ROBERTS, JAMES C. Sept 14, 1944 age 19 KIA Italy

JAMES CHARLES ROBERTS  b. July 9, 1925 d. Sept 14, 1944 Killed in Action Italy

Pvt 36880762 Army 338^th Inf Reg 85^th Inf Div



Buried Florence American Cemetery, Florence, Italy



17145 Archdale

Parents: William & Mabel C. (Vizina)

Sibling: Harold, Bernard, Roland, twins Frances & Phyllis
Spouse: Doris Marie Endine Sopha
 

This Michigan family lived together in their Archdale home for many years. By 1940 oldest son Harold had moved but the father in law moved in. Father William was a mechanic in an auto garage; in 1940 both Mabel and son Bernard worked assembly at an auto factory. They owned their home.

James did his draft registration July 9, 1943 in Detroit when he worked at Chicago Rawhide Co. He was 175 lbs, 5’11” with blue eyes and blonde hair. The 85^th Infantry Div, ‘Custer Division’ was an all draftee infantry division.

On Feb 12, 1944 he married Doris Sopha in Detroit. Her brother James also worked at the Chicago Rawhide Co. Now the Sopha family is interesting with their complex cross border connections. Her father Dolph Sopha was born in Sanilac Co., MI as Adolph Sauve, but lived and farmed in Ontario. His parents were French Canadian but they were married, lived and died in Sanilac Co. By completing American Consular documents reporting children born abroad, Dolph ensured they had American citizenship. Those were decades before dual citizenship was even a remote possibility.

Then William followed with the 338^th Infantry to Italy. It was at Mount Altuzzo that the regiment proved its mettle. A significant point of defense in the German Gothic Line, the 3,000 foot peak overlooked the eastern flank of the Il Giogo Pass thru the mountains north of Florence. On Sept 13, 1944 the 338^th attacked the mountain. Despite heavy losses and a desperate defense by the Germans, they made significant gains against enemy positions on the western slope. They overran the mountain’s lower defenses. On to Rome for the rest of the regiment without William.

He received a Bronze Star and Purple Heart.

338th end of Sept in Rome