1LT Herbert R. Holleman

1LT Herbert R. Holleman was born about 1896 in Suffolk, Virginia to John Lee and Eva Leonard (Wood) who had moved there from North Carolina. In 1910 his father was working as a blacksmith in Suffolk.  The second of 4 children (3 boys and 1 girl), Herbert seems to have had a normal childhood for the time.  He never married and had no children.  Assigned to A Company 116th Infantry, 1LT Holleman was killed 8 Oct 1918, just 2 days before fellow officer 2LT Blackham.  1LT Holleman is buried in the Faith Tabernacle Cemetery in Highland Springs, Virginia.

PVT Demian Zeludko

PVT Demian Zeludko was born in 2 Sep 1892 in Zeshui, Russia.  Demian arrived in the U.S. in February 1915 having come through Canada. He apparently was a carpenter who worked for Jackson Cushion Spring Company in Jackson, Michigan.  He was living in Jackson, boarding with Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Gryczko of 1032 North Blackstone Street.

When he was drafted, Demian was assigned to L Company 116th Infantry.  He sailed for France aboard the USS Finland, departing Hoboken, New Jersey on 15 Jun 1918 and docking in France on 28 Jun 1918.  The regiment trained in trench warfare and then went into the line.  A big push was begun in the Verdun sector on 8 Oct 1918 and PVT Zeludko was first reported missing that day but later confirmed as killed, likely by the statements of other members of L Company.  His body was not recovered. 

PVT Zeludko is memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing at the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery. 

PVT William King

PVT William King was born 2 Jul 1890 in New York, New York the first-born of John and Catherine (Jolly) King.  We think that father John was a teamster and he apparently died about 1908. In 1910 William was working on the docks.  The family lived for many years at 50 or 150 Cherry Street.

After William entered the army in 1918 he was assigned to H Company 116th Infantry.  He was with the unit when it sailed for France aboard the USS Finland in June 1918.  PVT King was killed in action on 8 Oct 1918.

We think that PVT King was repatriated and is buried in the New York area.

PVt Robert Lee Lafferty

PVT Robert Lee "Bus" Lafferty was born in September 1895 in Lacrosse, Arkansas to James Frank and Julia M. (Ward) Lafferty. The family resided in Lacrosse, Arkansas where his father worked as a blacksmith.

On a hot mid-August day in the year of the 1901 drought, Frank Lafferty with his wife Julia (Ward) Lafferty left La Crosse, Izard County, Arkansas by way of wagon-drawn by horses or mules owned and driven by Bob or Pete Wilkerson. Their children at the time were Fannie, Robert Lee, Emmett Lee, and Hester Lee. (If this is the correct year Hester was only six months old) She was born the 1st day of Feb 1901. They left behind two daughters. Edith was the name of one of them. They died at a very young age. Mr Wilkerson told Emmett, in the early 30's, that he never thought that he (Emmett) could complete the trip because of a very high fever, (don't know what kind of fever.)

When arriving at Lead Hill they moved into a house owned by the Penix Family and Frank after arriving at Lead Hill he worked at a cotton Gin and also at  a Flour and feed Mill, probably owned by the Milum Family. (Frank was probably a miller by trade since there was a Lafferty Mill on Lafferty Creek in Izard County. He was also a blacksmith and a boatsman. There move could have been made because Julia's folks were living at Lead Hill at the time. Julia's mother and three sisters are buried in and near Lead Hill.

After a short time at Lead Hill they moved to Kenner, Boone County, Arkansas, where a railroad was being built. Frank set up his blacksmith shop as the work on the railroad was done by hand using horse drawn slips to build and shape the railroad bed in order to lay the ties and rail. After the railroad was completed they moved back to Lead Hill where he may have worked in the Blacksmith shop for a while.

They moved to the Blackwell farm in 1904 or 1905 (This is near Monark, Marion County, Arkansas.) After starting to farm Frank made one crop and had begun another when he died on this farm in 1906. He died apparently of a fever cased from drinking contaminated water from a large spring on this farm. (Beavers were living in a cave out of which the spring was flowing). Robert Lee (Bus) was old enough at this time to help out with the farm work , such as driving the teams of mules and oxen for plowing.

After Frank's death times were very hard and the only work that Julia could find was doing washing's and fire building for the school.
                                 
After induction, Robert was assigned to I Company 116th Infantry.  He trained with the unit at Camp McClellan, Alabama.  The unit departed Hoboken, New Jersey aboard the USS Finland on 15 Jun 1918 and debarked in France on 28 June.  PVT Lafferty was killed in action as recounted in this letter:

My Dear Mrs. Lafferty:

It is with deep sympathy in your bereavement we send you this record which we have received from Paris concerning the death of Pvt. Lafferty. Our informant is Pvt. Herman Lee, whose home is Timberville, Va. Under date of Jan. 13, he made the following statement to one of our Red Cross Searchers: "We went over the top for the first time on October 8th and were advancing over No Man's Land in line of skirmishers and had gone about two hundred yards when a large shell struck along-side Pvt. Lafferty, on his left and killed him instantly. I did not stop as the attack had just begun and I do not know where his body was buried, as we did not come back in that direction for several days. For the exact location of the grave we suggest you write direct to Chief Graves Registration Bureau, Headquarters, Service of Supply, American E.F. , A.P.O. 717, France. Wherever possible, photographs of the graves are taken and sent to the families, to our Bureau, and if one is sent of Pvt. Lafferty's burial place, we shall of course, forward it to you promptly. Reverently we think of the sacrifice you have made to our country though this soldier and assure you we feel it a privilege to help you in any way we can.

Yours sincerely W.R. Castle, Jr.

PVT Lafferty's body was apparently not recovered and he is memorialized on the tablets of the missing at the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery.

Brother, Emmett Lee Lafferty, served as a SGT in World War One. 

PVT Salvatore Guinto

PVT Salvatore Guinto was born December 1893 in San Cataldo, Provincia di Caltanissetta, Sicilia, Italy.  Salvatore arrived in the U.S. in 1914. He lived with his uncle, Guiseppe (aka Joseph) Guinto, at 5 Rivington Street, New York, New York in 1918.

Salvatore was drafted and entered the Army on 4 May 1918 at Fort Slocum, New York.  He was first assigned to the 6th Recruit Company. On 9 May 1918 he was reassigned to K Company 116th Infantry.  He may have trained with the unit at Camp McClellan, Alabama for a short period before the unit was sent to Hoboken, New Jersey where they boarded the USS Finland for the trip to France.  The unit underwent more training before being moved to the front.  PVT Guinto was killed in action on 8 Oct 1918.

PVT Guinto is memorialized on the tablets of the missing at the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery.

PVT Joseph Quattrosische

courtesy of Ann Cady

PVT Joseph Quattrosische was born about 1896 in Sorone, Italy. He had a sister, Francesca, who was still living in Italy in 1918.

Joseph was drafted on 2 May 1918. He was sent to France aboard the SS Lapland on 14 Sep 1918. It is likely that he was already ill from the voyage when he was assigned to H Company 116th Infantry and was soon evacuated, eventually to a hospital in Liverpool, England where he died of pneumonia on 6 Oct 1918.

PVT Quattrosische was repatriated in 1920 and re-interred in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.

NOTE: Joseph's name seems to have been misspelled often.

PVT Edward Doyle Northrop

PVT Edward Doyle Northrop was born 10 Oct 1887 in Albemarle County, Virginia the 2nd of 8 children of Edmunds Francisco Ximenes "Frank" and Lydia Vesey (Coles) Northrop. The family farmed in Albemarle County. In 1917, Edward was working as a brakeman for Southern Railway Company and living in Orange County, Virginia.

After entering the Army, Edward was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company 116th Infantry.  He was sent to France with the unit aboard the USS Finland in June 1918.  PVT Northrop died on 5 Oct 1918.

PVT Northrop was repatriated and re-interred in the Oakwood Cemetery in Charlottesville, Virginia.

PVT Ollie Davis

PVT Ollie Davis was born 13 May 1895 in Hollytree, Alabama.  He was the 6th of 9 children born to John Patrick and Wilham Amanda (Berry) Davis. The family farmed and by 1917 Ollie was farming for himself.

Ollie was inducted and designated as a replacement for combat losses. He sailed for France aboard the SS Walmer Castle departing New York City on 20 Jun 1918. We think that PVT Davis was assigned to L Company 116th Infantry sometime between 1 Jul 1918 and mid-September. After the 116th underwent trench warfare training the unit was put into a "quiet" sector for further training. It was shortly after that PVT Davis was wounded and died of his wound(s) on 20 Sep 1918.

PVT Davis was repatriated and re-interred in the Davis Cemetery in Jackson County, Alabama.

Ollie's father served in K Company 4th Tennessee Cavalry (CSA) during the Civil War. 

PFC Francis Edwin Brown

PFC Francis Edwin Brown was born 18 May 1896 in Scaly Mountain, North Carolina to Edwin P. and Mary Etta (Hoden) Brown. His family farmed.

Francis had moved to Virginia where in worked in a guncotton plant at the time he registered for the draft.  A member of the 4th Virginia Infantry when Virginia mobilized, he was assigned to E Company 116th Infantry.  PFC Brown was wounded and later died of his wound(s) in the 116th Field Hospital on 13 Sep 1918.

PFC Francis was repatriated and is buried in the Wesley Chapel Cemetery in Dillard, Georgia.

PFC Rubin Pete Gardner

PFC Rubin Pete Gardner was born in 1899 the son of George Washington and Cora Lee (Worrell) Gardner.

After entering the service, Rubin was assigned to E Company 116th Infantry.  PFC Gardner died of wounds on 6 Sep 1918.

His body was returned and PFC Gardner is buried in Cypress Chapel Christian Church Cemetery in Suffolk, Virginia.

PVT Vester D. Hall

PVT Vester D. Hall was a member of C Company 116th Infantry when it was training at Camp McClellan, Alabama. He shipped out to France with that unit on 15 Jun 1918 and died from and accidental gun shot wound in France on 2 Sep 1918.  He is buried in the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery.

His only known surviving relative was Virgie Leona "Lena" (Hall) Cook and she died of pulmonary tuberculosis in January 1920.

PVT Clyde Ramon Burton

PVT Clyde Ramon Burton was born in 2 Feb 1895 in Culpeper, Virginia the youngest of 3 children born to Edward and Octavia (Sullivan) Burton.  His mother died 2 years after his birth and his father apparently died before Clyde turned 15.  It seems that Clyde was then passed on to others to raise as he is not with his father in 1917

Clyde gave his occupation as farmer in Leon, Virginia  on 5 Jul 1917 when he enlisted in B Company 2nd Virginia Volunteer Infantry for Mexican border duty. Recalled for duty in Europe, PVT Burton trained with the Regiment at Camp McClellan and Anniston, Alabama before boarding the USS Finland for the trip to France.  His sister was listed as next of kin on the ship's manifest. PVT Burton was killed in action on 31 Aug 1918.

PVT Burton found his final rest at the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery.

CPL Herbert William Fowlkes

CPL Herbert William Fowlkes was born in November 1892 in Haytokah, Virginia to Rufus C. and Alice (Anderson) Fowlkes.  The family farmed.  Alice died 22 Sep 1895 and Rufus remarried a year later.

Herbert enlisted in E Company 2nd Virginia Volunteer Infantry on 26 Jun 1916.  He was still assigned to the unit when it was mobilized and re-organized as part of F Company 116th Infantry. CPL Fowlkes was aboard the Finland when the 116th shipped out for France on 13 Jun 1918.  CPL Fowlkes was killed in action on 26 Aug 1918.

CPL Fowlkes was repatriated and re-interred in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.

CPL William H Newman

CPL William H Newman was born in January 1897 in Waynesboro, Virginia. He was the 5th of 7 children born to John William and Annette "Nettie" Catherine (Gardner) Newman. His father supported the family as a laborer.

After entering the service, William was ultimately assigned to A Company 116th Infantry.  He sailed with the unit to France aboard the USS Finland.  The ship departed Hoboken, New Jersey on 15 Jun 1918 and arrived at the port of Saint Nazaire, France on 28 June 1918. The unit underwent training in trench warfare before being put into the line in a "quiet" sector.  It was here that CPL Newman was killed in action on 24 Aug 1918.

CPL Newman is buried in the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery.

Brother, Charlie Brown Newman, also served in the Army during the war.

PVT Dale Shively

PVT Dale Shively was born 26 Aug 1888 in Madison County, Indiana the 4th of 5 children born to John Wesley and Melissa (Strader) Shively. His father farmed but died in 1915. Dale moved to Indianapolis, Indiana in April 1915.

John entered service 29 Mar 1918 in Indianapolis, Indiana. He was sent first to Camp Taylor, Kentucky then transferred to Camp Gordon, Georgia and assigned to 19th Company, 2nd Infantry, Replacement Regiment. John was then transferred to Camp McClellan, Alabama and assigned to G Company 116th Infantry. He was shipped overseas whith his unit aboard the USS Finland on 15 Jun 1918. Accidentally killed 22 Aug 1918, "Somewhere in France."

PVT Shively was repatriated and now rests forever in the IOOF Cemetery in Alexandria, Indiana.

Father, John Wesley Shively served in A and E Companies of the 155th Indiana Infantry during the Civil War.

Supply SGT Bedford C. Lam

Supply SGT Bedford C. Lam was born 19 Sep 1896 in Alleghany County, Virginia the only son of Charles Davis and Anna Eliza (Moore) Lam. His father was a policeman in Covington, Virginia.

Bedford first enlisted in H Company 1st Virginia Infantry on 1 Dec 1914 at the age of 18.  His mother signed the permission because he was not yet of age. PVT Lam was still with the unit when it was reorganized for Federal service to form H Company 116th Infantry.  He was with the unit for training at Camp McClellan and when it sailed for France in June 1918.  Because of his experience he was eventually put in a position of responsibility as the unit supply sergeant. SGT Lam died of disease on 1 Aug 1918. 

Supply SGT Lam was buried in the Saint Mihiel American Cemetery.

PVT Alphus C. Robey

courtesy of Doc Wilson

PVT Alphus C. Robey was born 5 Jan 1895 in Alexandria, Virginia the 3rd of 6 children of Alpheus and Anne Elizabeth (Miller) Robey.  His father was a waterman and Alphus followed him into that work. The family lived at 114 Duke Street in Alexandria.

Alphus enlisted in G Company 1st Virginia Infantry and served on the Mexican border and was then one of those men assigned D Company 1st Virginia before it was reorganized as part of H Company 116th Infantry.  He trained with H Company at Camp McClellan and Anniston, Alabama.  He sailed with the unit from Hoboken, New Jersey with H Company on 15 Jun 1918 aboard the USS Finland.  PVT Robey was accidentally shot and killed on 25 Jul 1918. 

PVT Robey was repatriated and re-interred in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.

Older brother, Walter Everett Robey, served as a PFC in H Company with Alphus. Walter died in 1958 and is buried in Alexandria National Cemetery in Alexandria, Virginia.

PVT Enos D. Lewis

PVT Enos D. Lewis was born about 1890 likely in Henrico County, Virginia.  He was a member of B Company 116th Infantry when he died of disease on 7 Jul 1918.

PVT Lewis is buried in Riverview Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia.

PVT Howard Francis Doucette

PVT Howard Francis Doucette was born 25 Jul 1899 in Somerville, Massachusetts to William James and Clara Flora (Warner) Doucette.  His father was a house painter who died in 1907 of kidney disease. After his father's death, his mother worked as a chambermaid in the college dorms and as a domestic/house servant.

It would seem that there is some confusion about Howard's service.  He apparently served with the 104th Infantry, 26th Division and may have enlisted with that unit at the onset of the war because it was local to his residence.  PVT Doucette was killed in action on 6 Jul 1918.

PVT Doucette is buried in Aisne-Marne American Cemetery.  Brothers, William Clyde Doucette and Arthur Frederick Doucette, also served in the Army during the war. 

PVT Doucette is listed here because he was reported by then MAJ Hierome Opie in the "official" history of the regiment in the war as dying in service with the regiment.  However, there are no other records found to date that indicate that he was assigned to any other unit than E Company 104th Infantry. 

PVT Walter Samuel Arey

courtesy of Paul Davis Fair

PVT Walter Samuel Arey was born 29 Dec 1886 in Hinton, Virginia. He was the only child of George Washington "Pet" and Malinda Jane (Ray) Arey. Malinda was George's second wife and the family farmed near Ottobine, Virginia. Walter married Katie Francis Tasker in December 1905 and the couple had a son, Golden Lee Arey, in 1907. Walter also supported his family by working in the timber industry.

The couple may have already divorced when Walter enlisted in D Company 2nd Virginia Infantry on 20 Apr 1917 in anticipation of the federalization of this Virginia National Guard unit. Katie was remarried in June 1917. Walter served in the unit as a cook and went with the unit to Camp McClellan, Alabama. He died there of disease on 6 Jan 1918.

PVT Arey was brought home very quickly and interred in the Mount Clinton Mennonite Church Cemetery in Mount Clinton, Virginia. 

After Walter's death, Golden went to live with his paternal grandparents. 

PVT Phillip Fechuch

PVT Phillip Fechuch was born Philimon Fechuch in Cleveland, Ohio most likely late 1927 or early 1928 but his true date of birth is obscured. He may have been born in January 1928 although many official documents give 5 Dec 1922 and some researchers extrapolate it as being 5 Dec 1927. It is no wonder that there is some confusion about this young man's life. He was most likely the 5th of 6 children of Matthew and Anna (Gutz) Fechuch. It was the 2nd marriage for both of his parents and both were immigrants, Matthew from Russia and Anna from Poland. Phillip had two older half-siblings from his mother's first marriage. Matthew seemed to have attained the American dream. He had immigrated in 1911 and by 1930 he owned a home valued at $3000 and was working as a punch press operator in a local factory. The couple lost 2 children in infancy in 1924. Anna died in December 1931. Matthew remarried soon after. Phillip's education didn't continue past the 4th grade. In 1942 Phillip was arrested for vagrancy in El Paso, Texas and he told police he was 17 although he would have been 14 and reportedly looked to be 14. He soon went to New York where he registered for the draft and gave his correct place of birth but also the date of birth of 5 Dec 1922. He gave his height as 6-foot and weight as 137 pounds. His height might explain how he was able to convince people that he was older than he was. He may have been working as a driver.

Phillip was drafted in June 1943 while he was living in New York City. Like every other draftee he would have been given basic military training before any further assignments. PVT Fechuch would have been assigned to a unit about 5 months or so after in-processing. We don't know to which unit he was assigned but we do know that he was in hospital in January 1944 (bronchitis; cardiac disease; nervous disorder), February 1944 (enteritis) and November 1944 (diagnosed with tuberculosis) and returned to duty every time. The enigma of this young man's life continues as he is first recorded on the morning report in E Company 116th Infantry on 3 Dec 1944 as returning from hospital and as a SSG serving as a squad leader but many of the following entries over the following months are correcting his rank, first to SGT and then to PVT, and his duty position from squad leader to rifleman. PVT (after corrections) Fechuch is noted as being missing in action on 8 Dec 1944. E Company was engaged in fighting at Koslar, Germany. Official military records give the date of death as 6 Dec 1945 although this was long after Germany's surrender in May of 1945. It is more likely that this is a clerical error and it was determined that his actual date of death was most likely 6 or 8 Dec 1944. His body was not recovered. There appears to have been some record that PVT Fechuch was the recipient of a Bronze Star but we can find no record of the citation.

PVT Fechuch is memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing in the Netherlands American Cemetery. 

The photo shown is purportedly of Phillip but might not be of him, we are uncertain of the source. His father Matthew served as a PVT in France during WWI in C Company 4th Ammunition Train.

MG Kenton Harper

MG Kenton Harper was born in 1801 in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania to George Kenton and Nancy (McClintock) Harper. He was the first of their two sons and his father was for many years the editor of The Franklin Repository, a newspaper published in Chambersburg. Kenton worked in the newspaper office learning the trade and not long after the age of twenty-one he moved to Staunton, Virginia and in 1823 began publication of his own paper, The Spectator which he did for sixteen years. During the administration of President Millard Fillmore, Kenton became an agent to the Indian Territory and after than a "confidential" assistant to the Secretary of the Interior. He also served in the Virginia House of Delegates representing Augusta County. 

Appointed as an officer of the Virginia Militia he was, in 1861, a Major General (MG) of the militia and had command of forces that captured Harpers Ferry. On reorganization of the Confederate States military he accepted a commission as Colonel of the 5th Virginia Infantry, commanding the unit at Falling Waters and First Manassas. He resigned his commission when Jackson would not give him leave to visit his dying wife but later accepted a position as Colonel in the Virginia reserves and was present at the battles of Piedmont and Waynesboro.

MG Kenton Harper died at his home, "Glen Allen", on 25 Dec 1867. He now rests forever in the Thornrose Cemetery in Staunton, Virginia.

Son, Samuel Calhoun Harper, served as Quartermaster Sergeant in the 62nd Virginia Mounted Infantry (CSA).

PVT Herschel Paul Smith

PVT Herschel Paul Smith was born 25 Apr 1924 in Jeromesville, Ohio. He was the youngest of Walter Clarence and Ethel May (Marietta) Smith's 6 children. Walter supported his family by farming on a rented farm near Vermillion, Ohio but by 1940 had to move to Washington, Ohio where he rented a house for $8 a month and worked as farm labor for other farmers earning $430 in 1939. Herschel attended Loudonville High School and then worked at farming with his father. Herschel married Ruby Louise Sparr in March 1944.

10-days after his wedding, Herschel was drafted in April 1944. He attended his basic military training in Camp Robinson, Arkansas which is just outside North Little Rock. His wife was able to be there for the 17-weeks of his training. PVT Smith was then sent to the European theater and transferred from the 86th Replacement Battalion to B Company 116th Infantry on 25 Oct 1944 where he was to serve as a rifleman. This was in the rehabilitation area in the vicinity of Finkenrath, Germany. The unit would remain there until 16 Nov 1944 when the regiment began the attack on German forces in Baesweiler, Germany. PVT Smith was killed in action in Baesweiler on 17 Nov 1944.

PVT Smith was repatriated in 1948 and re-interred in the Loudonville Cemetery in Loudonville, Ohio.

Brothers Walter Clarence Smith Jr and Kenneth Eugene Smith both served. Kenneth would die on 24 Oct 1950 as a result of his wound(s) received in Italy.

SGT Edgar Noland Dudley Embrey

courtesy of Hope

SGT Edgar Noland Dudley Embrey was born 15 Jan 1918 in Middleburg, Virginia. He was the 6th of the 7 children of Harvey Copeland and Mariah B. (Kirby) Embrey. His father supported the family by working for other farmers. Edgar found the same work by 1940 when the family was living in Fairfax County. Together, father and son had a reported income of 1939 of $1380.

Edgar was drafted in May 1941. It was probably soon after that he was sent to Fort Meade, Maryland and assigned to F Company 116th Infantry. He trained with the unit there and in the Carolina maneuvers before going to Camp Blanding, Florida and then to England in September 1942. Once in England the regiment trained intensely for the amphibious assault planned as a part of the effort to liberate occupied Europe. PFC Dudley took part in that attack and on 20 Jun 1944 was promoted to SGT. SGT Dudley was seriously wounded on 29 Jun 1944. He was evacuated to hospital and dropped from unit rolls. He was ultimately evacuated to COMMZ, arriving at Kennedy Hospital on 25 Sep 1944. SGT Dudley died of complications from his wound(s) on 25 Jun 1945.

SGT Dudley rests forever in Ivy Hill Cemetery in Upperville, Virginia. 

1LT Verne Vosburg Morse

1LT Verne Vosburg Morse was born 24 Oct 1918 in Oil City, Pennsylvania. He was the 4th of 5 children of Wycomo Edward and Ethel Cornelia (Vosburg) Morse. His father worked as a conductor on the Pennsylvania Rail Road for many years. The family lived at 107 Allegheny Avenue in Oil City and 512 Jackson Street in Reynoldsville. Verne was able to graduate from high school. While his father earned $2000 as a conductor in 1939, Verne only earned 1/10th of that or $200 as a grocery clerk in 1939. When he registered for the draft in October 1940, Verne was employed by American Stores Company in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. 

Verne voluntarily enlisted in the U.S. Army on 27 Jan 1942. It was probably during his initial training or first permanent assignment that he was identified as being "officer material" and sent to officer candidate school. He also had to deal with family tragedy as both of his parents died at separate times in 1943. Sometime after commissioning he was sent to England and on 1 Jun 1944 was assigned to D Company 116th Infantry as part of the "plus up" of officers for the amphibious assault. Whether or not he ever had an opportunity to train for the event is unknown but he performed his duties very well indeed and he was promoted to 1LT and awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.

MORSE, VERNE V. Citation: The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Verne V. Morse (0-1292044), First Lieutenant (Infantry), U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as a Platoon Leader in an Infantry Company of the 116th Infantry Regiment, 29th Infantry Division, in action against enemy forces on 6 June 1944, at Normandy, France. In the initial assault upon the cost of France, First Lieutenant Morse landed with his platoon in the face of heavy enemy rifle, machine gun and artillery fire. This intense fire pinned the men down on a narrow beachhead, inflicting numerous casualties with resultant disorganization. In the reorganization and preparation of his platoon for attack, First Lieutenant Morse fearlessly and with complete disregard for his own safety, on numerous occasions exposed himself to the direct enemy fire. He then led his platoon in a successful assault upon the enemy positions. The personal bravery and superior leadership demonstrated by First Lieutenant Morse exemplify the highest traditions of the military forces of the United States and reflect great credit upon himself, the 29th Infantry Division, and the United States Army. Headquarters, First U.S. Army, General Orders No. 29 (June 29, 1944) Home Town: Jefferson County, Pennsylvania.

 

His  heroics did not end and on 1 Jul 1944 he received the Bronze Star. Just 5 days later, on 6 Jul 1944, he was wounded and evacuated to hospital in England where he spent the next 3½ months recuperating. He was returned to D Company on 4 Nov 1944 and in actions in November and December 1944 earned 2 more awards of the Bronze Star. On 18 Jan 1945 he was sent on temporary duty to the replacement depot returning to D Company on 7 Feb 1945. He then continued to serve in D Company as a Platoon Leader until transferred to C Company 116th Infantry to serve as Company Commander effective 12 Mar 1945. The last action C Company saw was on 3 May 1945, at the Elbe River. Some time after that 1LT Morse contracted meningitis and was sent to hospital where he died of the disease on 5 Jun 1945. 

 

1LT Morse rests forever in the Netherlands American Cemetery. 

Both of Verne's brothers also served in the U.S. Army in Europe during the war.