PFC Fred W Black

PFC Fred William Black was born 4 Apr 1918 to George Andrew and Minnie Mae (Sweeten) Black in Le Flore County, Oklahoma.  He had 6 siblings and his father worked at various jobs to support his family as varied as hauling lumber and making shoes.

Fred entered service on 3 Mar 1943.  On 4 Jul 1944 he reported for duty to A Company 116th Infantry.  The morning report shows him killed in action on 9 Jul 1944 but this was later found to be 6 Jul 1944. 

PFC Black is now buried Oak Lawn Cemetery in Poteau, Oklahoma. 

Fred's brother George Ray Black also served during WWII.  He survived.

1LT Frederick Emerson Ulrey

1LT Frederick Emerson Ulrey was born 15 Nov 1912 in North Manchester, Indiana. He was the oldest of the 2 children born to Alvin L. and Lucy Emma (Howenstine) Ulrey. His father was vice president of a local bank and owned a home valued at $10,000 at 509 East Third Street in North Manchester. Frederick was able to complete high school, graduate from college and even begin work on his masters degree. His mother died in 1935 and his father passed the following year. Frederick married Kathryn Lucille Zollers less than a month after his father's death. The couple moved to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma where Frederick taught at Harding Junior High and North East High School reportedly earning $1400 in 1939. They lived at 325 West 24th Street which they rented for $40 a month. He also acted as scout master for a troop formed at the school. They then moved back to Indiana living in Wasbash where Frederick went to work for the city school system. 

Frederick was drafted in February 1942. He was immediately identified as "officer material" and sent to officer candidate training. We do not know of his previous assignments but he was already a 1LT when transferred from the replacement depot to Headquarters and Headquarters Company 3rd Battalion 116th Infantry as Company Commander on 28 Jun 1944. He was not long in his assignment as he was killed in action on 8 Jul 1944 while the regiment fought to liberate Saint-Lo, France.

1LT Ulrey was repatriated in 1948 and re-interred in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. 

Frederick and Kathryn had no children. Kathryn never re-married.

PFC Robert Calvin Kimmelshue

PFC Robert Calvin Kimmelshue was born 4 Nov 1924 in Baltimore, Maryland the youngest of 6 children born to Mervin Ernest and Laura Belle (Schwartz) Kimmelshue.  His father was a police officer. 

Robert had only completed one year of high school when he was drafted in March 1943.  After his initial training he was sent to Europe and, on 6 Jul 1944, was transferred from the replacement depot to C Company 116th Infantry.  He was killed in action that same day, 6 Jul 1944.

PFC Kimmelshue was repatriated and is buried in the Baltimore National Cemetery in Baltimore, Maryland.

SSG Charles E. Hanisko

SSG Charles E. Hanisko was born in 1919 in Excelsior, Pennsylvania to John Stephen and Mable Magdalene (Zartman) Hanisko.  His father had worked as a coal miner and was a laborer at Shamokin Iron and Metal Company in 1940. 

Charles was apparently working as a warehouseman when drafted in February 1942.  After training he was sent to England and assigned to C Company 116th Infantry.  He trained for the amphibious assault with that unit and took part in the D-Day assault.  Charles was already a SSG at that time and when he was wounded by shrapnel in the left elbow on 17 Jun 1944 but remained on duty.  SSG Hanisko was killed in action on 6 Jul 1944.  He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star.

SSG Hanisko is buried in the Normandy American Cemetery. 

PFC John Payne Hume

PFC John Payne Hume was born 24 Oct 1918 in Opal, Virginia to Edgar Silas and Martinette Virginia (Payne) Hume. The family farmed. 

After entering the service, John was sent to England and assigned to C Company 116th Infantry.  He trained for and participated in the D-Day landing with that unit.  PFC Hume was killed in action on 6 Jul 1944.

PFC Hume is buried in the Normandy American Cemetery. Brother James Wilson Hume served in the U.S. Army from 1934 to 1959 retiring as an SFC.

SGT Melvin Herbert Friedman

SGT Melvin Herbert Friedman was born 28 Apr 1918 in New York to Abraham and Esther (Felsenstein).  His father worked in clothing manufacture and his mother in clothing retail.  His mother died in 1934.  In 1940 Melvin worked as a traffic manager at a metals plant.  His sister and brother lived with him, neither was working.  Melvin made $1520 in 1939. 

Melvin was drafted in May 1942.  Sent overseas, he was assigned to C Company 116th Infantry.  He was with the unit on D-Day and managed to survive until 6 Jul 1944 when he was killed in action.

SGT Friedman is buried in the Normandy American Cemetery. 

PFC Pasquale J. Ardolino

courtesy of Bessie Savery

PFC Pasquale J. Ardolino was born 6 Oct 1918 in Brooklyn, New York to Francesco Emilio and Serafina (Turboli) Ardolino. Both parents were Italian immigrants.  His father worked as a machinist and mechanic.  Pasquale was an apprentice machinist prior to the war.

Pasquale was drafted in August 1941.  Sent overseas, he was transferred from the replacement depot to D Company 116th Infantry on 6 Jul 1944.  He was killed in action that same day.  We think it probable that he was assigned to other units in theater and had been wounded before being assigned to D Company.  However, the internment record only indicates one Purple Heart, i.e. one time wounded.

PFC Ardolino is buried in the Normandy American Cemetery. 

PVT Wilbur S. Crane

PVT Wilbur S. Crane was born 23 Sep 1924 in Sussex County, New Jersey to James Garfield and Jennie (Hughes) Crane.  His father worked as a gardner. 

When Wilbur entered service he attended training and was sent overseas and assigned to E Company 116th Infantry.  He was with that unit on 6 Jun 1944 making the amphibious assault on Omaha beach when he was killed in action. 

We believe that PVT Crane was repatriated but do not know where he was buried.

Maternal grandfather, Mathias Henderson, served in the 11th New Jersey Infantry Regiment in the Civil War.  Brother Douglas Crane served in the Army, 1942-1945.

PFC George Leo Overlock Jr.

PFC George Leo Overlock Jr. was born 14 Jun 1915 in Stephentown, New York. He was the youngest of the 3 children (2 boys and 1 girl) born to George Leo and Alice Louise (Roach) Overlock. His father supported the family as a wood turner in a mill in Hancock, Massachusetts and later as a farmer in Stephentown, New York where his mother had been born. His father died before 1940. George continued to live with and support his mother working as farm labor with a reported 1939 income of $180. However, Alice still owned the family home valued at $3000. George later moved to Pittsfield, Massachusetts and went to work for General Electric in their distributin transformer winding department. He also married Miss Alfreda H. Reynolds of Stephenstown.

George was drafted in February 1943 and attended training at Camp McNair, Mississippi and Fort Jackson, South Carolina. Alfreda was able to visit him at Fort Jackson in April 1944 before he was sent overseas. PFC Overlock was transferred from the replacement depot to C Company 116th Infantry on 5 Jul 1944. He was killed in action on 6 Jul 1944 near Saint-Lo, France.

PFC Overlock was repatriated in 1949 and re-interred in the Immaculate Conception Cemetery in New Lebanon Center, New York.

George and Alfreda had no children.

SSG Robert Lee Taylor

courtesy of Frogman

SSG Robert Lee Taylor was born 30 Jun 1912 in Greensville County, Virginia. He was the 3rd of 9 children born to John Thomas and Mary Lottie (Jean) Taylor. The family farmed rented land in the Zion and Belfield Districts in Greensville County. In 1940 Robert was working for a company making insulating boards for which he reported a 1939 income of $660.

Robert joined the National Guard, probably M Company 116th Infantry, in the latter half of 1940. 2 of his brothers were already members of the unit. All were mobilized together in February 1941.  As they trained for deployment to Europe they eventually were separated with Robert leaving M Company and being reassigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company 3rd Battalion 116th Infantry, M Company's battalion. PVT and then PFC Taylor trained at Fort George Meade, Maryland, in the Carolina Maneuvers near Fort Bragg and at Camp Blanding, Florida before shipping out with the unit aboard the Queen Mary for England. Once there he continued to train with the unit including training for the planned amphibious operation that was to be a major part of the liberation of occupied France. He took part in that event, landing with his unit on D-Day, 6 Jun 1944 and continued to serve until killed in action near Saint-André-de-l'Épine, France.

SSG Taylor rests forever in the Normandy American Cemetery.

Brother, Melvin Brooks Taylor, served as a TSGT and 2LT in M Company 116th Infantry before and during the war, was wounded and survived the war and continued to serve. Brother, Elwood Meade Taylor, was also in M Company in 1940, as a PVT, was reassigned, survived the war and retired as a 1SG.

PFC Jacob Junior Brickley

PFC Jacob Junior Brickley was born in 1924 in Wells County, Indiana.  He was the only child of Frank Alta and Mary Irene (Haiflich) Brickley.  His father was a baker.

Jacob was drafted in May 1943.  Assigned to C Company 116th Infantry on 6 Jul 1944 he was killed in action that same day.

Jacob was returned to the U.S. and is buried with his parents in Elm Grove Cemetery in Bluffton, Indiana. 

PFC John Osvart

PFC John Osvart was born 6 Nov 1916 in Borsod-Abauj-Zemplen, Hungary. His father's name may have been Janos Osvart. When John was drafted in March 1943 he was living in New York City and working in a chemical plant.

After his military training, John was sent to the European theater and transferred from the replacement depot to C Company 116th Infantry on 5 Jul 1944. John was killed in action on the next day, 6 Jul 1944.

In 1949, John was repatriated, returned to Hungary where he was re-interred in Teresztenye Temeto in Teresztenye, Borsod-Abauj-Zemplen, Hungary.

PVT Frank A. Samartino

Born Francesco A. Sammartino on 20 Nov 1910 in Dunkirk, New York, Frank (the name he apparently used most of his life) was the 5th of the 6 children born to Ignatius Henry and Ann (Capenella) Sammartino. His father worked in a locomotive shop and as a carpenter in a seed factory earning a reported 1939 income of $540. Frank hand completed 2-years of high school and had married Frances Godlewski in September 1931. The couple would have a daughter in January 1932. He was working as a musician in a dance band in 1940, had only worked 4 weeks and reported a 1939 income of $200.

Frank was drafted in April 1942 and after his basic military training was sent to England and assigned to Headquarters 3rd Battalion 116th Infantry as a truck driver. He trained for and participated in the D-Day landings at Omaha Beach on 6 Jun 1944 and continued to serve with the unit until killed in action on 5 Jul 1944.

PVT Samartino rests forever in the Normandy American Cemetery.

PVT Arthur Wesley Healy

courtesy Dawn Albrecht

PVT Arthur Wesley Healy was born 12 Oct 1907 in Millersburg, Iowa to Leon James and Lydia Hilda (Gabriel) Healy.  The family farmed.  In 1940, Arthur was a public school teacher with a reported 1939 income of $1466.  He and Hazel Baxter married on 25 Jun 1940 in Mitchell, South Dakota.

Arthur was drafted in September 1943 and was living in Davison County, South Dakota.  He was sent to the European theater and on 22 Jun 1944 he was transferred from the replacement depot to C Company 116th Infantry. Arthur was wounded on 3 Jul 1944 and evacuated to the hospital.  He died of his wound(s) on 5 Jul 1944.

PVT Healy was repatriated in 1948 and buried in North English Cemetery in North English, Iowa. Hazel did not re-marry until 1953. They had 1 son, born about in 1943 or 1944. 

PVT George William Longlow

courtesy of Frederic Lavernhe

PVT George William Longlow was born 5 Aug 1915 in Leesport, Pennsylvania. He was the youngest of the 2 children born the Samuel Harry and Sarah Eva (Kraemer) Longlow. His father worked in a steel mill and was able to purchase a home in Ontelaunee, Pennsylvania which was valued at $800 in 1930. George completed 2-years of high school, moved back to Leesport and went to work for the Carpenter Steel Company in Reading, Pennsylvania. 

George was drafted in January 1943 and after completing his basic military training he was sent to the European theater and arrived in England in late 1943. PVT Longlow was then assigned to D Company 116th Infantry and started training for the amphibious assault that was planned to be a part of the effort to liberate occupied France. PVT Longlow took part in the amphibious assault and fought with his unit until he was wounded on 1 Jul 1944 and evacuated to hospital where he died of his wound(s) on 4 Jul 1944. 

PVT Longlow rests forever in the Brittany American Cemetery. There is a cenotaph in the Saint John's German Cemetery in Leesport, Pennsylvania.

T5 Ignazio Antonio Trapani

courtesy of Woose

T5 Ignazio Antonio Trapani was born in Lloyd, New York on 11 Sep 1919. He was the first born of Antonio and Rosa (Ficarotta) Trapani's 4 children. His father was a native of Italy and his mother was a first generation American. The family farmed along Vineyard Avenue in Lloyd, New York. They later moved to Buckner's Corner Road in Plattekill, New York. Ignazio left high school after 2-years. Ignazio''s father still farmed but Ignazio was working as a truck driver, earning $120 in 8-weeks work in 1939. Ignazio was unemployed when he registered for the draft in October 1940.

Ignazio was drafted in February 1942 and trained first at Camp Upton, New York.  He was reported as being in England in July 1943 and assigned to an MP unit. Apparently trained as a medic, he was reassigned to Medical Detachment 116th Infantry and attached to L Company 116th Infantry prior to the amphibious landing on 6 Jun 1944. Ignazio married Olivia May Whear of Plymouth, England in Devon in early 1944. He participated in the D-Day landing and served the soldiers of L Company in the fighting that preceded the liberation of Saint-Lo, France. T5 Trapani was killed in action on 4 Jul 1944 when he was shot in the back likely while trying to help a fellow soldier. Although we have yet to find the citation, it seems that he was awarded the Bronze Star for his actions at the time of his death. 

T5 Trapani rests forever in the Normandy American Cemetery. 

Ignazio's son Anthony was born 4-months after his death. Olivia moved with their son to Lloyd, New York in March 1946 and apparently lived with the Trapani family for several years. She did not remarry until 1962.  Ignazio's son served in the U.S. Navy. Ignazio's brother, Constancio Trapani, served as a SSG in India in support of U.S. Army Air Force operation in the Chinese Burma India theater.

PVT Nicholas Niutta

courtesy of Glenn

PVT Nicholas Niutta was born 9 Oct 1924 in Brooklyn, New York. He was the oldest of 2 children and only son of Bruno and Maria (Diveno) Niutta. Both parents were natives of Italy, his father was born in Calabria, Italy. His father worked as a gardener who reported a 1939 income of $1500. In 1940 the family lived with Nicholas' maternal grandmother at 1926 East 3rd Street in Brooklyn.

Nicholas was drafted in June 1943. After basic training he was sent to the European theater and may have been assigned to G Company 116th Infantry before the amphibious landings at Omaha Beach on 6 Jun 1944. PVT Niutta was killed in action on 4 Jul 1944.

PVT Niutta was repatriated in 1948 and re-interred in Long Island National Cemetery in East Farmingdale, New York.

PFC John A. Karafa

courtesy of Bessie Savery

PFC John A. Karafa may have been born in Illinois.  His father was also named John and was a miner.  After John entered the service he was sent to England and assigned to Headquarters Company 1st Battalion 116th Infantry where he trained for and with which unit he landed on D-Day, 6 Jun 1944.  On 14 Jun 1944 he was transferred to C Company 116th Infantry. PFC Karafa was killed in action on 3 Jul 1944.  He is buried in the Normandy American Cemetery.

PFC Michael P. Faulisi

courtesy of Bessie Savery

PFC Michael P. Faulisi was born 24 Mar 1923 to Joseph and Giuseppina (Papa) Faulisi of Chicago, Illinois. His mother died in 1934.  In 1940, his father was working for the WPA.

After entering the service Michael was sent overseas and on 13 Jun 1944 he was transferred from the replacement depot to B Company 116th Infantry and then cross-leveled/transferred to A Company 116th Infantry on 15 Jun 1944.  PFC Faulisi was killed in action on 3 Jul 1944.

PFC Faulisi is buried in the Normandy American Cemetery. 

His father was a U.S. veteran of the WWI.  Brother Frank James Faulisi served from 1943 to 1946.

PVT Lewis V Brumley

PVT Lewis V. Brumley was born 20 Aug 1923 in Priest River, Idaho to William Joseph and Nellie Isabelle (Morehouse) Brumley.  William was a logging contractor.

Lewis was drafted in July 1943 and, after training, to C Company 116th Infantry on 16 Jun 1944.  He was killed in action on 3 Jul 1944. 

PVT Brumley is buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Priest River, Idaho. 

PFC Patrick J. Keefe

PFC Patrick J. Keefe was born 27 Jan 1924 in New Jersey the son of Patrick J. and Adelaide Lovett.  It appears that his father died in 1925 and his mother re-married in 1926.  His step-father farmed. 

After entering the service Patrick was sent to England and assigned to C Company 116th Infantry.  He trained with this unit for the amphibious landing/assault in which he took part on D-Day, 6 Jun 1944.  As a rifleman, he fought with the unit until 3 Jul 1944 when he was wounded in action.  Evacuated to the rear he died of his wounds. 

PFC Keefe was repatriated and now rests forever in the Long Island National Cemetery in East Farmingdale, New York.

PFC Tom Dave Arnett

PFC Tom Dave Arnett born 9 Jul 1920 in Webster, Ohio to David George and Margaret C (Warner) Arnett. Tom worked as farm labor, probably on the family farm. 

Drafted in August 1942, he left behind wife Doris Fay (Ingle).  He was assigned to Headquarters Company 1st Battalion 116th Infantry.  The morning report shows him wounded on 2 Jul 1944 and dying of wounds on 5 Jul 1944.  Other records give his date of death as 2 Jul 1944.

He is buried in the Normandy American Cemetery and his wife erected the cenotaph shown here. 

PVT Bobbie Otis Butler

PVT Bobbie Otis Butler was born in Mexia, Texas on 25 Jul 1924 to Benjamin Otis and Artie Oleda (Jones) Butler.  His father worked as a bookkeeper with an income of $1100 in 1939. 

After entering the Army, Bobbie was assigned to B Company 116th Infantry and was with that unit for the D-Day amphibious assault at Omaha.  He was killed in action on 2 Jul 1944.

PVT Butler is buried in the Normandy American Cemetery. 

1LT George Earl Davolt

1LT George Earl Davolt was born 25 Jan 1915 in Macon County, Missouri to Frederick and Willa Jo (Lake) Davolt.  He married Gladys Elsie Valentine and they had a son and a daughter.

After entering the service in 1937, George was assigned as the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) at the University of Kansas. He was sent to Officer Candidate Training at Fort Benning, Georgia and commissioned as a 2LT in October 1942. He went to more training and then overseas.  Already a 1LT, he reported to B Company 116th Infantry as a platoon leader on 19 Jun 1944.  1LT Davolt was killed in action on 2 Jul 1944.

1LT Davolt rests forever in the Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery in Leavenworth, Kansas. 

Gladys was living in Fort Leavenworth after the war and re-married. 

PVT Hubert Wall McKelvey

courtesy of Ann Elizabeth Conway

PVT Hubert Wall McKelvey was born 19 Jul 1920 in Grant, Alabama. He and his twin brother Herbert Wall McKelvey were the youngest of the 5 children born to Thomas Alvin and Ruby Lee (Medlin) McKelvey. His father farmed. His father was only 40 when he died in 1927. Ruby would remarry. Hubert would marry Marjorie Lucille Parker in January 1940.

Hubert was driving a truck when he was drafted in January 1943. After completing training as a medic, Hubert was sent to England and assigned to 104th Medical Detachment. On 15 Jun 1944 he was assigned to the 116th Medical Detachment. On 19 Jun 1944 he was attached to Headquarters 1st Battalion 116th Infantry to work in their aide station. PVT McKelvey was killed in action on 2 Jul 1944.

PVT McKelvey was repatriated in 1949 and re-interred in Maple Hill Cemetery in Huntsville, Alabama.

Grandfather, Richard Henry Medlin, served as a CPT in E Company 37th Tennessee Infantry (CSA). Great-grandfather, John Nelson Martin, served as a CPT in D Company 35th Alabama Infantry (CSA). Henry J. Hulsey, served as a PVT in I Company 42nd Tennessee Infantry.