MCKITTERICK, JOHN E. JR April 1945 age 26 KIA Germany

JOHN EDWARD MCKITTERICK, JR. b. 1919 Detroit d. Apr. 1945 Killed in Action Germany

Pfc 7032789 Army Med Tech

Buried: possibly Grand Lawn

Parents: John Edward 1889-1945 B. Hamilton, Canada & Nancy Elizabeth (Woodruff) 1890-1977
Sibling: Mark Louis 1921-1988
Spouse: Viola Carolyn Conway, Detroit

In WWI, father John served in U.S. Battery 330^th Field Artillery, Wagoner S/N 2,042,076 (the numbering system for enlistees was different). Single when he registered for the draft he was tall with light blue eyes and light brown hair; he worked as a door paneler for Fisher Body Corp.  He was March 31, 1919 he sailed from Brest, France on the R.M.S. Pannonia bound for the States. John fought as a Canadian, becoming a naturalized citizen only in 1943.

17608 Northrup

The elder John married Nancy Woodruff June 23, 1917 in Redford, both a Village and a township in 1917, separate entities from Detroit. Woodruffs were a well known Redford family living in the heart of the Village at Waterford Rd. and Lahser. In 1920 they had their own home at 22200 Six Mile (former Waterford Rd.), in less than 10 years moved to 17608 Northrup. The Six Mile home was likely torn down for expansion of Redford Ave Presbyterian church and the other still stands. These were in my former neighborhood in Old Redford.

Graduation 1939

John Jr. graduated from Redford June 1939, then worked as a driver for a grocery store. He enlisted 1940 and served in the Medical Section Corps Area Service Command Unit no. 1962 at Fort Ord, Ca. 





Med Tech Gas Mask Training

He was part of an original cadre that left Ft. Ord July 1942 by train to Camp Carson, Colorado Springs. A Medical Technician MOS 409 he performed various medical duties to assist Medical Officers in care and treatment of sick, injured or wounded. Gives medical treatment to casualties and prepares them for evacuation. Completion of Medical Technician course at Army School or equivalent experience required.

 While in the Army he married Viola Carolyn Conway Oct 6, 1943 in Detroit. She lived near his neighborhood at 17232 Fielding. They may have attended Redford together, she was only 2 years younger.

Information about where he may have served is pretty general:

The 1st Medical Group, while in Europe, would serve under the Ninth Army Surgeon. The group moved to the Boston Port of Embarkation and on 7 October 1944 sailed for France aboard the transport Mount Vernon.12 About two weeks prior to their departure, the group staff had been informed that they would be assigned to the U.S. Ninth Army, already in Europe. While the word of their assignment was spread among the officers, the men had no idea of their destination.
It’s difficult to find to which Army unit he may have been attached once in Europe. In April 1945 the war was nearly over, Allied troops were in Germany. And so was John, killed in action.

Viola remarried April 1950.