World War II Honoree

Charles William Dankanich

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Akron, Ohio

Honored By

William Downs

Relationship

Son

HE SERVED AS A MEMBER OF COMPANY K OF THE 17TH INFANTRY REGIMENT OF INFANTRY DIVISION 7 STATIONED AT FORT ORD, CALIFORNIA. THE FIRST BATTLE THAT HIS UNIT FOUGHT WAS AN ACTION TO PUSH THE JAPANESE FROM THE ALEUTIAN ISLANDS IN MAY OF 1943. HIS UNIT ASSAULTED THE UPPER PLATEAU ABOVE CHICAGO HARBOR ON ATTU ALLOWING THE RETAKING OF THAT GROUND. WHILE NEAR KISKA, HE SUFFERED FROST BITE OF HIS LEFT FOOT. THE 7TH DIVISION THEN MOVED TO HAWAII WHERE THEY TRAINED FOR AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULTS FOR THE REMAINDER OF 1943. IN LATE JANUARY, 1944, THE 17TH REGIMENT ATTACKED THE JAPANESE HELD ATOLL OF KWAJALEIN AND HIS UNIT HELPED CAPTURE CARLSON ISLAND AS A STRATEGIC SITE FOR ARTILLERY PLACEMENT FOR THE ASSAULT OF KWAJALEIN ISLAND. AFTER THAT, THEY RETURNED TO HAWAII UNTIL THE BATTLE OF LEYTE GULF ENSUED IN OCTOBER 1944. THE 7TH DIVISION LANDED ON LEYTE ISLAND ON OCTOBER 20TH. ON OCTOBER 29TH WHILE PASSING THROUGH A GRAVEYARD SOUTH OF DAGAMI, HE WAS HIT TWICE BY SNIPER FIRE. ON NOVEMBER 3, 1944 HE DIED OF THESE WOUNDS. HE WAS AWARDED THE SILVER STAR AND PURPLE HEART POSTHUMOUSLY.