Gustave J. Seiler from New York, Queens county.
Service era: World War II
Date of death: Wednesday, November 8, 1944
Death details: Finding of death
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency
Richard L. Ward from Indiana, Carroll county.
Service era: World War II
Military history: 112 Infantry 28 Division
Date of death: Wednesday, November 8, 1944
Death details: The Battle of the Hürtgen Forest, one of the bloodiest conflicts of World War II, was fought between Allied and German forces from September 1944 to February 1945. As U.S. forces advanced eastward into Germany, the defending Germans manned “Siegfried Line” positions opposite the Belgian border. The battle grew to involve approximately 200,000 troops, with tens of thousands of casualties on both sides. American forces initially entered the area seeking to block German reinforcements from moving north toward the fighting around Aachen, the westernmost city of Germany, near the borders with Belgium and the Netherlands. In the battle’s second phase and as part of the Allied’s larger offense toward the Rhine River, U.S. troops attempted to push through the forest to the banks of Roer River. Aided by bad weather and rough terrain, German forces in the Hürtgen Forest put up unexpectedly strong resistance due to a well-prepared defense. American forces were unable to break through to the Rur before the German Ardennes offensive struck in December 1944, known as the Battle of the Bulge, which halted the eastward Allied advance until February 1945. Private Richard L. Ward entered the U.S. Army from Indiana and served in Company D, 112th Infantry Regiment, 28th Infantry Division. He was reported missing as of November 8, 1944, following fierce fighting at the village of Kommerscheidt, Germany. He was last seen guarding German prisoners at a command post in the town. Witnesses from his unit later reported that an enemy artillery shell struck that command post during a Germany attack on the town. Surviving members of his unit were forced to fall back and Private Ward’s body was unable to be evacuated at the time. After the war, American Graves Registration Service personnel attempted to associate Private Ward with unknown remains recovered from the Hürtgen Forest area, but were not successful. Today, Private Ward is memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing at the Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery in Belgium.
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency
Bill Morrison, age 29, from Alabama, Jefferson county.
Service era: World War II
Date of death: Wednesday, November 8, 1944
Death details: On July 9, 2021, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) identified the remains of Private First Class Bill Morrison, missing from World War II. Private First Class Morrison entered the U.S. Army from Alabama and was a member of Headquarters Company, 110th Infantry Regiment, 28th Infantry Division. On November 8, 1944, he was killed in action during his unit’s attack on a series of enemy pillboxes near Simonskall, Germany. Battle conditions prevented the recovery of PFC Morrison’s remains at the time. In 1946, an unknown set of remains were recovered from the area south of Germeter, Germany. This set of remains was accessioned into the DPAA laboratory in 2019 for potential identification. A multidisciplinary analysis led to the identification of the remains as those of PFC Marrison.
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency
Mark P. Wilson from Tennessee, Carter county.
Service era: World War II
Date of death: Wednesday, November 8, 1944
Death details: The Battle of the Hürtgen Forest, one of the bloodiest conflicts of World War II, was fought between Allied and German forces from September 1944 to February 1945. As U.S. forces advanced eastward into Germany, the defending Germans manned “Siegfried Line” positions opposite the Belgian border. The battle grew to involve approximately 200,000 troops, with tens of thousands of casualties on both sides. American forces initially entered the area seeking to block German reinforcements from moving north toward the fighting around Aachen, the westernmost city of Germany, near the borders with Belgium and the Netherlands. In the battle’s second phase and as part of the Allied’s larger offense toward the Rhine River, U.S. troops attempted to push through the forest to the banks of Roer River. Aided by bad weather and rough terrain, German forces in the Hürtgen Forest put up unexpectedly strong resistance due to a well-prepared defense. American forces were unable to break through to the Rur before the German Ardennes offensive struck in December 1944, known as the Battle of the Bulge, which halted the eastward Allied advance until February 1945. Private First Class Mark P. Wilson, who joined the U.S. Army in Georgia, served with Company A, 1st Battalion, 112th Infantry Regiment, 28th Infantry Division. He was reported missing in action on November 8, 1944, during the Battle of the Hürtgen Forest. A member of PFC Wilson’s unit later reported that he was struck by a German artillery shell in the vicinity of Kommerscheidt and Schmidt, Germany. Battle conditions prevented the immediate recovery of his body, and later searches for his remains were unsuccessful. Today, Private First Class Wilson is memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing at the Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery in Hombourg, Belgium.
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency
Alfred T. Langevin from Weymouth, Massachusetts, Norfolk county.
Service era: World War II
Date of death: Tuesday, November 7, 1944
Death details: Killed at sea
Cemetery: Body not recovered
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency
Thomas O. Moss from Virginia, Greene county.
Service era: World War II
Date of death: Tuesday, November 7, 1944
Death details: Killed in action
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency
Joseph P. Nelson from California, Santa Clara county.
Service era: World War II
Date of death: Tuesday, November 7, 1944
Death details: Killed in action
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency
Alfred J. Fernandes, age 21, from Rhode Island, Newport county.
Service era: World War II
Date of death: Monday, November 6, 1944
Death details: Killed in action
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency
William R. Giles from Washington, Grays Harbor county.
Service era: World War II
Date of death: Monday, November 6, 1944
Death details: The Battle of the Hürtgen Forest, one of the bloodiest conflicts of World War II, was fought between Allied and German forces from September 1944 to February 1945. As U.S. forces advanced eastward into Germany, the defending Germans manned “Siegfried Line” positions opposite the Belgian border. The battle grew to involve approximately 200,000 troops, with tens of thousands of casualties on both sides. American forces initially entered the area seeking to block German reinforcements from moving north toward the fighting around Aachen, the westernmost city of Germany, near the borders with Belgium and the Netherlands. In the battle’s second phase and as part of the Allied’s larger offense toward the Rhine River, U.S. troops attempted to push through the forest to the banks of Roer River. Aided by bad weather and rough terrain, German forces in the Hürtgen Forest put up unexpectedly strong resistance due to a well-prepared defense. American forces were unable to break through to the Rur before the German Ardennes offensive struck in December 1944, known as the Battle of the Bulge, which halted the eastward Allied advance until February 1945. Private William R. Giles, who joined the United States Army in Washington, was assigned to the Medical Department, 109th Infantry Regiment, 28th Infantry Division, during the Battle of the Hurtgen Forest. On November 6, 1944, Private Giles was killed in action near Hurtgen, Germany, while guiding medical personnel through a mine field to tend to other wounded men. Attempts to locate Private Giles’ remains after the incident and following the war were unsuccessful. Today, Private Giles is memorialized on the Walls of the Missing at the Netherlands American Cemetery in Margraten.
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency
Charles H. Knecht, age 27, from Indiana, Blackford county.
Service era: World War II
Date of death: Monday, November 6, 1944
Death details: Killed in action
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency