GAYNOR, ROBERT E. March 4, 1945 age 24 KIA Iwo Jima

ROBERT EDWARD GAYNOR  b. June 18, 1920 Kentucky d. Mar 4, 1945 

Killed in Action

Iwo Jima

Pvt 944825 Marines Co. A 1^st Bn, 26^th Mar Reg, 5^th Mar Div

23530 Sunnyside

Buried Arlington Cemetery, Virginia

Parents: George W & Edna Sarah (Gittings)
Siblings: George W, Mary Liliian, Floyd D & Lloyd C.
Spouse: Glendora Betty Thompson

The parents and Robert were born in Kentucky. They came to Michigan in the 1920’s and soon owned their home at 23530 Sunnyside. This is very close to where I grew up, just on the Detroit side of the original Redford cemetery along the Rouge River. It is the sort of street that’s out of the way where people dump things, but the house is still there is good shape.

After Robert left high school he worked as a mechanic. He married Canadian born Glendora Betty Thompson June 1, 1941 in Detroit; they lived at 15813 Deering in Livonia. He worked at Cadillac Motor Car Co. when he registered for the draft July 1, 1941. He stood 5’9”, 178 lbs with blue eyes and brown hair. It was May 1944 when he enlisted in the Marines.

Boot camp was in San Diego. Then he shipped out to the Volcano Island, home to Iwo Jima. The Battle of Iwo Jima, Operation Detachment was a major battle from Feb 19 to March 26 1945. The US fought for and captured Iwo Jima to get the two completed airfields and one incomplete. They could be brought into service for emergency landing by B-29 Superfortress heavy bombers damaged over Japan. After the heavy losses incurred in the battle the strategic value of the island became controversial.

Robert was initially buried at Kazan Retto Cemetery on Iwo Jima, the 5^th Marine Div cemetery. The US Govt returned the island to the Japanese in 1968 after the bodies of the men in the 3^rd, 4^th and 5^th Division cemeteries were removed to the U.S. Robert was buried in Arlington in 1949.

(Glendora remarried 1946.)

 

 

BROWN, GORDON Feb 4, 1943 age 26 DNB Tunisia

GORDON MILNER BROWN b. June 3, 1916 d. Feb 4, 1943 Died Non Battle Tunisia

2^nd Lt O-663589 Army Air Corps 434^th Bomb Squad 12^th Bomb Group Heavy

 

Buried North Africa American Cemetery & Memorial, Carthage, Tunisia

Parents: Gordon Scouler & Hazel Louise (Milner)

Siblings: Kenneth, Allan, Donald H, Thomas W

17790 Trinity

19241 Lancashire

While father Gordon was born in London, Ontario; his family immigrated to the US shortly after his birth. Hazel was born in England and she moved to Canada in 1910. They married July 1915. Gordon was already a bookkeeper in 1910 and later worked as an accountant and then auditor at an auto factory. Their houses improved as did his employment. From 727 sq ft at 17790 Trinity they moved with their 5 sons to 1,900 sq ft in North Rosedale on Lancashire. In the 1940’s the parent moved to Howell.

Young Gordon granduated from Redford and attended Mariette College in Ohio for 2 years before he enlisted June 28, 1941. He was 5’6” at 133 lbs. Dec. 1941 he was at Fort Houston, Texas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

His squadron was re-equipped with modern B-25 Mitchell medium bombers in California in April 1942 after which they were deployed to Egypt to support British forces in the Western Desert Campaign. Their ground personnel were transported by ship around the Cape of Good Hope to India then on to Cairo. Aircraft were flown via the transcontinental route to Morrison Field, Florida the fitted with long range auxiliary fuel tanks before departing to South America. Then they crossed the Atlantic to Liberia then north across central Africa to Cairo via Khartoum. Much different than today’s long range planes.

From Aug 1942 to June 1943 the 434^th supported the British Eighth Army as they advanced into Tunisia and later participated in the invasion of Sicily and Italy.

There is no information on the accident that caused his injuries. Gordon received a Purple Heart.

Their High School - Redford High School

First a short summary on relevant history to provide background info, short and sweet.

Michigan was part of the Northwest Territory back in 1787. The Territory underwent divisions into states and then counties that started as broad swaths of the Michigan area. Wayne County went from the Detroit River to the other side of the area. As settlers came in and there were enough residents to provide a minimal government structure the counties increasing became smaller in the southern tier of Michigan. Then the land survey of 1818 took place in order to divide the land into parcels that could be sold primarily to pay of war debt from 1812. The township range system is a very practical method of dividing counties into township of 36 square miles. They each get a unique identifier, such as T1S, R10E for Redford. Redford was founded in 1833; the state established in 1835.

The First Redford Township High School

Each township was authorized to determine whether to maintain a local school. Redford soon had 10 separate school districts. There was no high school and any student who wanted to continue after grammar school went to Detroit with the Township covering the fee. In 1913 Detroit raised the fee to discourage non-residents; that year the Township had to pay for 13 high school applications. So in 1914 they constructed a two story building on Grand River at Six Mile Rd., the first Burt School. But it was so large, people thought. By 1921 it was too small and a new school was built across the street, the first section of Redford High School. This area around the school was the heart of the township, Sand Hill. It was the commercial hub, had the upscale neighborhoods, movers and shakers lived here  and was centered on Grand River Ave, a major thoroughfare. It grew quickly while the rest of the township remained rural. South Redford School District didn’t even have a high school until 1957. 

1921



But residents of the fast growing Sand Hill and Rosedale neighborhoods lamented the poor roads and cash strapped school system. They envied the wonderful improvements in Detroit next door. So the citizens in 1926 voted in favor and 2/3 of the township was annexed by Detroit, including the schools located there. The township lost the high school and several elementary schools which became part of the Detroit Public School system. Even the president of the Redford Union district Board of Education left with the schools.

So for several years Township students again had to go to high school in Detroit. It was 1931 before the township had a temporary high school combined in an elementary school.  A new Township high school was finally constructed 1941.



Pewabic Tile Drinking fountain

Meanwhile Redford school underwent several additions and improvements over the years to accommodate the fast growing populace. Oddly placed staircases had to accommodate sections from different construction periods. And some corners of the school were just plain weird to get to. The school was located on a main bus route (there was no public bussing – they walked). For much of its history it was a premier Detroit school. Students came from wealthy Rosedale Park, blue collar Brightmoor, and all the neighborhoods in between. There were college prep classes, ROTC, and vocational instruction.

RHS 1948

 

The information is taken from the book “Redford Township, Michigan an Early History in Photos” which provides a detailed account of the township history. An entire chapter focuses on schools.

 

The New Memorial Plaque



Unclear is what geographic area the school covered and whether students could easily attend high schools outside their neighborhood. Some of the Memorial Plaque students seemed to live in far areas of Detroit.  As for nearby high schools: MacKenzie 1928-demolished 2012, Cooley 1928-closed 2010.

Another situation evident when researching these students was an assumption made that everyone graduated so had a senior photo in the yearbook. This is based on modern day thinking. In actuality prior to WWII completion of high school was a bit of a luxury. Consider that during the 1930’s Depression many chose employment over school as evidenced in the census data. Also prior to WWII Detroit was quite a boom town with all those new factories expanding offering jobs and steady pay; those same factories 40 years later contributed to its decline.

Redford was closed 2007. Demolished 2012. Today a Meijer complex is on the site. Truthfully, current Detroit is better served with a retail store rather than a school.

RANK, LAWRENCE DALE Dec 5, 1944 age 19 KIA Surigao Strait, P.I.

LAWRENCE DALE RANK  b. May 16, 1925 Redford d. Dec 5, 1944 Killed in Action

Surigao Strait,  Philippines Islands

Radioman 3c LSM 8627636 USNR

17586 Trinity

Buried Greenwood Cemetery, East Tawas, Michigan

Parents: Christopher C. & Hazel May (Boomer)

Lawrence was the only child of Chris and Hazel. They lived on Trinity for some 20 years. Chris was an interior decorator. In 1930 they had a boarder living with them.

Hazel Rank

Larry had been in a minor auto accident on the day he was to take a college exam which may having exempted him from the draft. His father Dhris demanded he apologize and make amends to the owner of the car he damaged. Because he missed taking this exam he was drafted, and eventually killed. This story was told by Larry’s Uncle D.C. McCormick to his son Dallas.

 

Larry graduated from Redford June 1943 and enlisted Aug 27, 1943. He attended radio school in Evanston, Ill. A newspaper notice reports he visited his parents on March 2, 1944.

 

USS LSM 23

In the Navy he served on a Landing Ship Medium. Muster rolls show him as being on USS LSM-23; 8 were KIA in Surigao Strait on Dec 5.  LSM 23 was in service after the war. The photos show LSM 20 sunk in Surigao Strait after hit by a Japanese Kamikaze attack on Dec 5. It was hit just aft of the conning tower some 3 feet above the water line. With the loss of 8 enlisted men and the wounding of 9 others. While Rank’s LSM 20 was not sunk, the photos show the action in the Surigao Strait that day.



LSM 20 sinking

Larry was reburied in the East Tawas cemetery in 1949.



 

Photos of Navy ships:  http://www.navsource.org/archives/10/14/14020.htm 

 

MCALLISTER, MELVIN Aug 15, 1945 age 29 DNB France

MELVIN ROY MCALLISTER  b. Dec 9, 1945 Becher, Ont, Canada d. Aug 15, 1945

Died Non Battle Europe/France

S Sgt 36509930 Army Air Force Base Unit 1411

Buried Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia

 

Parents: Harry & Harriett (Booth)

Siblings: George, Wilfred B., Francis Henry
Spouse: Doris Mary (Branch)
Children: Donna Marie, Melvin R., James H., Patricia Anne

The entire Canadian McAllister family (excepting Francis who was born later) crossed the border from Canada in 1927. Their father crossed previously and had a U.S.  address of 15107 Bentler. He worked as a metal finisher in the auto factory.

After Melvin attended Redford, He married Doris Mary in 1934 and they lived at 15474 Blackstone. He became a naturalized citizen. Melvin was 6’ at 174 lbs with brown hair and brown eyes when he registered for the draft Oct 16, 1940. By that time he had had 4 children and was a welder for Chrysler Corp. His youngest two children died before they reached one year.

In April 1944 the Army Air Forces developed a new organization known as the Army Air forces Base Unit to standardize unit designations assigned to bases. The 1411 Base Unit was at Istres Air Base near Marseille, France. When the combat united moved north into eastern France Istres was used by Air Transport Command as a transshipment point for supplies and Allied personnel being administratively controlled by the 1411^th AAFBU. At the end of the war Istres was used as a staging point between Occupied Germany and Morocco for air transport of personnel back to the United States. It was returned to full French control in October 1945.

Wife Donna remarried 1947, divorced in 1951.

Initially buried at Luynes-Aix-En-Provence Melvin was returned for reburial at Arlington Feb 28, 1950. He is buried next to his brother Wilfred, also on the memorial plaque.

 

WEHN, CHARLES Nov 4, 1944 age 19 KIA Italy

CHARLES “BUD” A. WEHN  b. 1925 d. Nov 4, 1944 Killed in Action Italy

Sgt 36585284 Army Air Corps 451^st Bomber Group Heavy, 727^th Bomber Squad



Buried Holy Selpuchre Cemetery, Southfield, Michigan

Parents: William W. & Josephine (Kiefer)
Sibling: Rose





William W. Wehn

Josephine Wehn

His parents were children when they immigrated with their families circa 1902-1909; they came from what was the Austrian Empire before WWI after which members states declared their sovereignty. They spoke German. William’s family farmed in Unionville, Tuscola Co., hers was in Cleveland. But at one point they both resided Unionville and married 1921 in Caro. I know that area well having relatives there who emigrated before 1900. Then they went to Detroit where William lived in 1920. By 1940 they were in their home 16186 Woodbine.

The 451^st Bomb Group operated with the 15^th Air force Jan 1944 – May 1945 functioning primarily as a strategic bombardment organization.

Bud was on the crew of a B-24H #42-95239 piloted by William R. Young.  The B-24H was the first production version of the Liberator to be built with a nose turret. On Nov 4, 1944 the group took off for Kufstein, Germany on mission number 144It was a successful raid, but two planes received intense and accurate anti-aircraft fire. The one plane left the formation after crossing the Adriatic and crashed into a mountain in Italy. Their remains were discovered after the war. 11 crew died. MACR 9677. He received an Air Medal and Purple Heart.

      

Mission Report



OURY, NOEL A. Nov 26, 1944 age 22 KIA Germany

NOEL ARMAND OURY  b. Dec 25, 1921 Cochrane, Ont., Canada d. Nov 26, 1944

Killed in Action Germany

2^nd Lt Co-Pilot O-1998532 Army Air Force 852^nd Bomb Squad 491^st Bomb Group

Buried Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia

Parents: Harry Michael & Mary

Sibling: George LaVerne

This family demonstrates some real cultural diversity. Both parents were born in England. Harry came alone on a ship in 1913 from England to Portland, ME, final destination Toronto.  Mary was Irish and lived in Toronto. One year old Noel arrived with his mother on June 24, 1923 in Detroit by ship from Canada join Harry already in Detroit. Harry became a mill operator at Ford Motor Co. They moved around the city same as several other families here. From Washburn to Woodmont and back to Washburn. Perhaps this was wan effect of the Depression and changing employment circumstances.

Noel registered for the draft Feb 16, 1942 in Detroit; he worked as a newspaper station supervisor and also was a student at Michigan State College. At State College his sport was fencing. He stood 5’9”, 140 lbs with hazel eyes and brown hair. In August 1942 he entered the service from Henrico, Virginia so he shows up in records having Virginia residency.

Nancy

On July 1943 he had a landing accident in a PT-17 at Parker Aux Field, Florida. In 1944 he was stationed at Westoverfield, Mass. That same year in March he married Nancy Bolling Williams from a socially prominent Richmond, VA family. The wedding announcement in the newspaper describes her as ‘one of Richmond’s loveliest debutantes’.

SN 42-110167 Firebird

Then he was stationed at the base in Norfolk, England. Noel was on the crew of a B-24J Liberator, SN 42-110167 “Firebird”, piloted by 1^st Lt. Daniel C. Budd. The Misburg Riad was scheduled for Nov 26, 1944. The objective for the 491^st  was the one remaining oil refinery still in production at Misburg. This would mark the second latgest air battle of WWII. The target was no stranger to the Group – it was over Misburg on Sept 12 that the 491^st lost 2 planes but that was over two months ago; they weren’t losing planes these days. This strike would require deeper penetration into Germany than any of the other targets scheduled the next day.

Here is an Air Force training film about the B-24 Liberator:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeQKXS7HEik



Briefing was at 0530 and by 0904, thirty-one planes were up and forming. At 1012, one craft aborted with a gas leak, and shortly after the formation left the English coast at 1030, another aircraft turned back with no radio. Little is known of the events aboard ‘Problem Child’, ‘Firebird’ or Cloughley’s plane. Of the 28 men manning these 3 planes 24 were KIA. German records do state that the wreckage of these aircraft, together with Warczak’s from the low squadron, were so close together that it was impossible to determine what bodies belonged to what B-24. Thirty-one B-24s were dispatched that day – 3 turned back, 28 reached the target, 16 never returned.

 

Misburg Refinery

Noel was buried at Arlington in a grave with other crew in 1950. Note the Remarks: he is buried in a common grave.

(Nancy remarried 1952 to a man whose name was actually Fauntleroy.)

RICH, JOHN. Jan 1, 1945 age 20 DOW Belgium

JOHN ' Jack' LINDSEY RICH b. Jan 10, 1924 Des Moines, Iowa d. Jan 1, 1945 Died of Wounds

Bois De Magery Woods, Acul, Belgium

Pfc 3656442 Army C Company, 55 AIB, 11^th Arm Div



16145 Pierson

Buried Luxembourg American Cemetery, Luxembourg

 

Parents: John Lindsay & Mae Ann (Caldwwell)

Siblings: Robert John, Elizabeth, Jean

The family came from Iowa in the 1920’s. John and Mae married in Ohio. John was an insurance agent and served in the Army as a Lieutenant. He died in 1939 of pneumonia. They lived at 16145 Pierson; bet that big silver maple was there a when Jack lived there.In the 1940’s the family lived at 15440 Evergreen with Mae’s mother. The house now has a dense evergreen stand blocking any street view.

Young Jack did his draft registration Jan 30, 1942 in Detroit, 5’7” 139 lbs with brown eyes and hair. He was employed at Stinson Aircraft.

Training Photo

The 55^th Armored Infantry Battalion left Guignicourt, France on Dec 29, 1944. They moved to Ebly, Belgium and on to Vaux Les Rosieres. The next day they attacked with the objective of getting the high ground near Acul. The attack succeeded and they pressed on to take Acul despite strong German resistance.

He received a Purple Heart.

 

CHAMBERS, RICHARD H Sept 28, 1945 age 21 DNB Manila

RICHARD HARRIS CHAMBERS  b. 1924 China d. Sept 28, 1945 Died Non Battle Manila

2^nd Lt O-1061648 Army Air Corps Hdg Base 10^th US Air Forces Western Pacific

Buried Manila American Cemetery, Philippines

Rev R.E. Chambers in China

Parents: Rev. Dr. Robert Edward & Christine (Cottage)

Sibling: Ralph, Christine, Lois; step siblings: Robert E. Jr, Wm W., Muriel, Henry M.

Chambers has a story worthy of a movie script. His parents were Southern Baptist missionaries in China. The Rev, born 1870 in Virginia, went with his first wife, Julia Trainham  in the 1890’s. They had 4 children when Julia returned to Pennsylvania in 1916 and died of breast cancer 1917. Then about 1918 he married  the 15 years younger Christine Cottage. She left Texas 1914 also to be a missionary in China in 1914. At that time Americans abroad has to file various documents with the local US consul; especially useful are attestations of birth abroad by children of US citizens. Robert’s oldest son worked in china for Tobacco Products Corp, an American company. He subsequently moved quite a bit around the States.

In the 1920’s the Rev and Christine had 3 children. Richard was born in 1924. Their father died in 1924 in China of pneumonia. His body was later disinterred for burial in Virginia. Christine and her children stayed on in China; she taught English at the University of Shanghai.

At the end of the 1930’s their situation became tenuous with the invasion of China by Japan. The summer of 1937 Richard was at YMCA camp 400 miles from Shanghai when the camp was closed due to pending war. His mother and sisters unable to meet him at a designated rendezvous at Kuling as trains were jammed with Chinese troops. Richard was a slight, scholarly boy of 13. The American consul at Tsingtao put him on the ship Phyllis Soto where he paid one dollar to gain status as a passenger. Hardly did they get out of port before Richard was in the galley peeling potatoes; partly this was that he didn’t want to be alienated from the crew.

The ship first hit a typhoon soon after leaving port and had to dock in Yokohama. Amazingly Richard’s mother and sisters were also on a ship at Yokohama at the same time. But they had no way of knowing the other’s presence.

The ship left Japan only to encounter another typhoon. It emerged with some 8 feet of water in a hold resulting in a distress call before it got to Hawaii. It towed to port. The crew considered Richard to be a jinx on their voyage. Richard continued to Los Angeles on a different ship.

High School 1941

Meanwhile his mother was able to establish Richard’s whereabouts through the state Dept and other agencies; she contacted family friends to meet him in Los Angeles. There he finally had a letter from his mother and would be reunited with her in Detroit, where Robert Jr. lived.

He attended Redford. His mother was busy including giving a lecture on Feb 7, 1938 at the Redford Woman’s Club, the international relations division. The chairperson of the group was Mrs. Fred Dye, who with her husband lived 4 houses away from my Detroit home. It continues to be surprising how little we know of the many people crossing in and out of our lives; in hindsight needed to be more open to the lives of others.

Christine went back to china in 1937. For a time he lived with his stepbrothers family at 16724; Robert was now a credit manager for a finance company. Richard graduated Redford in 1941 then attended University of Michigan. His mother had returned and sister Christine married in 1942 and lived in Ann Arbor also.

After his life’s experiences it is no surprise he joined the Detroit Air Corp Nov 2, 1942. He was 5’7” and 142 lbs. He served in the southwest Pacific, Headquarters Base X as a coast artillery radar officer. He died in an airplane crash.

STACKABLE, THOMAS P. June 19, 1945 age 23 DNB Camp Gordon

THOMAS PATRICK STACKABLE  b. Jan 6, 1922 d. June 19, 1945 Died Non Battle

Camp Gordon, Georgia

Pfc 36529370 Army Quartermaster Unit

Buried Grand Lawn Cemetery, Detroit

Parents: David & Ella (Platz)

Siblings: David Jr, Dorothy, Kenneth, Warren, William

It was a family of Michiganders. On the 1940 census the family have occupations that are straightforward: Dad is a lineman for City Light & Power, Warren works as a station attendant in a gas station, Kenneth drives a truck for an auto distributor and Thomas is a pinsetter at a bowling alley. Work was simpler and more manual. The house at 17207 Heyden where they lived so many years is gone, what once was a very nice neighborhood dotted now with overgrown lots.

It seems back in the 1920’s the families not only were larger, but had more male children. For the Stackables 4 of their 5 children were boys! Curious whether statistically males outnumbered females in the first half of the 20^th Century. Of course the war quickly changed the ratio in favor of females.

Thomas registered 29 June 1942 when he worked at Detroit Furnace Co. He was 5’11” and 160 lbs with hazel eyes and brown hair. He spent 15 months stationed in Alaska.

From May 1945 until April 1946 Camp Gordon, near Augusta, Georgia, was the U.S. Army Personnel and Separation Center. They processed some 86,000 personnel for discharge from the Army. History of the Camp along with plenty of photos can be found on this blog post: https://taipeisignalarmy.blogspot.com/2015/05/ww2-and-new-camp-gordon-augusta-ga.htmln 

The Quartermaster Unit is responsible for supplies; they kept the troops fed and with fuel. Within the unit is the Graves Registration Service. There is a separate blog post with information about this necessary wartime service.

 

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Thomas was killed in a truck accident at Camp Gordon.

PIERSON, GEORGE J. June 9, 1945 age 22 KIA Okinawa

GEORGE JAMES PIERSON  b. Nov 13, 1922 Michigan d. June 9. 1945 Killed in Action Okinawa

Pfc 36917439 Army 383^rd Inf Reg 96^th Inf Div Co H

Buried White Chapel Memorial Cemetery, Birmingham/Troy

 

Parents: Roy J. & Maude (Kerwin)

Sibling: Adreth, Roy, Earl, Lila
Spouse: Marie Ann Rushlow  

Father Roy was an engineer on the steam railroad. They owned the houses where they lived with 5 children, but they’ve been torn down, part of the housing dilemma in Detroit.

Marriage to Marie Rushlow

George was a mason, married Marie Ann Oct 1940 in Detroit. He registered for the draft June 30, 1942 then enlisted in the Army Oct 5, 1944. He was 5’10” 148 lbs. with hazel eyes and brown hair and now he worked for Gracedale Motors.  He and Marie lived at 14238 Minock in Redford Twp. Marie was born in California even though her parents came from Michigan. Her sister Kate was a witness at her marriage. There may have had a daughter, Carol Marie, but that’s not definite as to being the correct person. Marie remarried, divorced 1979 and died 1982 in Redford Twp.

Big battles were fought on Okinawa. The 96^th Division had the highest percentage of casualties. How do you begin to account for the actions of any single company? There were over 10,000 casualties total.

It was the last major battle of WWII. On April 1, 1945 – Easter Sunday – the Navy’s Fifth Fleet and more than 180,000 Army and Marine Corps troops descended on the Pacific island. It was part of Operation Iceberg, a plan to invade and occupy the Ryukyu Islands. Last stop before Japan. The battle effectively ended with the Japanese General Ushijima committed suicide June 22, but it didn’t end soon enough for George.

 

 VIDEO of Bodies of US soldiers are buried at 96th Division Cemetery in Okinawa during World War II:  https://youtu.be/B2U7XZRAxxg 

White Chapel Cemetery achieved notoriety in 1960. The body of a WWI veteran was removed from a site next to his wife as he was a full blooded Native America; wife was white.  The cemetery has restrictions that required bodies to be at least 75% Caucasian. Also buried here are Lee Iacocca, Jack Kevorkian, and William Broomfield (my former Congressman).

SUTTON, WILLIAM C. Dec 20, 1944 age 26 DOW France

WILLIAM CHARLES SUTTON  b. May 29, 1918 d. Dec 20, 1944 Died of Wounds France

2^nd Lt 1182015 Army 313^th Field Artillery Battalion 80^th Inf Div Battery B

Buried Epinal American Cemetery, France

Parents: Thomas Henry & Catherine Frances

Sibling: Thomas J., Patricia, James, Maureen

Spouse: Lt. Catherine E. Diehl USANC  

 

Thomas, born in Ohio, was an accountant. In 1920 he worked for a motor company but by 1930 was a debt collector at the IRS. A hard job at any time, think what it entailed during the Depression. The family rented comfortable looking homes in neighborhoods of early 20^th century bungalow style houses. Now those houses are gone. In 1920 Grandfather Sutton, born in England, lived with the family.

William was the oldest child, graduated from Redford in 1940 and enlisted in the Field Artillery National Guard. 6’ 140 lbs with blue eyes and brown hair he got his commission May 13, 1943. Both his brothers were in the Army Air Forces.

He married Lt. Catherine E. Diehl of Wisconsin Jan 4, 1944. She was in the U.S. Army Nurse Corp. In the early 1950’s she worked as a nurse in Madison, Wisc.

 

 

The 313^th Battalion sailed to England on the Queen Mary July 1944. The 80^th Div landed on Utah Beach in Normandy Aug 3, 1944 when they were able to see the carnage of war from the D-Day landing. That carnage was beaches littered with boats and vehicles, dead bodies from both sides evidence of booby trapped fences. Then they made their way through France heading to the Moselle River. The division enjoyed a Thanksgiving dinner on Nov 23. The Morning Report for Battery B on Nov. 26 lists location as 100 yards northeast of Laudrefang, close to St. Avold. William was wounded Nov 24, 1944; when he died of his wounds Dec 20, the Battle of the Bulge had started.

 

 



The following account is an oral history taken from Robert T. Gholson also in 313th Field Artillery Battalion, Battery B. It provides a good account along with maps and photos.

https://www.80thdivision.com/oralhistories/RobertGholson(313thFABn).pdf