Branch of Service
U.S. Army
Hometown
Fort Collins, Colorado
Honored By
Orville L. Kline
Rank: Sergeant. As a member of the Colorado Army National Guard, he was inducted into the United States Army September 16, 1940 at Denver, Colorado, with recruit training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Upon his graduation from boot camp, he was transferred to Camp Barkeley, Texas for combat training. Following infantry training, he was deployed to the Mediterranean Theater of Operations. He served as a Squad Leader with Charlie Company, First Battalion, 157th Infantry Regiment, an element of the 45th Infantry ‘Thunderbird’ Division, attached to the U.S. Fifth Army. Friday, November 12, 1943 he was killed in action, during his division’s assault, and occupation of Naples-Foggia, Italy. Personnel from a Grave Registration Company buried him in the Fratelle Battlefield Cemetery, Fratelle, Italy. In the post-war era, this Soldiers’ family requested that he be buried with Military Honors at the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery Location: Nettuno, Italy. This American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, for his Heroism and ultimate sacrifice.