William J. VOLLER
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NUMBER OF SERVICE | 33365228 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
AGE | 34 yo | |||||||||||||||||||||||
DATE OF BIRTH | 20 April 1910 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
ETAT | Pittsburgh, Allegheny, PENNSYLVANIA | |||||||||||||||||||||||
FAMILY | Parents : Bernard F VOLLER / Philomina M DEPENHART Brothers : Bernard F, Norman Lee, Lewis Henry, Lawrence C & Sylvester G Sisters : Syvesta B, Florentine A , Regina Clara & Bernice Irene | |||||||||||||||||||||||
RANK | Private | |||||||||||||||||||||||
FONCTION | Infantry | |||||||||||||||||||||||
JOB BEFORE ENLISTEMENT |
Unskilled occupations in production of glass and glass products | |||||||||||||||||||||||
DATE of ENLISTEMENT | 27 April 1942 New Cumberland PENNSYLVANIA | |||||||||||||||||||||||
COMPANY | Company | |||||||||||||||||||||||
REGIMENT | 8th Infantry Regiment | |||||||||||||||||||||||
DIVISION | 4th Infantry Division | |||||||||||||||||||||||
DATE OF DEATH | 22 June 1944 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
STATUS | KIA | |||||||||||||||||||||||
PLACE OF DEATH | Digosville Sector MANCHE | |||||||||||||||||||||||
CEMETERY TEMPORARY |
CEMTERY TEMPORARY of Ste Mère Eglise #2 N°3586
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CEMETERY | NORMANDY AMERICAN CEMETERY of Colleville | |||||||||||||||||||||||
GRAVE |
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DECORATION |
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STORY | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
A Pittsburgh native, William enlisted in 1942. He passed through the New Cumberland Army Reception Center and later joined the 4th Infantry Division at Camp Gordon, Georgia. He joined one of his units: the 8th Infantry Regiment. The division trains hard and becomes superbly prepared; she passed through Fort Dix (New Jersey) where she arrived in April 1943 then it was Camp Johnston (Florida) where she participated in amphibious training; it ends its route with Fort Jackson (South Carolina). On January 18, 1944, the 4th Infantry Division left their homeland for England, where they landed on January 29. She settled in Devon where she participated in numerous rehearsals of landings on Slapton Sands in preparation for D Day. On June 6, the 4th Division was part of Force U for Utah Beach; H is scheduled for 6:30 a.m. and William’s 8th Regiment is on the first wave of assault. But a beneficial event takes place: the landing craft do not arrive where it was planned because of the particular currents in front of this part of the Cotentin, this deport them to the south at a little less than two kilometers, this navigation error facilitates their landing avoiding them to be within range of the batteries of Azeville and Saint-Marcouf in particular. The landing is a success, at 8:00 am the 8th Infantry Regiment is complete. The three battalions cross the flooded areas on exits 1 from Audouville-la-Hubert, 2 on Vienville and 3 on Poupeville where on each of them the junction with the paratroopers of the 101st Airborne Division takes place. At the end of the day, the 2nd and 3rd battalions reach the Route Nationale 13 and the Forges. On June 7, the troops begin the progression towards Montebourg; on June 10 the 8th is west of the Nationale 13, progress is slowed down by sustained enemy resistance. From June 12 to 14, regiments of the 4th including the 8th, conduct reconnaissance patrols to assess the enemy defenses of Montebourg; at the same time, land and air artillery, reduced the city to a heap of ruins. On June 19, the offensive was launched by bypassing the city of the 8th from the west and the 12th from the east supported by tanks from the 70th Tank Battalion. On June 20, the city was liberated by the 12th Infantry Regiment which entered the latter abandoned by the Germans. On June 20, the 8th continued on its way in preparation for the Cherbourg offensive. But this region, where the thick Cotentin grove is very present, makes it difficult for men from the 8th to progress. Finally the latter use the roads and arrive at the gates of the fortress exhausted; they come into contact with the German outposts located on Ruffosses, the men have traveled more than 10 kilometers in one day. On June 21, the regiment's objective was to capture coast 178 west of Ruffosses. On June 22, the 8th must seize Mesnil-au-Val then head for La Glacerie to take the heights east of this town. The night was difficult, the Germans raided the HQ of the second battalion and surrounded the companies. The day begins with an artillery barrage on the wood held by the Germans, some will surrender; a second phase is launched where soldiers go again, nearly three hundred Germans are neutralized. Despite this result, the regiment experienced the first of the three worst days ever recorded for it in terms of casualties. Men progress by eliminating position by position after fierce struggles; a company loses more than fifty men. But the goal is reached by the end of the day. William lost his life and thirteen brothers-in-arms of his company. The regiment suffered such losses over these three days that it was relieved on June 25, detached from its division and sent to rest. Arrived in the sector of Digosville on June 22, 1944 for the capture of Cherbourg, Instead of strong resistance, William died with 13 of his brothers in arms.
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4th INFANTRY DIVISION - IVY
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SOURCE INFORMATION & PHOTO | Cyrille MARIE - Frédéric LAVERNHE - www.dday-overlord.com - Aad.archives.gov |
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PROGRAMMER | Garrett, Clive, Frédéric & Renaud |