SSG Amos Ryland Buchanan

SSG Amos Ryland Buchanan was born in Mecklenberg County, Virginia in 1920.

Amos was a member of the Chase City National Guard unit when it was federalized on 3 Feb 1944.  Assigned to E Company 116th Infantry at the time of the D-Day amphibious assault on the beaches of Normandy, France,  he was wounded by shrapnel in his right leg on 30 Jun 1944 but remained on duty.  On 18 Jul 1944 he was promoted to SSG and on the same day was sent to hospital with a non-battle injury.  On 26 Jul 1944 he returned to the unit.  On 4 Aug 1944 he was wounded again and sent back to the hospital. We don't know when he was returned to the unit but he was with the unit when killed in action on 3 Dec 1944.

SSG Buchanan is buried in the Netherlands American Cemetery.

PVT Elden Lawrence Kuehn

PVT Elden Lawrence Kuehn was born 19 Jan 1922 in Saint Paul, Minnesota to Herman August and Esther Lucy (Wolff) Kuehn. His father worked as a finisher in a furniture factory and as a laborer for the Works Progress Administration.

After entering the Army and completing basic training, Elden was sent to Europe and transferred from the replacement depot to F Company 116th Infantry on 24 Oct 1944. PVT Kuehn was injured but not in combat on 3 Nov 1944 and evacuated to hospital. He was returned to the unit from the replacement depot on 29 Nov 1944.  PFC Kuehn was killed in action on 3 Dec 1944.

PFC Kuehn was repatriated in 1949 and is buried in the Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

His brother, Robert Gene Kuehn, served as an Army PFC during the war.

PVT Harold Beck

PVT Harold Beck was born 23 Sep 1925 in New York City to Milton and Esther (Spector) Beck.  Harold was their only child.  Milton was a clerk for the US Postal Service. 

Harold was drafted in November 1943.  It appears that he was assigned to B Company 116th Infantry before D-Day and survived uninjured until 14 Sep 1944 when he went to hospital.  He returned to B Company on 15 Nov 1944.  Originally thought to be missing in action he was found to have been killed in action on 3 Dec 1944. 

PVT Beck's body was repatriated and he is buried in the Long Island National Cemetery. 

Milton Beck had served in WWI as a Corporal in C Company 137th Engineers and is also buried in the Long Island National Cemetery.

SSG Richard Henry Shuttleworth

Richard in 1939

SSG Richard Henry Shuttleworth was born 29 Sep 1922 in Camp John Hay, Philippines. He was the first-born of 2 children and only son of MAJ William Swann and Willian E. (Bell) Shuttleworth. His father was an Army dentist. As with most military families, they moved quite a bit. The family would live in the Philippines, Highlands and Plattsburg, New York and San Francisco, California before moving to Monterey, California. Richard attended Galileo High School in San Francisco, graduating in 1939. Richard was still unemployed but attending college and living in Pacific Grove, California when he registered for the draft in June 1942.

Richard had managed to complete 3-years of college when he was drafted in January 1943, After his basic military training he must have exhibited leadership potential because he was a CPL when transferred from the replacement depot to G Company 116th Infantry on 24 Oct 1944. He was promoted to SSG on 1 Nov 1944. He fought with the unit in the vicinity of Aachen and was wounded on 27 Nov 1944 but remained on duty. SSG Shuttleworth was killed in action on 3 Dec 1944 as the regiment worked to clear the west bank of the Roer River.

SSG Shuttleworth was repatriated and re-interred in the Golden Gate National Cemetery in San Bruno, California. His parents are also buried there.

TSGT Parley Carlos Plaster

TSGT Parley Carlos Plaster was born 26 Mar 1913 in Swords Creek, Virginia. He was the oldest of the 5 children born to Henry Clinton and Mary Elizabeth (McGlothlin) Plaster. His father owned the farm on Big Lick Road (later known as Road Number 83) near Swords Creek that supported the family. By 1940, Parley and his brother Henry were working as coal miners as did most of their neighbors.

After local National Guard units were federalized in February 1941 there was a large call-up of men who had registered for the draft. Due to policies in place at the time, those men were sent to regional training centers where the likelihood of being assigned to one of those "local" National Guard units was better than later in the war. Parley and his younger brother Henry were drafted on 18 Apr 1941 and both were assigned to I Company 116th Infantry. They would then train with the unit at Fort Meade, Maryland, in the Carolina maneuvers and at Camp Blanding, Florida. He was then sent with the unit to England aboard the Queen Mary and trained there for the amphibious assault that would take place on 6 Jun 1944. SSG Plaster was wounded on 8 Jun 1944 and evacuated to hospital. He did not return to the unit until 19 Sep 1944 when he was transferred from the replacement depot. Parley was promoted to TSGT on 28 Oct 1944. he fought with the unit until 3 Dec 1944 when he was struck by shrapnel from a bouncing betty mine and killed in action during an attack on the Sportplatz outside Koslar, Germany.This was reportedly the same mine that killed PVT Ewal Garrett.

TSGT Plaster was repatriated in 1948 and re-interred in Plaster Cemetery in Swords Creek, Virginia.

Brother, Henry Jackson Plaster, was drafted with Parley and served with him in I Company 116th Infantry. Henry was wounded but survived the war. Their grandfather, Henry Lafayette Plaster, served as a PVT in G Company 29th Virginia Infantry (CSA) in the Civil War. Great-grandfather, Christopher Columbus Richardson, served as a PVT in G Company 14th Kentucky Cavalry (CSA).

SGT Edward R. Cawley

SGT Edward R. Cawley was born 21 Jul 1918 in Forty Fort, Pennsylvania to John Francis and Catherine H (Higgins) Cawley. Edward's grandparents, John and Bridget (Nallon) Cawley, had immigrated from Ireland.  Edward's father died in August 1925 when Edward was only 7.  Working as fire boss there was an explosion of gas in the mine and he suffered 3rd degree burns over his entire body.   In 1940 several of the children were working to support the family of 8 and reportedly earned $2090 in 1939.

Drafted in February 1943. He was shipped overseas in mid-September 1944. He was assigned to G Company 116th Infantry on 29 Oct 1944.  SGT Cawley was killed in action 3 Dec 1944.

Younger brother John Francis Cawley Jr served in the Navy during the war (1942-1946 and was overseas 39 months). John Francis served in Motor Torpedo Boat Squadrons 19, 23 & 16.

His mother died in 1948. 

PFC Henry Andrew Jones

PFC Henry Andrew Jones was born 24 Jun 1920 in Polk, Missouri to Louis Calvin and Mary Evylena (Mattingly) Jones.  His father farmed and died in 1938 of heart disease.

Henry was drafted in September 1943. Sent to Europe he was transferred from the replacement depot to I Company 116th Infantry on 7 Aug 1944. On 5 Sep 1944 Henry was promoted to PFC.  PFC Jones was killed in action on 3 Dec 1944. 

PFC Jones is buried in the Netherlands American Cemetery.

Brother Randall Raphael Jones served Cannon Company 289th Infantry and was awarded the Bronze Star. Brother Philip Floyd Jones also served in the army during WWII.  Brother Pius Bernard Jones served in the Army from 1946 to 1947.

PFC Tillman Howard Waller

courtesy of Kathleen Englebretson

PFC Tillman Howard Waller was born 30 Sep 1912 in Taylor, Wisconsin. He was the 5th of 8 children born to Henry and Amanda Petrine (Matson) Waller. His father supported the family by farming in Jackson County, Wisconsin. After he turned 18, Tillman decided to look elsewhere for work and found employment in Washington and Oregon in sawmills. In 1940 he was working for E. B. Miller in Corvallis, Oregon. 

When he was drafted in July 1942, Tillman was working in King County, Washington. After his basic military training he was sent to England and assigned to G Company 116th Infantry. He would have trained with the unit for the amphibious assault that was planned as part of the effort to liberate Nazi occupied France. He took part in the D-Day assault and managed to avoid injury until 2 Sep 1944 in Brest, France. Wounded by shell fragments in a foot, PFC Tillman was evacuated to hospital. He was not discharged until October and returned to G Company via the replacement depot on 16 Nov 1944. PFC Waller was then transferred to B Company 116th Infantry on 20 Nov 1944. PFC Waller was killed in action on 3 Dec 1944 in the vicinity of Koslar, Germany. 

PFC Waller was repatriated in 1948 and re-interred in Riverside Cemetery in Black River Falls, Wisconsin. 

Brothers Walter Edwin Waller and Herman M. Waller also served in the U.S. Army during WW2.

SSG Melvin America Flammia

SSG Melvin America Flammia, b. 23 Jun 1924 - d. 3 Dec 1944. Son of America and Margaret Mae (Hall) Flammia of Richmond, Virginia. Melvin is on our right with an unidentified friend (a SSG) in England. He was drafted in Jan 1943 and ultimately assigned to E Company 116th Infantry.  Promoted to SGT on 18 Aug 1944 and to SSG on the day of his death, 3 Dec 1944.  SSG Flammia rests in Forest Lawn Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia.

Melvin was wounded on D-Day and is shown (but seldom identified) in one of the iconic photos of wounded from that day. This is the second photo we have in which SSG Flammia has been identified (he would have been a CPL or PFC in this photo). He is in the center of the picture. The man facing the camera in front has been identified as Nick Fine.

PVT Ewal Earman Garrett Sr.

courtesy Des Philippet

PVT Ewal Earman Garrett Sr. was born 4 Jan 1913 in Wise County, Virginia to Gilmer and Etta Cordelia (Brooks) Garrett.  His father was a coal miner in 1920 but was farming by 1930.  Ewal married Bonnie Jean Francisco on 25 May 1939, they already had a daughter in January 1939, and was working on a farm according to the 1940 census.

After entering the service, Ewal was assigned to I Company 116th Infantry on 29 Oct 1944.  PVT Garrett was killed in action on 3 Dec 1944 when he was struck by shrapnel from a bouncing betty mine during an attack on the Sportplatz outside Koslar, Germany.

PVT Garrett was buried in the Netherlands American Cemetery.  Bonnie did not re-marry.

TSGT Robert William Andrews

TSGT Robert William Andrews was born in February 1918 in Illinois to Henry William and Lydia Maria Sophia (Ellinghausen) Andrews.  His father worked as a carpenter and so was Robert in 1940.  The family was thus able to have an income of over $3300 in 1939.

Robert was drafted in June 1941.  We do not know to what other units he had been assigned but he was a SGT when transferred from the replacement depot to L Company 116th Infantry on 3 Sep 1944.  The morning report notes his promotion to SSG on 1 Nov 1944 and he was a TSGT when killed in action on 3 Dec 1944.  I should note that it appears that it is believed he was killed by a sniper.  We can not confirm that. 

TSGT Andrews is buried in Trivoli Cemetery in Trivoli, Illinois.

PFC William Austin Harper Jr.

PFC William Austin Harper Jr. was born 13 Jan 1920 in Iowa City, Iowa the 3rd and youngest child of William Austin and Ruby J. (Ham) Harper.  His father was a machinist and reported a 1939 income of $1300.  In 1940 William Jr. was working as a driver for a Purity Bakery and reported a 1939 income of $380. In June 1940 he married Charlene June Ford. He then went to work as an ambulance driver for the Yellow Cab Company in Iowa City.

William was drafted in March 1943.  After training he was sent to Europe and on 19 Jun 1944 transferred from the replacement depot to F Company 116th Infantry.   On 11 Jul 1944 he was wounded by artillery fire and evacuated to hospital. William returned to the unit from the replacement depot on 28 Oct 1944.  He was killed in action on 3 Dec 1944.

PFC Harper is buried in the Netherlands American Cemetery.

William and Charlene had no children.

PVT August William Vetter

courtesy of PollysGranddaughter

PVT August William Vetter was born 6 Jul 1924 in Kansas City, Missouri. He was the only child of August W. and Clara Marie (Hettinger) Vetter. His father was a fireman on the Wabash Railroad but died in 1928 of complications from strep throat. His mother re-married. August's step-father, Olando Lawrence Schnitzmeyer, was a foreman in a local quarry who reported a 1939 income of $2300. A pretty good income at the time, Olando was able to support a growing family which included August's 2 half-sisters born in 1937 and 1939. August found work in Omaha, Nebraska with Eaton's Metal Products which produced variety of tanks and pipes. 

August was drafted in late 1943 or early 1944. After completing his basic military training PVT Vetter was sent to the European theater and England. He was transferred from the replacement depot to G Company 116th Infantry on 19 Jun 1944 to serve as a rifleman. It was during this time period that the regiment took in a large number of replacements after the losses of the first 2 weeks of combat in France. PVT Vetter then fought with G Company as the regiment participated in the battles at Saint-Lo, Vire, Brest, Aachen and Koslar. PVT Vetter was killed in action during operations to clear the west bank of the Roer River.

PVT Vetter was initially buried at Margraten Holland but repatriated in 1948 and re-interred in the Jefferson City National Cemetery in Jefferson City, Missouri.

PVT Ross Phillips Eldredge

PVT Ross Phillips Eldredge was born 27 Jan 1908 in Preston, Idaho to Horace and Hannah Annora (Phillips) Eldredge.  His father farmed. Ross married Ruby Lavina Hayward on 17 Nov 1928.  In 1930, father and son worked as laborers. In 1940, Ross and Ruby were living with her parents and they reported a combined income of $1006 for 1939. 

Ross was drafted in March 1944.  He had been working for a food packer so that might be one reason he was drafted relatively late in the war.  Trained and sent overseas, he was assigned to B Company on 10 Oct 1944.  He was injured on 29 Oct 1944 seriously enough to be sent to the hospital and not return to the unit until 29 Nov 1944.  PVT Eldredge was killed in action on 3 Dec 1944.

PVT Eldredge is buried in the Dayton Cemetery in Dayton, Idaho. He and Ruby had no children. Ruby remarried. 

PFC Henry Ogle Burnett

PFC Henry Ogle Burnett was born 4 Jul 1915 in Asheville, North Carolina to Fred G. and Elizabeth W. Burnett. Fred worked in a cigarette factory and farmed. When he could, Henry worked as a laborer on road construction.

Drafted in April 1941, Henry was ultimately assigned to E Company 116th Infantry.  We aren't certain at this time but it appears that he came ashore with the unit on D-Day and survived unscathed until he was killed in action on 3 Dec 1944.

PFC Burnett is buried in the Piney Mountain Baptist Church Cemetery in Weaverville, North Carolina. 

PFC Vernon W. Pillen

PFC Vernon W. Pillen was born 22 Apr 1922 in Platte Center, Nebraska. He was the oldest of the 9 children born to Henry W. and Otillie Kunigunda "Gunda" (Melcher) Pillen. The family farmed near Burrows, Nebraska. Sister Thelma died in infancy in 1931. Vernon worked on the family farm and we know that he cut off part of his middle finger (which hand is unclear) in 1936 while working.

His finger injury didn't disqualify Vernon for service and he was drafted in December 1942. He was sent to Camp Claiborne, Louisiana for his initial military training and in May 1943 was granted a furlough in conjunction with his transfer to Camp Howse, Texas. In February 1944, Vernon got another 10-day furlough. He was then transferred to the European theater. He went to England and then to France and was transferred from the replacement depot to B Company 116th Infantry on 16 Jun 1944. PFC Pillen fought with the unit until wounded on 5 Jul 1944 and was evacuated to hospital. He returned to the unit via the replacement depot on 5 Sep 1944. He then fought with B Company in the attacks on Brest and Aachen. PFC Pillen was killed in action in the vicinity of Julich, Germany on 3 Dec 1944.

PFC Pillen was not repatriated until 1950 when he was re-interred in Saint Patrick's Cemetery in Platte Center, Nebraska.

SSG Samuel Marinaro

SSG Samuel Marinaro - b. 12 Oct 1923 - d. 3 Dec 1944. Son of Emmanuel and Margaret E (Reisch) Marinaro, Samuel was born in Pittsburgh, PA (his father was from Sicily). He graduated from Peabody High School and enlisted 15 Feb 1943. On 14 Aug 1944 he was assigned to F Company 116th Infantry as a Private and wounded 1 Sep as the unit moved to capture Brest and promoted to Sergeant. He was wounded again 15 Oct 1944 and promoted to Staff Sergeant the next day. He was wounded again 26 Nov 1944 and again returned to duty and was still assigned to F Company when he died. SSG Marinaro was survived by his parents and sister Carmela Emma Marinaro. This photo was taken from his high school yearbook. SSG Marinaro is buried in the Netherlands American Cemetery.

PVT Edward John Wiacek

courtesy of Des Philippet

PVT Edward John Wiacek was born 3 Apr 1925 in Syracuse, New York. He was the youngest of the 6 children born to Polish immigrants Ludwik and Stefania (Pawlowska) Wiacek. The family had been renting the house at 112 Wall Street in Syracuse since before 1920 and their broader extended family also lived on the street. Ludwik worked as a moulder in a foundry for all those years, earning a reported 1939 income of $700. Edward was able to attend 2-years of high school before beginning work.

Edward was drafted in April 1944. Starting at Fort Dix, New Jersey, PVT Wiacek completed his basic military training and was sent to the European theater. He was transferred from the replacement depot to G Company 116th Infantry on 26 Oct 1944. PVT Wiacek was killed in action on 3 Dec 1944. 

PVT Wiacek rests forever in the Netherlands American Cemetery.

Brother, Walter Joseph Wiacek, served in the U.S. Army from 1942 to 1945. 

SSG Jean Herbert Painter

courtesy of LAB

SSG Jean Herbert Painter was born 23 Jan 1915 in High Park, Pennsylvania. He was the first of the 2 sons born to Herbert Cleveland and Rose (Yurt) Painter. His father worked for a glass manufacturer in Hempfield, Pennsylvania for many decades. He was eventually able to buy a home on Baughman Avenue in Hempfield that was valued at $2000 in 1940. Jean and his younger brother Edward worked at the same works by 1940. Their father reported a 1939 income of $1275, Jean earned $372 and Edward $20 but Edward had been unemployed for 13 weeks.

Jean registered for the draft in 1940 but wasn't drafted until January 1944. After completing his basic training he was sent to Europe and soon assigned to G Company 116th Infantry. Jean was promoted from PVT to SSG on 1 Nov 1944. He must have demonstrated strong leadership skills for this to have been done. Initially reported missing, SSG Painter had been killed in action on 3 Dec 1944.

SSG Painter was repatriated and re-interred in the Brush Creek Cemetery in Irwin, Pennsylvania and rests there with his immediate family.

Younger brother, Edward Glenn Painter, was drafted in 1942 and served in the Army until 1945.

PFC Archie Ray Friend

courtesy of D. G. Keener

PFC Archie Ray Friend was born 9 May 1922 in Preston County, West Virginia. He was the 4th of the 5 children born to John Wesley and Myrtle Elizabeth (Bolyard) Friend. His father supported his family on a farm he owned southwest of Rowlesburg, West Virginia in Green Valley. Archie grew up to work the farm with his father. 

Archie was drafted in March 1944. After completing his basic military training he was sent to the European theater and transferred from the replacement depot to G Company 116th Infantry on 29 Oct 1944. PFC Friend was killed in action on 3 Dec 1944 in the vicinity of Julich, Germany. 

PFC Friend was not repatriated until 1951 and he was re-interred in the Etam Cemetery in Etam, West Virginia near his parents.

PVT Frederick van Dorn Fowler

PVT Frederick van Dorn "Van" Fowler b. 25 Aug 1916 - d. 1 Dec 1944, son of Frederick James and Gretchen (Wertz) Fowler he was born in Hot Springs, Arkansas and drafted 25 March 1944. His real name was Frederick Van Dorn Fowler but he apparently went by "Van" is entire life. He reported for duty with A Company 116th Infantry while they were engaged at Aachen, Germany and was killed during the drive on Julich. PVT Fowler is buried at the Netherlands American Cemetery.

PFC Francis Neal DeWitt

PFC Francis Neal DeWitt was born 10 Dec 1924 in Anderson, Indiana to Lester Anderson and Martha Ellen (Hasitt) DeWitt.  A note on spelling of the family name.  It is common to spell this and other such names different ways depending on the person recording the name and DeWitt appears as "de Witt", "De Witt", and "Dewitt". 

Neal attended Alexandria-Monroe High School graduating in 1943. 

He was drafted in July 1943 and on 9 Sep 1944 assigned to A Company 116th Infantry.  Neal (that's what his family called him) was promoted to PFC on 21 Sep 1944.  According to the morning report he was thought to be missing in action 19-29 Oct 1944.  PFC DeWitt was killed 1 Dec 1944. 

PFC DeWitt rests forever in the New Albany National Cemetery in New Albany, Indiana.  

PFC Marshall Lavoyd Ray

PFC Marshall Lavoyd Ray was born 17 Dec 1924 in Okemah, Oklahoma. He was the oldest of the 7 children born to Daniel Cleborne and Ina Sythena (Hudson) Ray. Both his parent's families had moved to the area in the 1870s. His father did odd jobs and worked as a driver to support his family.

Marshall was drafted, probably in the latter half of 1943, and probably married Dorothy Dixon in that year. It is even possible that he was able to see their son who was born in January 1944 before he was sent overseas to the European theater. PVT Ray was transferred from the replacement depot to D Company 116th Infantry on 9 Aug 1944 near Vire, France. He would fight with the unit as it fought near Aachen, Germany and it was near there that he was promoted to PFC on 9 Oct 1944. As D Company moved deeper into Germany PFC Ray became a non-battle casualty and sent to hospital on 7 Nov 1944. He was returned to D Company from the replacement depot on 23 Nov 1944. PFC Ray then served with the unit until killed in action on 1 Dec 1944.

PFC Ray was repatriated and re-interred in Lightning Ridge Cemetery in Roff, Oklahoma.

PVT Joseph Harold Spooner

courtesy of Des Philippet

PVT Joseph Harold Spooner was born 15 Mar 1912 in Keeseville, New York. He was the only son and youngest of the 2 children born to Joseph and Malvina (Rougia) Spooner. His father worked as a day laborer before going to work for the city of Plattsburgh, New York where the family rented a place at 4 Allen Street for $15 a month. The younger Joseph married Georgianna Garrow in April 1933 and the couple lived in a home they owned at 100 Wall Street in Plattsburgh whicch was valued at $200 in 1940. They would eventually have a total of 8 children. In 1940 Joseph was supporting his family by working for the Works Progress Administration on a road construction project and reporting a 1939 income of $434.

Joseph was drafted in April 1944. After his basic military training he was sent to the European theater in late September 1944 and then transferred from the replacement depot to A Company 116th Infantry on 25 Oct 1944. He was with A Company for the fighting at Aachen, Baesweiler and Julich in Germany. PVT Spooner was killed in action near Koslar, Germany in the fighting to clear the west bank of the Roer River.

PVT Spooner rests forever in the Netherlands American Cemetery and there is a cenotaph to his memory in Saint Peter's Cemetery in Plattsburgh, New York.

PFC Charles William Quinlin

PFC Charles William Quinlin was born 17 Apr 1944 in Augusta, Kentucky. He was the youngest of the 4 children, all sons, born to Stanley William and Emma (Jett) Quinlin. His father worked in a garage in Augusta and later in bridge maintenance. Charles was working for L. V. Marks in 1942 and then moved to Cincinnati, Ohio to work in a shoe and boot factory.

Charles was drafted in October 1943. After completing his basic military training PVT Quinlin was sent to the European theater. On 9 Aug 1944 he was transferred from the replacement depot to D Company 116th Infantry as a machinegunner. On 9 Oct 1944 he was promoted to PFC. PFC Quinlin fought with the unit until 1 Dec 1944 when he was killed in action.

PFC Quinlin was repatriated in 1949 and re-interred in the Mount Zion Cemetery in Brooksville, Kentucky.