery.

Omar never remarried and the couple never had children. Maternal half-great uncle, William Henry Bair, served in H Company 116th Infantry in WWI. 3 of Billie's great-grandfathers served in the US Army during the Civil  War. Jacob S. Ohl served as a PVT in D Battery 1st Ohio Light Artillery (USA), Hiram Caston, served as a PVT in E Company, 42nd Illinois Infantry (USA) and James William Springer served as a PVT in F Company 152nd Indiana Infantry.

Billie's father created a rather unique memorial to his son. As early as 1945 he deeded 160 "timbered" acres to VFW post 1430 to create the Billie Springer Memorial Park near Sula, Montana. While the conditions for occupation have changed slightly over the years, the park exists for the benefit of U.S. veterans.

PFC William Howard Byers

PFC William Howard Byers was born 29 Apr 1916 in Hurt, Virginia to John Garfield and Mollie Ann (Wade) Byers.  The third child of his father and his first wife, William had a total of 7 siblings.  His father was from North Carolina and worked as a carpenter in the District of Columbia as did William..  His mother died in 1933.  His brother, George Harden Byers, also served in the Army during the war.

PFC Byers was assigned to L Company 116th Infantry on D-Day and apparently wounded on 22 Jun 1944.  He went to hospital, was dropped from the rolls and then returned to the unit on 25 Jul 1944.  William was promoted to PFC on 26 Jul 1944.  He was killed in action on 31 Jul 1944.  PFC Byers rests forever in the Normandy American Cemetery. 

1LT Stephen Beskid

courtesy of Bessie Savery

1LT Stephen Beskid was born 6 Feb 1917 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to John and Mary (Feckso) Beskid.  His father worked for the railroad.

Stephen entered the service in March 1942.  On 5 Aug 1943 he married Dorothy Virginia Graff in Little Rock, Arkansas.  Sometime after that he was sent overseas and on 6 Jul 1944 he was assigned from the replacement depot to H Company 116th Infantry as a platoon leader.  1LT Beskid was killed in action on 30 Jul 1944.

1LT Beskid is buried in the Normandy American Cemetery.  Dorothy remarried in 1946.  They had no children.

Stephen had one brother, Thomas Beskid, who served in the U.S. Army during the war attaining the rank of PFC.  

SSG Anthony Joseph Mucciarone Jr.

SSG Anthony Joseph Mucciarone Jr. was born in Franklin, Massachusetts on 27 Jul 1924. He was the eldest of 4 children born to Anthony Joseph and Vera (Benedetto) Mucciarone. His father worked in a rug factory and later as a spinner in a yarn factory but by 1942 was unemployed. He reported a 1939 income of $790 and rented the family dwelling for $20 a month. This low income is probably one reason that the younger Anthony didn't complete high school and also went to work at a local textile plant.

Anthony was drafted in August 1943. Sent to England he was assigned to  G Company 116th Infantry prior to the amphibious assault at Omaha Beach on 6 Jun 1944. PVT Mucciarone was promoted to SGT on 20 Jun 1944. He was promoted again, this time to SSG, on 25 Jul 1944. SSG Mucciarone was killed in action on 30 Jul 1944.

SSG Mucciarone is buried in the Normandy American Cemetery.

PVT Aldie Justice Jr.

courtesy of Bessie Savery

PVT Aldie Justice Jr was born in 1919 in McDowell County, West Virginia.  He was working as a miner when he was drafted in January 1941. We don't know what happened in the interim but on 13 Jul 1944 PVT Justice was transferred from the replacement depot to E Company 116th Infantry.  Aldie was a non-battle casualty the very next day (14 Jul 1944) and evacuated to hospital. Aldie returned to his unit from the hospital on 26 Jul 1944.  PVT Justice was killed in action on 30 Jul 1944.

PVT Justice is buried in the Normandy American Cemetery. 

PFC Donald George Seeley

courtesy of Barent Parslow

PFC Donald George Seeley was born 14 Sep 1923 in Conneautville, Pennsylvania. He was the eldest of the 2 sons of George William and Elsie K. (Reitze) Seeley. The family had been in Crawford county, Pennsylvania for quite a while. Don's father was a clerk and later a manager in a grocery. He was successful enough that he bought a house on Center Street in Conneautville valued at $4000 in 1940. Donald graduated from Conneautville High School in 1941 where he was the basketball team manager. He then attended Pennsylvania State College completing a course in dairy manufacture.

Don was drafted in May 1943. He was sent to Camp Shelby, Mississippi where he was trained on light machineguns. He was sent to England on 1 Jun 1944 and about a month later was sent to France. PFC Seeley was transferred from the replacement depot to G Company 116th Infantry on 23 Jul 1944. He was killed in action on 30 Jul 1944.

PFC Seeley is buried in the Normandy American Cemetery.

Don's younger brother, Paul Ellsworth Seeley, served as a SGT in the U.S. Marine Corps in the South Pacific where he maintained aircraft radios. Don's father served as a CPL in the U.S. Army during the first World War.

PVT Lloyd Thomas Nugent

PVT Lloyd Thomas Nugent was born 27 Apr 1925 in Long Beach, California. He was the first born of 3 chldren and only son of Joseph John and Esther Mae (Boyd) Nugent. His father supported the family at various jobs including as a pipe-fitter for an oil refinery. His parents had separated by 1940 and he lived with his mother and sisters at 5629 Lewis Street in Long Beach which his mother owned and was valued at $1000. At that time his mother was supporting her daughters as a housekeeper reporting $288 income for 1939. Lloyd registered for the draft in April 1943 and was working for Kaighin and Hughes at that time.

Lloyd was drafted in July 1943. After completing basic combat training he was sent to England and assigned to E Company 116th Infantry in time to participate in the amphibious assault on the beaches of occupied France on 6 Jun 1944. PVT Nugent was wounded on 15 Jun 1944 and evacuated to hospital. He returned to the unit on 22 Jun 1944. On 18 Jul 1944 he was again evacuated to hospital having suffered a non-battle injury. He returned to the unit again on 22 Jul 1944. PVT Nugent was killed in action on 30 Jul 1944.

PVT Nugent now rests forever in the Normandy American Cemetery.

Great-grandfather James Nugent served in D Company 6th Louisiana Infantry (CSA) in the Civil War. Great-grandfather Mathias Markley served as a PVT in D Company 7th West Virginia Infantry (USA) in the Civil War.

CPL James Edward Clark Jr

courtesy of Bessie Savery

CPL James Edward Clark Jr was born abt 1925 in Detroit, Michigan to James Edward and Beatrice Sarah (Huff) Clark. His father was an electrical engineer who had a 1939 reported income of $3000.  James attended Southeastern High School.

After entering the service James was sent overseas.  James was already a CPL when he was transferred from the replacement depot to B Company 116th Infantry on 13 Jun 1944. He was again transferred from B to A Company 116th Infantry on 15 Jun 1944, likely to help in replacing the many men that unit lost on 6 Jun 1944 in the D-Day landings.  On 30 Jul 1944 he was seriously wounded and evacuated to a hospital.  CPL Clark died of his wounds on that same day.

CPL Clark is buried in the Normandy American Cemetery. 

PVT George M. Langford

courtesy of Frogman

PVT George M. Langford was born 7 Jun 1922 in Liberty, Kentucky to Isaac Thomas and Florence Emma (Hughett) Langford.  The family farmed. George married a local girl, Jewell Eugenia Allen.

George was drafted in September 1943.  After his training he was sent to Europe and transferred from the replacement depot to E Company 116th Infantry on 19 Jun 1944. PVT Langford was killed in action on 30 Jul 1944.

PVT Langford is buried in the Normandy American Cemetery. Jewell re-married after the war.

PVT Albert A. Osier

courtesy of Mike & Bushy Hartman

PVT Albert A. Osier was born about 1912 in Ontario, Canada. He was the son of Frank Joseph and Sarah (Lannin) Osier. About the time he turned 18, Albert moved to Detroit and got a job as a clerk. He married Pearl Marie Goring on 19 Jul 1941.

 Albert was drafted. After his initial military training he was sent to England and assigned to B Company 116th Infantry. He trained with that unit for and participated in the amphibious assault on occupied French soil at Omaha Beach on 6 Jun 1944. PVT Osier was wounded and evacuated to hospital about 18 Jun 1944. He returned to the unit on 17 Jul 1944. PVT Osier was killed in action on 29 Jul 1944.

PVT Osier is buried in the Normandy American Cemetery. 

Pearl never remarried and she passed away in 2010.

PVT Herbert Frederick Chinn

PVT Herbert Frederick Chinn, b. 10 Sep 1912 - d. 28 Jul 1944. Son of John Frederick and Annie R (Shifflett) Chinn in Beltsville, MD. He married Pauline Bessie Collins in 1933 and worked as a jockey before being drafted in 1943. He was assigned to A Company 116th Infantry 28 Jun 1944, sick and to the hospital on 21 Jul 1944 and returned to his unit to be KIA. He is buried in the Normandy American Cemetery.

PFC Ernest Milton Dodd

courtesy of Dominque Potier

PFC Ernest Milton Dodd was born 22 Apr 1923 in Farmerville, Louisiana. He was the first born of 10 children of Earl L. and Birdie B. (Patrick) Dodd. His father farmed cotton on rented land. Ernest didn't continue his education past the 5th grade and went to work helping his father farm. 

After Ernest was drafted in late 1943 and completed his basic military training he was sent to the European theater, probably arriving in England in June 1944. PFC Dodd was transferred from the replacement depot to C Company 116th Infantry on 10 Jul 1944 while the unit was engaged in the fight for Saint-Lo, France. He continued to fight with the unit until wounded on 16 Jul 1944 as the unit moved towards Vire, France. Although he was evacuated to a field hospital and treated, PFC Dodd died of his wound(s) on 21 Jul 1944. 

PFC Dodd rests forever in the Normandy American Cemetery.

2LT Chester Sylvester Cabaj

2LT Chester Sylvester Cabaj was born 8 Jun 1915 in Dunkirk, New York to Stanislaus and Jozefa/Josephine (Sczesniak) Cabaj.  Both his parents were Polish immigrants.  Stanislaus worked as a locomotive mechanic and the family moved quite a bit, living in Michigan and Pennsylvania before living in Dunkirk when Chester was born. Jozefa died in March 1923 at the age of 37.  In 1940, Chester was working as a shipping clerk at the Allegheny Ludium steel plant with a reported income of $1300 in 1939.

Chester was drafted in Jan 1941.  He must have exhibited good leadership qualities to have been selected for Officer Candidate School.  After commissioning in April 1943 he was first sent to Camp Walters in Texas before going to Hawaii and the Aleutian Islands.  2LT Cabaj was departed the U.S. for  England on 10 Jun 1944. He was assigned to L Company 116th Infantry from the replacement depot on 17 Jul 1944 to serve as a Platoon Leader.  He was killed in action 3 days later on 20 Jul 1944.

2LT Cabaj is buried in the Normandy American Cemetery. 

PVT Jesse James Bledsoe

PVT Jesse James Bledsoe was born 3 Jun 1922 in Rogersville, Tennessee to Mack D and Liza (Deskins) Bledsoe. His father farmed.  In 1940, Jesse was at the State Training and Agriculture School for Boys. 

Jesse was drafted in June 1941.  Assigned to Headquarters 3rd Battalion 116th Infantry from the replacement depot on 19 Jun 1944, PVT Bledsoe was probably serving as a runner/messenger for his battalion.  Wounded on 19 Jul 1944 and evacuated to the hospital, he died of his wounds on 20 Jul 1944.

PVT Bledsoe is buried in the Normandy American Cemetery. 

PVT Walter Koliga

PVT Walter Koliga was born 26 Jan 1910 in Breslau, Pennsylvania one of six children of Frank and Fanny (Maciako) Koliga.  Both of his parents were natives of Poland.  Three of his siblings would die of pulmonary tuberculosis before they were 32 years old. Frank worked in a steel mill but by 1930 was dependent on his sons including Walter who, in their turn, worked in the steel mill.  However, the family owned their home which was valued a $6000 in 1930. By 1940, Walter was still living at home supporting his parents but was now working in a coal mine. The family home was now valued at $1000.

Walter married Leona Katilus on 13 May 1940.  They would have one daughter. Frank died 1 Mar 1942 of an apparent heart attack.

Walter was drafted in April 1943. He was again working in a mill at that time. After his initial training he was sent to England and assigned to B Company 116th Infantry. He trained with that unit for and participated in the amphibious assault that took place on 6 Jun 1944.  PVT Koliga fought with that unit through to Saint Lo and was killed in action on 19 Jul 1944. 

PVT Koliga is buried in the Normandy American Cemetery.  His brother, Michael, served in the U.S. Army (G Company 31st Infantry) from 1932-1934 and died of pulmonary tuberculosis in 1943. His youngest brother, Alexander James Koliga attained the rank of TSGT, serving in the Army from 1940 to 1945. Leona apparently never re-married and died in 1986.  Their daughter married and had a child. 

PFC Frederick Joseph Graf

PFC Frederick Joseph Graf was born 28 Oct 1922 in Kenilworth, New Jersey.  His parents were John Frederick and Mary (Wolf) Graf.

We know that he enlisted (was not drafted) in April 1941 originally to enter the Army Air Corps.  At some point in time before D-Day he was assigned to L Company 116th Infantry and was among those who landed on 6 June.  On 19 Jun 1944 he was killed in action.

PFC Graf is buried in the Normandy American Cemetery. 

PFC Fernand Joseph Raymond

courtesy of Frogman

PFC Fernand Joseph Raymond was born 17 Jul 1917 in New Orleans, Louisiana. He was the 6th of the 10 children born to Arthur Peter and Alice C. (Biri) Raymond. The Raymond family had been in the New Orleans area since before the War of 1812. His father worked for decades operating a pawn shop which became a finance office making loans. In 1940 Fernand was working as a sales clerk. His family was fairly well-to-do as his father reported a 1939 income of $3600 and declared the family home, at 2510 Dumaine in New Orleans, as valued at $6000. In October 1941 Fernand married Marie Louise Heider. The couple would have a daughter in December 1942.

Fernand was probably drafted in late 1942 or early 1943. After his basic military training he was sent to England and assigned to L Company 116th Infantry. He trained for and was with the unit in the amphibious assault on Omaha Beach on the coast of Normandy on 6 Jun 1944. PVT Raymond was promoted to PFC on 20 Jun 1944. He fought with the unit until killed in action on 19 Jul 1944.

PFC Raymond rests forever in the Normandy American Cemetery.

Great, great-grandfather, Charles Raymond fought under GEN Andrew Jackson in defense of New Orleans in the War of 1812. Great-grandfather Charles Paul Pierre Raymond was a PVT in B Company 23rd Louisiana Infantry in the Civil War.