WILLIS Waldo M - 262 IR 66 ID

Waldo Melvoir WILLIS

NUMBER OF SERVICE

38003982

AGE

31 yo

DATE OF BIRTH

1 August 1913

ETAT

Showlow Navajo County ARIZONA

FAMILY

Parents: John Lorenzo WILLIS & Sarah MILLS WILLIS

RANK

Staff Sergeant

FONCTION

Fonction

JOB BEFORE ENLISTEMENT

Cashier Accountant

DATE of ENLISTEMENT

8 April 1942

COMPANY

Company I

REGIMENT

262^nd Infantry Regiment

DIVISION

66^th Infantry Division

DATE OF DEATH

24 Décembre 1944

STATUS

MIA

PLACE OF DEATH

Aboard in USS Léopoldville, In Manche(Channel), off Cherbourg

CEMETERY

NORMANDY AMERICAN CEMETERY from Colleville Map Normandy American Cemetery

GRAVE

Plot	Row	Grave
Wall of Missing

DECORATION

Bronze Star

Purple Heart + OLC

World War II Victory Medal

Combat Infantryman Badge

combat infantryman badge

STORY

Arrived on November 26^th, 1944 in England, the division polishes up its training until December 24^th

In the daytime of the departure and the crossing towards France and Normandy.

The division embarks on two ships of which the SS Leopoldville which receives 262^th and 264^th regiment Infantry and leaves Southampton in training(formation) accompanied with four escort ships.

Arrived unless 5 miles from Cherbourg, a German submarine U-Boat 486 is in ambush and sends a torpedo to the ship.

He is touched on the starboard beam before.

802 soldiers over the 2235 which he(it) transported are killed in this drama.

Leopoldville is marine cemetery today.

memorial plaque See History of Leopoldville (Click on the picture)

Brother of Waldo	Robert Ray MILLS
NUMBER OF SERVICE	08823649
AGE	21 yo
DATE DE NAISSANCE	2 Février 1923
STATE	Showlow Navajo County ARIZONA
UNIT	Submariner disappeared first from the Harder submarine USS Harder (SS-257)
DATE OF DEATH	2 September 1945 - Tablets of missing - Fort Bonifacion PHILIPPINES - Missing on mission August 24, 1944
RANK	Electrician mat 3^rd Class