| MENU SELECTION: | The Italian Campaign | At The Front | Books | Armies | Maps | 85th Division | GI Biographies | Websites |
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THE GREATEST GENERATION Main Menu of
Biographies of the men who fought in Italy. Click on Photo or Name to obtain a detailed Biography. While reading about battles and strategic campaigns, it is easy to forget about the men who were involved and how the war impacted their lives. So, this is intended to put faces and personal stories to the Italian Campaign. The title of this page was borrowed from a recent book published by Tom Brokaw. This is a tribute to the soldier's who served their country by telling their story. A brief biography is provided on each of these soldiers, along with a photo or two. This provides a glimpse into the lives of the men who fought in Italy. Click on the photo or name to open up the biography sheet. The names are in no particular order. I began with my Dad and listed them as I recieved the biographies. I listed one of my uncles last, since he did not serve in Italy. I will add more biographies as I receive them. One stipulation is that I have a photo of the individual in uniform. Email me if you want to contribute or provide comment at Steve. Comment: For convenience, I don't distinguish between ranks of "Private" and "Private First Class". No offense to the PFC's. |
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Staff Sergeant Newton
F. Cole Forward Observer, Battery B, 328th Field Artillery Battalion, 85th 'Custer' Division Webpage
contain photos, stories & history of 328FA and 85th Division. Bio
gives some personel info. |
 Go to: 328th Field Artillery Stories - Italian Front Photos - Italian Front |
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Private Jimmy
Hill 36th 'Texas' Division My
Uncle |
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Private Lee
McCloud Company C, 310th Engineer Battalion, 85th 'Custer' Division Many of his photos are posted on this site.  |
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1st Sgt. Cecil
C. Walker Company K, Heavy Weapons Platoon, 338th Infantry Regiment, 85th 'Custer' Division Medal for Heroism for risking his life in Non-Combat action.   |
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Private Cleaston
Patterson Company K, 339th Infantry Regiment, 85th 'Custer' Division Reported Missing in Action on May 14, 1944 and was not declared officially KIA until May 1945. |
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Private Seymour
Sarokin Company D, 337th Infantry Regiment, 85th 'Custer' Division Enlisted Jan 1942, but didn't arrive in Italy until Oct 1944. Read Bio to find out Why?
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Private James
W. Thompson Company F, 6th Armored Infantry Regiment, 1st Armored Division Served in N. Africa & Italy. Discharged before end of War. |
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| PFC Richard D. Foss Company G, 350th Infantry Regiment, 88th 'Blue Devil' Division One of the few who survived the fight for Battle Mountain. After the war, he never spoke a word about his experiences in Italy. |
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1st
Sgt Erich
Bauch
Battery B, Enlisted
in 1935. In 1942, selected as part of initial cadre that formed
the
85th Division at Camp Shelby. Retired from Army after 23 years. |
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| S/Sgt. Walter Keane Battery A,
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| Lt Stancy Lewis Company B,
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| Pvt Warren Stichtenoth Company C,
Another combat engineer who had a special talent that may
have saved his life. Check out his story.
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| Go
to Private Paul Brown's Anzio Diary List of KIA from Brown's Diary |
Private
Paul
Brown Grave Registration Service 179th Infantry Regiment, 45th 'Thunderbird' Division GRS collected the bodies. His very personal Anzio Diary is included on this Website. (38pages) |
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| Capt.
Robert
E. Roeder Company G, 350th Infantry Regiment, 88th 'Blue Devil' Division Killed in Action at Gothic Line at Mount Battaglia. Bio describes action that earned him the Medal of Honor. |
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PFC Clarence
D. Mills HeadQuarters Battery, 328th Field Artillery Battalion, 85th 'Custer' Division Trained
& served in the same unit as my Dad for duration of the war.
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| LT. Roland Luerich 16th Armored Engineers, 1st Armored Division Soon after being cited for Silver Star, he was killed the
day the Allies entered Rome.
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Private Clyde
V. Hill Company C, 119th Infantry Regiment, 30th 'Ole Hickory' Division My Uncle - Did not serve in Italy. Severly wounded in Germany and disabled. |
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(Detail
Biographies are not
included for everyone of these)
Rank and Decorations
shown represent
their service in Italy, only.
 Commerative Stamp Rank and Decorations during service in Italy. |
Staff Sgt. Audie
L. Murphy Company K, 180th Regiment, 3rd 'Marne' Division Most Decorated GI in WW2. Movie Actor. Bronze Arrowhead to Campaign Medal for assault at Sicily & Anzio. Bronze Star for destorying tank on 2 March 1944 at Anzio. |
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Lieutenant Robert
Dole Company I, 85th Mtn Regiment, 10th Mountain Division He was severly wounded 14 April '45 at Hill 913. After 3 years and 9 operations he recovered but lost the use of his right arm. US Senator from Kansas and ran for President against Bill Clinton. Official Biography (+ external link) |
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Lieutenant Daniel
Inouye 442nd Regimental Combat Team Lt. Inouye was hit in his abdomen by a bullet, barely missing his spine. He continued to fight until his right arm was shattered by a German rifle grenade. He lost his right arm. US Senator from Hawaii. His Distinguished Service Cross was upgraded to a Medal of Honor on June 21, 2000.  |
 The 442nd RCT were Americans ofJapanese ancestry. Fought in Italy and France. |
 Read McGovern's Biography |
Lieutenant George
McGovern 455th Bomb Group 15th Army Air Force Flew 35 missions in B-24 Dakota Queen based at Cherignola, Italy. Senator from S. Dakota and Dem. Presidential candidate in 1972.    |
 15th AF flew strategic bombing missions into Italy, Germany, Rumania, etc. |
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Colonel Benjamin
O. Davis, Jr. 332nd Fighter Group 15th Fighter Command (15th Army Air Force) Flew 35 combat missions. Ramitelli & Cattolica, Italy. First black USAF General. Retired after 35 years.  |
Commanded the all-Black unit, the "Tuskeegee Arimen". Escorted bombers into Germany, Rumania, etc. |
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Bill Mauldin
45th Infantry Division A Cartoonist who created "Willie & Joe". Won the Pulitzer Prize. After the war he wrote and was a political cartoonist. He was in movie "The Red Badge of Courage" with his friend, Audie Murphy. Died Jan 23, 2003. |
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| Joe E. Brown | Actor in the 1940's. He did not serve in the
military. However, he logged 200,000 miles at his own expense to
entertain the troops. One of few civilians to be awarded the
Bronze Star medal. |
| Burt Lancaster |
Drafted into the U.S. Army in 1942 and was assigned to the
Special Services Division of the Fifth Army as an entertainer. |
| Norman Lear | Served
as a radio operator in the Fifteenth Army Air Force at Foggia, Italy
and flew 57 combat missions. |
| James Arness | Served
in the 3rd Infantry Division and was wounded at Anzio.
Awarded Purple Heart and Bronze Star. Leading Actor in
"Gunsmoke". |
| John Huston |
Enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1942 to film war
documentaries. He was discharged as a Major. |
| Frederick Faust aka Max Brand |
A war correspondent killed on 12 May 1944. Before the war he wrote hundreds of pulp fiction books, including 'Destry Rides Again' and 'Calling Dr. Kildare'. |
| Other Personalities | |
| Henry Wellesley, Captain | Duke of Wellington, 2nd
Commandos. Died of wounds on 16 Sept 1943, near Salerno. |
| Shelby Foote WW2 Photo at bottom of page Camp Shelby |
Captain in the artillery in the 50th FA Battalion of the 5th
Infantry Division in France. He was at Camp Shelby at the same
time the 85th Division was there. He became a noted author and
was featured in Ken Burn’s PBS-TV “Civil War” series. (Foote did not serve in Italy.) |
Campaign medals earned by most soldiers who served in the Italian Campaign.
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Service outside the U.S. in the American theater for 30 days. |
Service in the European - African- Middle Eastern theater for 30 days. |
Service for 12 months of active duty in Army, 1939-41. |
Victory Medal Service in US Armed Forces between 1941 and 1946. |
Return to Photos from Italy top menu.
Return to History of Italian Campaign top menu.
Click to read more on the 85th Infantry Division at the CusterMen menu.
