CPL Ernest Monroe Hardy

CPL Ernest Monroe Hardy, b. 19 Mar 1894 - d. 22 Mar 1965. The youngest son of James Henry and Virginia Addie (Jones) of Danville, Virginia, Corporal Hardy served during WWI with C Company 116th Infantry in France and was wounded. At one time he was a resident of the Roseburg Branch of the US homes for disabled soldiers in Hampton, Virginia. In 1921 he married Rose Lee Boswell Dixon. For many years after the war he worked as a plumber in Danville. His father was a veteran of the Civil War and had served in E Company 38th Virginia Infantry. Ernest and Rose are buried in Green Hill Cemetery in Danville, Virginia.

PFC Warren Russell Davies

PFC Warren Russell Davies, b. 31 May 1912 - d. 17 Mar 1945. Son of Arthur James and Flora Jane (Miller) Davies of Muskegon, Michigan. Known to the family as Russell, his father died in 1932 and his mother remarried. Russell had 10 siblings and half-siblings of whom at least 4 had died before his father passed. PFC Davies was assigned to C Company 116th Infantry when he was killed. PFC Davies is buried in Lakeside Cemetery in Muskegon, Michigan.

TSGT William C. Black

TSGT William C. Black is one of those men about whom we know very little. We believe he was born 16 Sep 1922 in Butler County, Ohio and was drafted on 11 Feb 1941 while residing in Jackson County, Ohio. We think he is the same William C. Black who married Miss Bernadine Current in Texas City, Texas on 5 Mar 1942 and that the couple had a son, William Roy Black in August 1943. The boy would died in February 1944. 

Black was assigned from the replacement depot to I Company 116th Infantry on 29 Oct 1944 as a SSG, William was promoted to TSGT on 3 Dec 1944 at which time he became a platoon sergeant. He was wounded by artillery fire sometime in December 1944 but quickly returned to his unit. Wounded again on 1 Mar 1945, TSGT Black was evacuated to hospital in Cambridge, England where he died of his wound(s) on 11 Mar 1945. He was awarded the Bronze Star but we do not know for what action this award was made.

Initially interred at Cambridge, we do not know if he was repatriated and reinterred in Ohio. 

PFC Herman Eugene Davis

PFC Herman Eugene Davis was born 12 May 1918 in Crowell, Texas to Robert Earl and Mattie Leona (Neely) Davis.  His father farmed along with his family of 8.

We don't know when Herman entered service but it appears that he might have been assigned to I Company 116th Infantry prior to the D-Day landing. He was promoted to PFC on 1 Oct 1944.  It seems that he avoided injury until 24 Nov 1944 when he was sent to the hospital (non-battle injury).  On 18 Dec 1944 he returned to the unit via the replacement depot.  Seriously wounded on 27 Feb 1945 he was again evacuated to the hospital.  He died of his wounds on 3 Mar 1945.

In 1949 his body was returned to his family and he was buried in the Crowell Cemetery in Crowell, Texas. 

SSG Karl Henry Metz

SSG Karl Henry Metz, b. 3 Oct 1916 - d. 3 Mar 1945. Son of Frederick and Julia Ann (Snyder) Metz, Karl was born in Coshocton, Ohio. This is his high school photo from the 1930 Coshocton High School annual. He worked as a laborer and salesman in Philadelphia and St. Louis. It was in St. Louis where he met his wife, Helen D Gerhard a nurse from Hazleton, Pennsylvania. They were married before he went overseas where he served with both A and B Companies, 116th Infantry before being killed. SSG Metz is buried in the Ardennes American Cemetery. Helen never remarried and worked for many years in nursing in the Hazleton area before retiring and moving to Harrisburg where she died, aged 94, in 2011.

PVT Edward John Konefal

courtesy of Des Philippet

PVT Edward John Konefal was born in 17 Jul 1922 in Passaic, New Jersey the only son of Andrew Joseph and Mary (Rozmus) Konefal.  Both parents were natives of Poland. His father was a laborer in a silk mill. 

Edward was working in textile manufacture when he was drafted in June 1943.  After his basic training he was sent to England and assigned to G Company 116th Infantry.  He was likely assigned to the unit not very long before the D-Day amphibious assault that took place on 6 Jun 1944.  He wasn't wounded that day but was wounded on 17 Jun 1944 and evacuated to hospital.  Edward did not return to the unit until he was transferred from the replacement depot on 16 Feb 1945!  PVT Konefal was killed in action on 1 Mar 1945.

PVT Konefal is buried in the Netherlands American Cemetery.

PFC Ignatz Anton Kobza

PFC Ignatz Anton Kobza was born 29 Apr 1913 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin the eighth of nine children born to Ignatius Anthony and Konstancja Augusta (Malecka) Kobza.  His father was a native of Topola, Poland and operated a saloon at 577 Maple Street in Milwaukee. His father died in 1930 and his mother in 1931 and he lived with one or the other of his sisters for a while.  "Ted", as he was known, worked in construction and joined the National Guard.

He was a PVT in a local National Guard unit when he entered federal service in October 1940.  It is possible that he joined G Company 116th Infantry before the regiment shipped out for England in September 1942.  However, we do know that he was assigned to the unit prior to D-Day and participated in the amphibious assault on Omaha Beach on 6 Jun 1944. PFC Kobza was wounded on 8 Jun 1944 and evacuated to hospital. He was returned to the unit from the replacement depot on 25 Jul 1944. Ted was wounded again on 7 Aug 1944 in the battle for Vire and again evacuated to hospital.  He returned to the unit from the replacement depot on Christmas Eve 1944. PFC Kobza was killed in action on 1 Mar 1945 at Giesenkirchen, Germany.

PFC Kobza was buried at the Netherlands American Cemetery.

PFC Claude Thomas Moore

PFC Claude Thomas Moore was born 11 Nov 1914 in Prairie Grove, Arkansas. He was the 2nd of 6 children born to William M. and Edna Bell (Beaty) Moore. The family farmed. On 1 May 1937, Claude married Gladys Beatrice Dunham. The couple moved to Yakima County, Washington where Claude worked as a farm hand.

Claude was drafted in August 1943. After his training he was sent to Europe and transferred from the replacement depot to K Company 116th Infantry on 24 Jul 1944. He was wounded on 4 Aug 1944 near Vire, France and did not return to the unit until he was transferred from the replacement depot on 3 Jan 1945. PFC Moore was killed in action on 1 Mar 1945.

PFC Moore rests forever in the Netherlands American Cemetery.

PFC Benjamin Edwin Smith

PFC Benjamin Edwin Smith was born 6 Sep 1919 in Paterson, New Jersey. He was the 4th of 5 children born to Arthur Cleveland and Julia Akers (Green) Smith. His father drove trucks for various companies. Benjamin married Averil Cecelia Daniel in June 1938 and the couple had their first son in November 1938 and their second in July 1942. Benjamin worked for Woolworth Company as a shipping clerk and then for Wright Aero.

Benjamin was drafted in June 1944, completed his basic military training and was then sent to the European theater in September 1944. However he was apparently not sent to a combat unit until he was transferred from the replacement depot to G Company 116th Infantry on 15 Dec 1944. PVT Smith was promoted to PFC on 2 Feb 1945. He was killed in action on 1 Mar 1945 near Mönchengladbach, Germany.

PFC Smith rests forever in the Netherlands American Cemetery.

His brother, Albert Edward Smith also served in the U.S. Army in the European theater.

SGT Anthony Joseph Paradiso

SGT Anthony Joseph Paradiso was born 14 Apr 1922 in Tiffin, Ohio. He was the 3rd of 9 children and oldest son born to Salvatore and Maria Grazia (Cercelli) Paradiso. His father worked for what is now Webster Industries, Inc. in Tiffin. The family lived at the house he purchased at 380 Miami Street in Tiffin which was valued at $2000 in 1940. Anthony graduated from Calvert High School and worked as a clerk in a shoe store.

He was still in that line of work when he was drafted in September 1942. After his basic military training he would not be sent to Europe until June 1944. SGT Paradiso was assigned to L Company 116th Infantry on 7 Aug 1944 joining the unit near Vire, France. He was wounded by artillery fire on 1 Sep 1944 and evacuated to hospital. His recovery complicated by pneumonia, he returned to the unit via the replacement depot on 3 Jan 1945. On 5 Feb 1945 SGT Paradiso was sent to the 29th Division training center on temporary duty for 7 days. He was wounded in the face on 27 Feb 1945 but remained on duty. SGT Paradiso was killed in action on 1 Mar 1945.

SGT Paradiso rests forever in the Netherlands American Cemetery.

1SG Alfred Baker McClure Jr.

courtesy of Jay Kelly

1SG Alfred Baker McClure Jr. was born 7 Sep1913 in Fairfax County, Virginia. He was the 2nd of 3 children born to Alfred Baker and Laura Hayes (Dean) McClure. Alfred senior worked as a carpenter.  Alfred junior managed to complete 4-years of high school.

Alfred was apparently working as a driver in Richmond, Virgina when he was drafted in May 1941. Assigned to the 116th Infantry at Camp Meade, Maryland, he must have demonstrated exceptional competence to be promoted to 1SG of C Company 116th Infantry before 6 Jun 1944. After training with the unit for the amphibious assault as part of the planned invasion of occupied Europe 1SG McClure participated in that effort.When there was some question about C Company's landing, 1st Sgt. Alfred B. McClure said that the first, second, and third assault sections sections arrived almost if not entirely intact. Alfred was wounded on 29 Jun 1944 and evacuated to hospital. He returned to C Company on 12 Aug 1944 serving as 1SG with that unit until 11 Sep 1944 when he was transferred to I Company 116th Infantry. He was transferred again on 21 Oct 1944, this time to B Company 116th Infantry. 1SG McClure was killed in action on 1 Mar 1944.

1SG McClure was repatriate in 1948 and re-interred in Fairfax City Cemetery in Fairfax, Virginia.

PVT Saul G. Sloane

courtesy of PIN

PVT Saul G. Sloane was born 3 Sep 1915 in Boston, Massachusetts. He was the 2nd of the 3 children born to Joseph and Sarah (Simcovitch) Sloane. His father was a native of Minsk, now Belarus and his mother from Poland what they had in common was their Jewish roots and spoke in Yiddish. His father worked as a salesman selling shoes in the Boston area and then tires in the area of Montebello, California where they family moved before 1930. Saul attended 3-years of college before he married Bertha Garber, a California native, in 1938 and the couple lived at 3415½ Vineyard Street  just off West Jefferson Boulevard in Los Angeles. Saul worked as a mail carrier and Bertha at a retail sewing station (presumably as a seamstress) earning a 1939 income of $2000 and $540 respectively. That was a pretty good income for the time and the couple paid $35 a month rent for their home.

Saul was drafted in October 1943. After his military training he was sent to Europe and transferred from the replacement depot to I Company 116th Infantry on 7 Aug 1944. Having already attained the rank of T5, there was apparently a need to cross-level him and he was transferred to L Company 116th Infantry on 11 Aug 1944.  T5 Sloane fought with the unit until he was briefly captured on 29 Aug 1944 in the attack to liberate Brest but returned to duty after the Germans surrendered. He was injured by artillery fire and evacuated to hospital on 22 Sep 1944. T5 Sloane did not return to the unit until 22 Dec 1944 when he was reassigned as a rifleman. He then fought with the unit until killed in action in the vicinity of Monchengladbach, Germany on 1 Mar 1945.

T5 Sloane was repatriated in 1949 and re-interred in the Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego, California.

PFC Dillard Cundiff Akers

PFC Dillard Cundiff Akers was born 8 Apr 1924 in Dublin, Virginia to John Dillard and Della Grace (Roop) Akers.  His father farmed and worked as a ferryman.  The family had moved to Giles County by 1940.

Dillard volunteered for service 17 May 1943.  Sent overseas he was assigned to Headquarters 72nd Ordnance Group.  Reassigned to E Company 116th Infantry as a rifleman on 31 Dec 1944.  He served with the unit until killed in action on 28 Feb 1945.

PFC Akers is now buried in the Newbern Christian Church Cemetery in Dublin, Virginia.

Brother, Archie Lee Akers, was also drafted and served in the Army from 1942 to 1946, 

PFC Walter Wesley Jones

PFC Walter Wesley Jones was born in Blytheville, Arkansas on 24 Apr 1921 to Walter Pinkney and Elma E (Moore) Jones.  Walter Wesley was first born of the 5 children and I imagine all helped on the family farm. Unfortunately, this is all we know about this family. 

When Walter registered for the draft he stated that he was unemployed.  He also had a tattoo on his left arm that said "Wesley".  We don't know when he entered service but he was transferred from HQ 13th Corps to F Company 116th Infantry on 1 Jan 1945, was promoted to PFC on 1 Feb 1945 and died of wounds on 28 Feb 1945.  According to the morning reports he was likely wounded on the 28th as well. 

PFC Jones is buried in the Netherlands American Cemetery. 

CPL Pierce Robert Duncan

CPL Pierce Robert "Bob" Duncan, b. 22 Oct 1924 - d. 28 Feb 1945. Son of Pierce and Stella Evonne (Hurley) Duncan of Lincoln, Nebraska. His father, who served in the Navy in WWI, had died at age 48 in 1938. Bob entered service in April 1943. In this photo he is on leave in Lincoln in 1943. He was ultimately assigned to E Company 116th Infantry. CPL Duncan is buried in Wyuka Cemetery, Lincoln, Nebraska.

PVT Claud R. Goins

PVT Claud R. Goins was born in Garrad County, Kentucky on 31 Aug 1923 the first born of Robert and Elizabeth (Gallagher) Goins. His father farmed.

Claud was drafted in July 1944 and sent to Europe.  On 15 Feb 1945 he was transferred from the replacement depot to B Company 116th Infantry.  PVT Goins was killed in action on 28 Feb 1945 in the vicinity of Otzenrath, Germany.

PVT Goins is buried in the Netherlands American Cemetery.

PFC Ivey Jasper Foster

PFC Ivey Jasper Foster was born 26 Sep 1910 in Caldwell County, North Carolina. He was the 2nd of the 5 children born to Andrew Jackson and Effie D. (Kendall) Foster. His father farmed in the Yadkin valley before moving the family to Lenoir, North Carolina and working in a furniture factory. By 1940 Ivey was working for Kent Coffey Manufacturing, then Caldwell Furniture both makers of furniture in Lenoir. His father was 67 and no longer able to work so his mother took a job as a presser in laundry in Lenoir. The family reported a 1939 income of $2716 of which Ivey earned $1040. 

Ivey was drafted in June 1942 and sent to Fort Jackson, South Carolina for initial processing. After completing his basic military training which took about 5-months, he was sent to the European theater in August 1944. PVT Foster was transferred from the replacement depot to E Company 116th Infantry on 24 Oct 1944. He suffered a non-battle injury and was evacuated to hospital on 24 Nov 1944. PVT Foster returned to the unit from the replacement depot on 27 Dec 1944. He suffered another non-battle injury on 5 Jan 1945 and was evacuated to hospital again. He returned to the unit again just 1-week later. Promoted to PFC on 17 Feb 1945 Ivey was killed in action on 28 Feb 1945 near Lutzerath, Germany. 

PFC Foster was repatriated and re-interred in the Bellview Cemetery in Lenoir, North Carolina.

T5 Byron O'Bannon Saunders

T5 Byron O'Bannon Saunders was born 21 Jan 1905 in Louisville, Kentucky. He was the youngest of the 2 children born to James H. and Gertrude Lillian (Minter) Saunders. His father was a clerk for R. G. Dun and Company (now Dun and Bradstreet) but died of tuberculosis in April 1906. The family then went to live with his paternal grandfather and Gertrude supported the family as a stenographer for an insurance firm. She died in September 1913, also of tuberculosis. The orphans were separated. Byron's sister, Elizabeth, was sent to the Presbyterian Orphans' Home in Louisville and Byron to their cousin, Susan Hawes' farm in Penn, Kansas where he likely helped work the farm for her and her sister. He had not been able to get more than a grammar school education. However, he left the farm at some point and moved back to Louisville. It was probably in looking for work that Byron enlisted in the Navy and held the rank of S1c while serving aboard the USS Wyoming from sometime in 1924/25 to 7 Oct 1927. Looking for work at sea, he applied for a Seaman's Protection Certificate in November 1927 but it is unknown if he actually went to sea as a merchant seaman. In 1940 Byron was living with his sister and her husband in Louisville and working as a machine operator for Louisville Paper Company earning a reported 1939 income of $720. The beginning of the war likely provided the opportunity and he went to work at the Naval Ordnance Station in Louisville.

By the time he was drafted in December 1942 he felt able to tell authorities that he had completed 2 years of high school. Byron was sent to the U. S. Army Air Corps where he served until he was transferred from the 9th Air Force Service Command to G Company 116th Infantry on 12 Jan 1945. At that time he held the rank of T5, equivalent of a CPL, but was assigned as a rifleman. T5 Saunders fought with his unit until killed in action near Hochneukirch, Germany on 27 Feb 1945.

T5 Saunders was repatriated in 1949 and re-interred to rest forever with other family members in the Cave Hill Cemetery in Louisville, Kentucky.

PVT Carl Vincent Rockett

PVT Carl Vincent Rockett was born 10 Aug 1923 in Mount Vernon, Illinois. He was the youngest of the 4 children born to James S and Fannie B (McGehee) Rockett. His father worked at various jobs in supporting his family and the family lived in Beaver Creek in Hamilton County, Illinois. We are unsure how far Carl was able to progress with his education but he was working in a restaurant in 1940 when he was 16 reporting a 1939 income of $120 and his father was working for the Work Progress Administration (WPA) reporting 1939 income of only $105. He later went to work in the Hiram Walker & Sons distillery in Peoria. 

Carl was drafted in December 1943. After completing his basic military training he was sent to the European theater. PVT Rockett was transferred from the replacement depot to L Company 116th Infantry on 15 Jul 1944 to serve as a rifleman. The unit was at Saint-Lo, France at that time and soon began the push towards Vire. PVT Rockett was wounded on 23 Jul 1944 and evacuated to hospital. He was returned to the unit via the replacement depot on 19 Dec 1944. The unit was now in Germany and he was once again a rifleman in L Company. PVT Rockett was killed in action on 27 Feb 1945 as L Company and 3rd Battalion fought to control Immerath, Germany. 

PVT Rockett was repatriated in 1948 and re-interred in the Springerton Cemetery in Springerton, Illinois.

PFC David Raymond Misky

David Miskey at age 19.

PFC David Raymond Misky was born 22 Oct 1922 in Waterbury, Connecticut to Nathan and Mary (Israel) Misky. Both parents were Jewish natives of Russia. His father was a furniture salesman. By 1940 David was living a good life. He had completed 2 years of college annd had married Ruth Rita Levine. David was the manager of a grocery in New Britain, Connecticut  where the couple lived.

David was drafted in March of 1944. He was sent to Europe immediately after completing his initial training. He was transferred from the replacement depot to L Company 116th Infantry on 27 Oct 1944. He fought with the unit until killed in action on 27 Feb 1945.

PFC Misky was repatriated and re-interred in the Hebrew Benefit Association Cemetery in Waterbury, Connecticut.

His brother Abraham Misky served in the Army 1942-1945.

PFC William Stanley Niedzwiecki

courtesy of Fred

PFC William Stanley Niedzwiecki was born 27 Jul 1916 in Lowell, Massachusetts. He was the oldest of what would be 7 children born to Alexander H. and Mary (Nosinski) Niedzwiecki. Both parents were natives of Poland. The family soon moved to New Britain, Connecticut where his father worked for Stanley Tool Company. However, by 1940, Alexander was working for the Works Progress Administration (WPA) reporting a 1939 income of $560 and paying $16 a month rent for a home at 36 Gold Street in New Britain (at which the family would live for several more years). In that year, William was working at the Stanley works as a buffer and reporting a 1939 income of $1460.William married Branka A. Kaminski.

After entering the service and completing basic training, William was sent to the European theater. He was transferred from the replacement depot to L Company 116th Infantry on 27 Oct 1944. PFC Niedzwiecki was killed in action on 27 Feb 1945.

PFC Niedzwiecki rests forever in the Netherlands American Cemetery.

Brother, Stanley William Niedzwiecki, served in the U.S. Army during WW2.

PVT Elmer Earl Higby

PVT Elmer Earl Higby was born 21 Aug 1924 in Mountain Grove, Missouri to Henry Albert and Lilly Pearl (Adams) Higby.  The family farmed. Elmer's mother died in 1936. 

Elmer was working as a farm hand when he was drafted in February 1944.  He was sent to Europe and transferred from the replacement depot to F Company 116th Infantry on 15 Feb 1945.  Just 11 days later, PVT Higby was killed in action on 26 Feb 1945. 

PVT Higby was repatriated and is buried in the Lone Star Cemetery in Mountain Grove, Missouri.

PFC Charles William Starina Jr.

PFC Charles William Starina Jr. was born 23 Mar 1924 in Hawkesville, Oklahoma. He was the 4th of 5 children born to Charles William and Iva Blanche (Overstreet) Starina. His parent's first born, a daughter, had died in infancy. Charles' father was a farmer in Garden, Kansas growing vegetables for market in nearby Joplin, Missouri. The family home was valued at $200 in 1940.  At age 18, young Charles was working in the Joplin Stockyards.

Charles was drafted just 2 days before his 19th birthday in March 1943. After completing his basic military training he was sent to England in May 1944. He wasn't with the regiment for the D-Day landings but transferred from the replacement depot to B Company 116th Infantry on 5 Jul 1944. PVT Starina was wounded on 12 Jul 1944 near Saint-Lo, France and evacuated to hospital. After recovery he was sent to the replacement depot and returned to the unit on 12 Aug 1944. He was wounded again in the fighting for Brest on 2 Sep 1944 and again evacuated to hospital. This must have been a relatively inconsequential wound because he returned to the unit again via the replacement depot on 7 Sep 1944. He didn't stay with the unit for long as PVT Starina was injured on 17 Sep 1944 and again evacuated. This must have been more serious because he didn't return to the unit again until 3 Dec 1944. He was promoted to PFC on 11 Dec 1944. PFC Starina was killed in action near Julich, Germany on 25 Feb 1945.

PFC Starina rests forever in the Netherlands American Cemetery.

Charles' father served as a PVT in A Company 314th Engineers, 89th Division in France during WWI. Maternal great-grandfather, William R. Overstreet, served in Missouri unit of the Confederate States Army during the Civil War.

SSG Wallace Rodriguez Romero Sr

courtesy of Des Philippet

SSG Wallace Rodriguez Romero Sr was born 11 Apr 1913 in Houston, Texas. He was the oldest and only son of the 4 children born to James Donaciano and Fannie Romano (Cardenas) Romero. His father was a native of Mexico City, Mexico and had worked as a cook and owned a grocery in Houston. Wallace married Janie Ramos in December 1934 and they would have a son in 1937. The family was living at 2009 Union Street in Houston and Wallace was working for Henke and Pillot Grocery Company.

Wallace was drafted in late 1943 and after his basic military training he was sent to the European theater arriving in September 1944. On 10 Sep 1944 PVT Romero was transferred from the replacement depot to F Company 116th Infantry. He was promoted to PFC on 21 Sep 1944. Reported as missing in action on 17 Oct 1944 he was back with his unit on 18 Oct 1944. Wallace must have demonstrated leadership and competence in combat beyond that of his fellow soldiers because on 11 Dec 1944 he was promoted to SSG to serve as a squad leader. SSG Romero continued to fight with his unit until killed in action on 25 Feb 1945 in the attack on Lutzerath, Germany.

SSG Romero rests forever in the Netherlands American Cemetery.

SSG Frank J. Jones

courtesy Des Philippet

SSG Frank J. Jones was born in 1924 in Missouri the son of Isaac S. and Ethel Hazel (Thompson) Jones. His father worked in both the tire and metal fabrication industries.

Frank was drafted in September 1943.  He was sent to Europe and on 22 Jun 1944 transferred from  the replacement depot to C Company 116th Infantry.  On 11 Sep 1944 he was promoted to SSG.  He was wounded that same day and evacuated to hospital. He did not return to the unit until 18 Jan 1945.  SSG Jones was killed in action on 25 Feb 1945. 

SSG Jones is buried in the Netherlands American Cemetery. Brother Robert Isaac Jones served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the war.  Brother Donald Ray Jones served in the Army during the Korean War.