SSG Erskin Parnell Harris

SSG Erskine Parnell Harris was born in 1924 in Belleville, Arkansas to Erskine and Mary Verda (Marberry) Harris. The family farmed.

When drafted in September 1943, Erskine was working as a farmer.  After the initial training every new soldier received, Erskine was sent to Europe.  On 22 Jun 1944 PVT Harris was transferred from the replacement depot to C Company 116th Infantry.  His record on the morning report is a bit confused but it appears that Erskine was wounded on 6 Jul 1944 and evacuated to hospital.  He was promoted to SGT on 25 Jul 1944 but, still being in the hospital, was dropped from the rolls on 31 Jul 1944.  Wherever he was, Erskine was again promoted, this time to SSG, on 18 Aug 1944.  He may have been wounded again because he returned to the unit from the hospital on 23 Sep 1944.  SSG Harris was killed in action on 14 Oct 1944.

SSG Harris is buried in the Netherlands American Cemetery.

PFC James Edgar Watkins

courtesy of Frances Chambers

PFC James Edgar Watkins was born 26 Sep 1909 in Cobb County, Georgia. he was the 9th of 10 children born to Sherman Lane and Mary Louella (Stephens) Watkins. His father farmed before moving the family to Marietta, Georgia to work but James' eldest brother Fred had to support the family by working as a laborer. By 1939 it was James that was supporting the family that consisted of his parents, himself his younger sister and an older sister's daughter. Working as a meat cutter in a local grocery, the Big Star Super Market he reportedly earned $389 in 1939. 

James was drafted in November 1942 and began his training at Fort McPherson, Georgia. PFC Watkins served in the 287th Regiment, 100th Infantry Division before he was transferred from the replacement depot to C Company 116th Infantry on 8 Sep 1944. He fought with the unit as a rifleman until killed in action on 14 Oct 1944.

PFC Watkins was not repatriated until 1952 and was re-interred in Mountain View Cemetery in Marietta, Georgia.  

James' oldest brother, Thomas Clarence Watkins, served as a F3c aboard the USS Foote (DD-169) during WW1.

PVT Ernest Matthew Thomas

PVT Ernest Matthew Thomas was born 4 Nov 1921 in Queen Shoals, West Virginia. He was the first of the 4 children that would be born to James Howard and Austella (Shamblin) Thomas. His father supported his family as a coal miner. Ernest's mother died in 1937 at the age of 40. His father would not remarry until 1941 but Mary Percy, aged 27, was living with the family in 1940 and she might have been helping with Ernest's younger siblings. Ernest moved to Leevale, West Virginia but was unemployed in 1942 when he applied for the draft. It was while he was living in Fayette County that he met and married Lilla Ethel Morton in 1942.

Ernest was drafted in November 1943. After his basic military training he was sent to the European theater and, on 9 Aug 1944, was transferred from the replacement depot to E Company 116th Infantry. He would then fight with the unit in the campaign to take Brest and surviving that he was with the unit as it moved through the Netherlands into Germany. PVT Thomas was killed in action on 14 Oct 1944. 

PVT Thomas was repatriated in 1950 and was re-interred in Montgomery Memorial Park in London, West Virginia.

PFC Philip R. Covert

PFC Philip R Covert, b.6 Sep 1923 - d. 14 Oct 1944. Son of Ray Heath and Nellie (Beukema) Covert of Lowell, Michigan. He was assigned to E Company and then C Company 116th Infantry. PFC Covert rests in the Netherlands American Cemetery.

PVT Marvin Roy Hart

PVT Marvin Roy Hart, b. 22 Sep 1922 - d. 14 Oct 1944. Son of John N and L Ruby (Couchman) Hart of Wayne County, Iowa. Entered service Sep 1943 and was ultimately assigned to C Company 116th Infantry. He rests forever in Shriver Cemetery, Wayne County, Iowa.

PFC Horace Orville Lee

courtesy of Des Philippet

PFC Horace Orville Lee was born 23 Feb 1924 in Hancock County, Mississippi the next to last of fourteen children of Daniel Francis and Sarah Angeline (Mitchell) Lee.  The family farmed.

Horace was drafted in May 1943 at which time he was still working as a farm hand.  After basic training he was sent to Europe and transferred from the replacement depot to E Company 116th Infantry on 13 Jun 1944. On 11 Jul 1944, PVT Lee was wounded and evacuated to hospital. We don't know when he was returned to the unit but he was again with E Company, now a PFC, when he was killed in action on 14 Oct 1944.

PFC Lee was buried in the Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery.

Older brother, Elvin Ora Lee, served in the Army from 1942 to 1945.

PVT Robert Green Knupp Jr.

PVT Robert Green Knupp Jr. was born 26 Jun 1920 in Timberville, Virginia to Robert Green and Sallie Beatrice (Coffelt) Knupp. The senior Robert was a plasterer who reported a 1939 income of $380.  The son followed in his father's footsteps and was also working as a plasterer in 1940 and reported a 1939 income of $308.

Robert entered the service relatively late in the war in January 1944. He was sent to Europe after his basic/initial training and was transferred from the replacement depot to E Company 116th Infantry on 9 Aug 1944.  PVT Knupp was evacuated to the hospital on 2 Sep 1944 as a non-battle casualty meaning that he was injured in some way other than combat.  He returned to the unit on 13 Sep 1944 and on 17 Sep 1944 was again transferred, this time to C Company 116th Infantry.  PVT Knupp was killed in action on 14 Oct 1944.

PVT Knupp was repatriated in 1948 and now rests forever in Saint Paul's Lutheran Church Cemetery in Timberville, Virginia.

Great-grandfather, Ambrose Knupp, served as a PVT in K Company 58th Militia Infantry Regiment during the Civil War. Brother, Gerald Pasco Knupp, served in the Army from 1945 to 1947.

PVT Peter Joseph Shapella

PVT Peter Joseph Shapella was born on 24 Jun 1908 in Middleport, Pennsylvania. He was the 7th of the 11 children born to John George and Ellen (Kovach) Shapella. Their first-born, a daughter, had died in 1897 at the age of 3-years. Both parents were natives of Slovakia which was then a part of the Austrian Empire and John Shapella worked as a coal miner. Peter's education did not progress past the 8th grade and he went to as a miner, working at the Kaska Colliery when he was drafted. He married Catherine Mary Paltanavage on 12 Nov 1934. The couple would have 2 daughters, Catherine Mary in May 1935 and Barbara Jean in August 1943.

Peter was drafted in January 1944 and in-processed at the New Cumberland induction center. He then went to Camp Pickett, Virginia and Fort George Meade, Maryland for his basic military training. He was sent overseas in August 1944 and transferred from the replacement depot to E Company 116th Infantry soon after. It is likely he was with the unit in the fight for Brest. PVT Shapella was struck by artillery shell fragments and killed in action near Wurselen, Germany on 14 Oct 1944. 

PVT Shapella was repatriated in 1947 and re-interred in the Gettysburg National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. 

Several of Peter's brothers also served during WW2. Andrew Leo Shapella served as a PFC in the US Army. George Thomas Shapella served from 1942-1945 in the Army.

PFC Harman Francis Vaughn

courtesy of Kris

PFC Harman Francis Vaughn was born 25 Jan 1913 in Fancy Gap, Virginia. He was the 4th of 9 children born to Washington and Donie Bell (Jones) Vaughn. The family farmed on land that they owned off what is now CR 782 in Carroll County, Virginia. Harman's education didn't go further than grammar school and after that he went to work farming for or with his father. 

Harman was drafted in May 1941. He was likely sent to Fort George Meade, Maryland where he was assigned to H Company 116th Infantry. With that unit he would have trained at Fort Bragg, North Carolina and Camp Blanding, Florida before being sent to England in September 1942. Training continued there as the entire 29th Infantry Division prepared for the amphibious landing that was planned to be an element in the liberation of Nazi occupied France. His father contracted pneumonia and died in December 1942 at the age of 58. PFC Vaughn took part in that amphibious assault and fought with his unit all through France and into Germany. PFC Vaughn was struck by fragments from enemy artillery fire and killed in action on 14 Oct 1944 near Würselen, Germany.

PFC Vaughn was repatriated in 1947 and re-interred in the Oak Ridge Baptist Church Cemetery in Cana, Virginia.

PVT Thurman A. Johnson

courtesy of Des Philippet

PVT Thurman A. Johnson was born in 1914 in Valley View, Texas one of five sons of robert Harvey and Rena (Hudson) Johnson. 

Drafted in August 1943 and sent to Europe, Thurman was transferred to C Company 116th Infantry from the replacement depot on 22 Jun 1944.  PVT Johnson was wounded on 29 Jun 1944 and evacuated to hospital.  He returned to the unit from the replacement depot on 12 Aug 1944.  PVT Johnson was killed in action on 14 Oct 1944. 

PVT Johnson is buried in the Netherlands American Cemetery.  His brother Garland served in the Army 1943-1945, brother C. E. also served in the Army and brother Robert also served during the war. 

T5 William Howard Campbell

T5 William Howard Campbell was born 30 Nov 1917 in Lansing, Ohio to John Joseph and Alice Ida May (Goines) Campbell.  William's father was a machinist and a car inspector for a railroad.  In 1940 the family was living in McAllen, Texas and William was working as a sales clerk in a grocery and had a 1939 income of $600.

William entered the service in April 1942.  After training as a medic he was sent overseas.  Sometime prior to the D-Day landings he was assigned to Medical Detachment 116th Infantry and attached to C Company 116th Infantry. While in England he apparently met and married a Miss Larman and they had one daughter.

Pfc. Cecil F. Randolph was hit in the leg by a machine gun bullet and went down in the water. Later a medic returned and pulled him up under a tank. The medic, T/5 William H. Campbell, was under fire during this act and was later awarded a silver star for his bravery.

 He was wounded on 1 Jul 1944 and evacuated to the hospital.  He must have been returned to duty with Headquarters 29th Infantry Division because on 7 Aug 1944 he was transferred from there back to the Medical Detachment. On 18 Aug 1944 William was promoted to T5.  T5 Campbell was killed in action on 13 Oct 1944.

T5 Campbell was repatriated in 1948 and buried in Laurel Cemetery in Mission, Texas.  His wife remarried. 

CPT Edward Joseph Mahaney

CPT Edward Joseph Mahaney  was born 27 Apr 1914 in Greece, New York.  He was the only son and eldest of 3 children born to Edward D. and Mary E. (Cauley) Mahaney.  His father was an engineer on the New York Central Railroad.

Edward enlisted for 3 years in E Company 108th Infantry on 20 May 1940. The unit was federalized on 8 Oct 1940. He was discharged on 8 Jun 1942 to be commissioned as a 2LT in the U.S. Army. He attended military training on several posts during WWII one of which was Fort Carson outside of Colorado Springs, Colorado where he met and married Marian Celesta Conroy, a welfare worker in that city. CPT Mahaney was sent overseas and on 9 Sep 1944 was transferred from the replacement depot to F Company 116th Infantry as the Company Commander. CPT Mahaney was killed in action on 13 Oct 1944.

CPT Mahaney was repatriated in 1947 and re-interred in the Our Lady of Sorrows Cemetery in Greece, New York.

Edward and Marian had no children and Marian remarried in 1948.

PVT Arthur Colvin Beeman

PVT Arthur Colvin Beeman was born 25 Jul 1912 in Pueblo, Colorado to Arthur and Helen Myrtle (Colvin) Beeman.  His father had farmed, worked with his father as a blacksmith, a carpenter and various other things as the family drifted across the country, from Colorado to Kansas to California. 

Arthur married Hattie May Pierson about 1935 and they had a daughter on 24 Dec 1936.  When he was drafted in December 1943, Arthur was working as a policeman in Sonoma, California.  On 22 Jul 1944 he was assigned from the replacement depot to E Company 116th Infantry.  On 31 Jul 1944, Arthur was wounded and evacuated to the hospital.  On 20 Sep 1944 he was returned to E Company and then on 22 Sep 1944 reassigned to F Company 116th Infantry.  He was with that unit on 13 Oct 1944 when he was killed in action. 

PVT Beeman is buried in the Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery.  Hattie remarried before 1948.  Their daughter is still living. 

PFC Orvil B Coy

PFC Orvil B. Coy was born 23 Dec 1920 in Oregon to Oren Blaine and Hattie Ann (Lane).  Oren was a lumberman and worked in a sawmill to support the family.  Orvil also worked in a sawmill.

In July 1942 Orvil was drafted.  We don't know where Orvil was until we find that he was assigned from the replacement depot to A Company 116th Infantry on 9 Sep 1944.  He was promoted to PFC on 21 Sep 1944.  PFC Coy was killed in action on 13 Oct 1944.

Orvil is buried in the Masonic Cemetery in Coquille, Oregon. 

PVT Harold Rex Fortney

PVT Harold Rex Fortney was born 4 Jun 1916 in New Sharon, Iowa to John Harrison "Henry" and Bessie Grace (Jenkins) Fortney.  Harold had 9 siblings one of whom died at birth. "Henry" was a blacksmith who sometimes worked for "the railroad".  Harold's grandfather, Henry M. Fortney, served as a Corporal in A Company 118th Illinois Infantry during the Civil War after which he migrated to Iowa.

On 25 Jun 1939, Harold married Margaret Bolsem, in 1940 he was working for the railroad and she was a clerk in a grocery.  Together, they had an income of $960 in 1939.  Harold was drafted in March 1944.

On 10 Oct 1944 PVT Fortney was assigned from the replacement depot to A Company 116th Infantry.  On 13 Oct 1944 he was killed in action near Aachen, Germany.  He is buried in the Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery and there is a centotaph in Forest Cemetery in Oskaloosa, Iowa.

Margaret remarried after the war.  So far as we can determine they had no children.

PVT WIlliam Kelley Mathis

courtesy of Des Philipett

PVT William Kelley Mathis was born 7 Jan 1923 in Sheridan, Arkansas.  He was the 6th of 8 children born to George Alby and Ada Dio (Taylor) Mathis.  Before he died in 1929, George farmed and the family continued to support themselves by farming after his death.

William was drafted in July 1943. He left the farm, attended basic training and was shipped to the European theater. He was apparently assigned to C Company prior to the D-Day landings, probably about January 1944. He fought with the unit through to 1 Jul 1944 when he was wounded and evacuated to hospital.  He returned to the unit via the replacement depot on 19 Sep 1944. PVT Mathis was killed in action near Alsdorf, Germany on 13 Oct 1944.

PVT Mathis rests forever in the Netherlands American Cemetery.

PVT Robert Charles Higgins

PVT Robert Charles Higgins was born in Davenport, Iowa on 31 Mar 1925. He was the 2nd of 5 children born to Charles Matthew and Elma Edith (Stoker) Higgins. His father owned his own garage and reported his 1939 income as $5000 so the family was well off even during the depression. Robert was working for his father when he registered for the draft but only completed 3 years of high school.

/Robert was drafted in September 1943 and after his 5-months of basic military training was sent tothe European theater. PVT Higgins was assigned to C Company 116th Infantry from the replacement depot on 22 Jun 1944. On 5 Aug 1944 Robert was a Non-Battle Casualty and evacuated to hospital.  He did not return to the unit from the hospital until 23 Sep 1944. PVT Higgins was killed in action on 13 Oct 1944. 
 

PVT Higgins was repatriated and now rests forever in the Mount Calvary Catholic Cemetery in Davenport, Iowa.

PFC Charles Joseph Korpics

courtesy of Des Philippet

PFC Charles Joseph Korpics was born 18 Oct 1915 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania to Frank Joseph and Anna (Horvath) Korpics. His parents were natives of Hungary.  His father ran a grocery. Charles was managing a restaurant in 1940 and reported a 1939 income of $450. Charles was working at Bethlehem Steel by 1943.

Charles was drafted in October 1943.  After his initial training he was sent to Europe and transferred from the replacement depot to F Company 116th Infantry on 22 Jun 1944.  PVT Korpics was promoted to PFC on 15 Aug 1944. PFC Korpics was wounded on 13 Oct 1944 and evacuated to hospital where he died of his wound(s) that same day. 

PFC Korpics is buried in the Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery. Brothers, Daniel, William and Louis all served in the Navy during the war.

PVT David M. Schneiderman

courtesy of Des Philippet

PVT David M. Schneiderman was the son of Harry Schneiderman and we believe that he was born 11 Jun 1918 in Brooklyn, New York. We do not know anything of his family but that his father lived at 309 East 3rd Street in Brooklyn for at least 1-year (1945-1946).

David was probably drafted in late 1943 or early 1944. After his basic training he was sent to the European theater. PVT Schneiderman was transferred from the replacement depot to C Company 116th Infantry on 5 Jul 1944. He was wounded the very next day, 6 Jul 1944, and evacuated to hospital. He was returned to the unit from the replacement depot on 9 Sep 1944 and participated in the fight to liberate Brest, France. PVT Schneiderman was killed in action near Aachen, Germany on 13 Oct 1944.

PVT Schneiderman rests forever in the Henri-Chappelle American Cemetery.

PVT Walter A. Dunajski

PVT Walter A Dunajski was born 10 Dec 1921 in Portage, Indiana first child of Joseph and Genevieve (Piotrowski) Denajski.  Both of his parents were Polish immigrants.  In 1940 his father was working in a steel mill as a "motor operator" and his income in 1939 was reportedly $1200.  Joseph died in 1942.

Walter entered service in December 1943.  After his training he was sent overseas and on 5 Sep 1944 he was transferred from the replacement depot to C Company 116th Infantry.  PVT Dunajski was killed in action on 13 Oct 1944.

PVT Dunajski was repatriated in 1948 and buried in Calvary Cemetery in Portage, Indiana.

SGT Buddy Donald Biniker

SGT Buddy Donald Biniker, son of Richard Franklin and Verea Belle (Kopp) Biniker was born in Woodville, Ohio on 16 Aug 1924.  Donald was the 2nd of the couple's 4 children but his older brother died at age 17 in 1940.  His father worked for the telephone company. 

When Buddy was drafted in February 1943 he was single and had only a grammar school education. He was assigned overseas to B Company 116th Infantry sometime before D-Day.  On 13 Sep 1944 he was promoted to SGT from PFC.  On 15 Oct 1944 SGT Biniker was killed in action.

Buddy's remaining family survived him and he is buried in Clay Township Cemetery in Genoa, Ohio. 

T5 Jacob Walter Geiss

High School Annual Photo

T5 Jacob Walter Geiss was born 28 Jan 1918 in Nokomis, Illinois to Theodore William and Olga A. (Radtke) Geiss.  His father was a painter. On 22 Jun 1941 he married Lucille E. 

Jacob was working as a sales clerk when he was drafted in May 1943.  He was sent overseas and assigned from the replacement depot to I Company 116th Infantry. T5 Geiss was killed in action on 11 Oct 1944.

T5 Geiss was repatriated and is buried in the Nokomis Cemetery in Nokomis, Illinois with Lucille. 

SSG Lauren Aldred Barmore

SSG Lauren Aldred Barmore son of Royal Cook and Mary J (Aldred) Barmore of Placer County, California was born 17 May 1914.  He was the 2nd of his mother's 2 children. His mother died 4 Oct 1915 and his father re-married a year later.  Royal had 3 children by his second wife.

Lauren was drafted in March 1941.  We don't know where he was or what he was doing but we do know that he was transferred from the replacement depot to I Company 116th Infantry on 3 Sep 1944 and was already a Staff Sergeant.  This would indicate that he had some experience by this time.  It was common for soldiers who had been wounded to go from unit to hospital to replacement depot to a unit other than the one in which they had been serving when they were wounded.  We also know that he was killed in action on 11 Oct 1944. 

SSG Barmore rests forever in the Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery. 

Half-brother Richard Edward Barmore also served in the Army, 1942-1945.

PFC George Warren Bray

PFC George Warren Bray was born 5 Sep 1915 in Saint Louis, Missouri to James Oscar and Nora Leona (Coon) Bray.  His father worked as a driver.  In 1930 George was living with his mother and step-father and working as a clerk in a grocery. On 16 May 1935 he married Alice Crossley and they had a son in March 1937.  In 1940 he was working in road construction.

We don't know when George entered the service. It was on 3 Sep 1944 that he was assigned to I Company 116th Infantry on D-Day, 6 Jun 1944.  He and Alice were divorced in March 1944.  On 9 Oct 1944, George was promoted to PFC.  On 11 Oct 1944 he was killed in action.

PFC Bray is buried in Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery.

Alice re-married and their son was adopted by his step-father.  He served as a finance officer during the Vietnam war.

PFC John J. Jirousek

courtesy of Des Philippet

PFC John J. Jirousek was born 15 Dec 1911 in Munich, Germany.  He was the youngest of three children of John and Justine Mary Jirousek. The family had immigrated from Bohemia in 1913. His father was a tailor. From at least 1935 to 1940 the younger John lived at 1544 Kenilworth Avenue, Berwyn, Illinois with his wife, Helga (Ebel) Jirousek and worked as assistant manager of Jewell Food Store on North Street in Chicago, Illinois.

After entering the service, probably in late 1943, John was sent to Europe and transferred from the replacement depot to I Company 116th Infantry on 7 Aug 1944.  He was promoted to PFC on 5 Sep 1944.  PFC Jirousek was killed in action on 10 Oct 1944.

PFC Jirousek is buried in the Netherlands American Cemetery.  Helga re-married in 1950.