Pvt. Alfred Hart, 168th Infantry Regiment, Killed in Action 1943

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Alfred Hart was born on 17 November 1916, in Marion County, Ohio. His parents are Alonzo & Nellie (Cleveland) Hart, natives of Marion. Alfred Hart had attended Kirkpatrick School. Alfred had two brothers in service; PFC Harold Hart, in Fort Sam Houston, Texas; Pvt. Clifford Hart, in San Francisco, California. Alfred Hart was employed in farming prior to entering service.

Alfred Hart entered service on 21 October 1941, at Fort Hayes, Columbus, Ohio. Hart attended basic training at Camp Wheeler, Georgia. He was then assigned to Camp Dix, New Jersey. He was sent overseas to Scotland in April of 1942. Pvt. Alfred Hart was serving in North Africa, with the 168th Infantry Regiment, 34th Division “Red Bull.”

Pvt. Alfred Hart was killed in action on 27 March 1943, in Tunisia, North Africa. Pvt. Hart was the fifth reported to be killed from Marion, on the North African Front.

“The official casualty report states that he died as the result of an enemy action in defense of his country. The date and place of burial or other particulars are not given.”

Signed Major General J. A. Ulio

Pvt. Alfred Hart is buried in the North Africa American Cemetery and Memorial, Carthage, Tunis, Tunisia.
Alfred Hart is remembered on the Honor Roll, at the Veterans Memorial Park, in Marion, Ohio; on the west wall of the Marion County Courthouse; and on the World War Two Memorial Wall, at the Marion Cemetery.

Pvt. Malen C. Shirk, 68th Field Artillery, Killed in the Line of Duty, 1943

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Malen Charles Shirk was born 28 September 1917, in Raymond, Ohio. His parents are Herber L. & Neva V. (Wright) Shirk. Malen C. Shirk had two brothers in service at the time of his death; Pvt. Lester Shirk overseas; Kenneth Shirk serving with the United States Navy. Malen C. Shirk attended Broadway High School. Prior to entering service Malen was employed with his father, on a farm east of Broadway, Ohio.
Malen C. Shirk entered service 25 February 1942, at Fort Hayes Columbus, Ohio.

Pvt. Malen C. Shirk was assigned to the Battery B, 68th Field Artillery, First Armored Division “Old Ironsides.” While serving in North Africa, it appears that Pvt. Shirk was wounded. His parents were advised that an accident occurred at the docks. A shell fragment caused an abdominal injury, that was fatal.

Pvt. Malen C. Shirk died of his wounds on 25 March 1943. His remains appear to have been returned to Ohio and were buried in the Raymond Cemetery, Raymond, Union County, Ohio.

Malen C. Shirk is remembered on the Honor Roll, at the Veterans Memorial Park, in Marion, Ohio; on the west wall of the Marion County Courthouse; and on the World War Two Memorial Wall, at the Marion Cemetery.

Pvt. Ostel W. Carter, 737th Tank Battalion, Killed in Action, 1944

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Ostel Wayne Carter was born on 28 December 1924, in Jackson County, Ohio. His parents are Pearl Carter & Iva M. (Coffman) Wells. Ostel W. Carter had attended Central Junior High School, Marion, Ohio. He was employed with the City of Marion, Ohio. He was living with his sister, Mrs. Eugene Elliott, in Marion, prior to leaving for service. Ostel was inducted into service on 5 April 1943.

Ostel W. Carter attended training at Fort Lewis, Washington and Fort Crook, Nebraska. He was sent for duty overseas in February 1944. Ostel served as a Private in England prior to Operation Overlord. Pvt. Carter was assigned to 737th Tank Battalion “Patton’s Spearheaders,” 35th Infantry Division “Santa Fe Division.”

On 17 July 1944, Pvt. Ostel W. Carter was killed in action, in France.

  1. The 737th Tank Battalion, attached to the 35th Infantry Division, was in action against the enemy during July 1944 as follows.
  2. Period of 14 July to 17 July inclusive. The 737th Tank Battalion supported the advance of the 35th Infantry Division. The line extended from La Vire River, right boundary to the Moon Sur Elle –
    St. 10 Highway, left boundary. On 14 July, the first day on which this unit was committed, the 35th Infantry Division forward line extended along the road from Meauffe to Les Mieux in the St. Lo sector. The enemy occupied the high ground North West of St. Lo. During this period, the 35th Infantry Division, using the 737th Tank Battalion to support the attack, pushed the enemy back and advanced to positions South of St. Lo. During this operation Medium Tank Companys A, B, C, and Light Tank Company D were used to support the Infantry.
    The six Assault Companies were made into one battery and attached to the 161st Field Artillery Battalion to fire reinforcing missions.
    The enemy resistance was heavy and effective use of tanks was made difficult due to the hedgerow country in which operations took place.
    Casualties:
    Enlisted Men 8 KIA 32 WIA
    Officers 1 KIA 4 WIA
    Tank losses:
    Mediums 4
    Lights 2
From the After Action Report of the 737th Tank Battalion in the time frame 14 July 1944 to 17 July 1944

Pvt. Ostel Wayne Carter is buried Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial Colleville-sur-Mer, Departement du Calvados, Basse-Normandie, France.

Ostel W. Carter is remembered on the Honor Roll, at the Veterans Memorial Park, in Marion, Ohio; on the west wall of the Marion County Courthouse; and on the World War Two Memorial Wall, at the Marion Cemetery.

PFC Frederick L. Cramer Killed in Action, 1945

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Frederick LeMoine Cramer was born on 7 December 1919, in Hardin County, Ohio. His parents are Jesse & Emma (Oehler) Cramer of Hepburn, Ohio. Frederick L. Cramer attended the LaRue High School. He graduated in 1938. Prior to entering service he was employed as an inspector, with the Marion Steam Shovel Company. He was married to Virginia (Dean) Cramer on 27 July 1940, in Newport, Kentucky. Together they had two daughters, Patricia and Sharon. Prior to entering service he was living near Morral, Ohio.

Frederick L. Cramer entered service on 18 August 1944. He attended basic training at Camp Hood, Texas. He was also assigned at Fort Meade, Maryland. He was sent overseas on 10 January 1945. Cramer attained the rank of Private First Class (PFC) and was assigned to the 180th Infantry Regiment, 45th Division “Thunderbird.”

PFC Frederick L. Cramer was killed in action, in Germany, on 18 March 1945. PFC Cramer is buried in the LaRue Cemetery, LaRue, Ohio.

Frederick L. Cramer is remembered on the Honor Roll, at the Veterans Memorial Park, in Marion, Ohio; on the west wall of the Marion County Courthouse; and on the World War Two Memorial Wall, at the Marion Cemetery.

PFC Ronald D. Musgrave Killed in Action, 1945, Grave Cared for by Woman in Netherlands

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Ronald Dale Musgrave was born on 26 October 1925, in Marion, Ohio. His parents are Closs G. & Reba M. (Neidig) Musgrave. Ronald D. Musgrave attended Harding High School, where he participated in the orchestra and Hi-Y Club. He graduated in 1943. Prior to entering service Ronald was employed at Smart and Waddell Shoe store and Bowe Ice Cream Company.

Ronald D. Musgrave entered service on 11 March 1944, at Fort Thomas, Newport, Kentucky. He attained the rank of Private First Class (PFC). He attended training at Camp Stewart, Georgia; Fort Jackson, South Carolina; and Fort Meade, Maryland. He had served in an anti-aircraft artillery unit then was serving in an infantry unit of Patton’s Third Army. He saw service in England; Scotland; Belgium; Holland; France; and Luxembourg. He was last serving with Company L, 137th Infantry Regiment, 35th Division “Sante Fe Division.”

PFC Ronald D. Musgrave was killed in action on 11 March 1945, in Germany. It appears PFC Ronald D. Musgrave was first buried in Margraten Cemetery. The family received a letter from Mrs. Gortgen, written 21 September 1946. Mrs. Gortgen had visited PFC Musgrave’s grave on behalf of his parents. She was from Waubach, Netherlands.

Ron’s family received a heartfelt letter from Holland written by a Mrs. Gortgen, written Sept. 21, 1946
In the letter Mrs. Gortgen stated that she had been to the the Margraten cemetery, it is a considerable distance from her home, but visited the cemetery on Sunday and had left a nice bouquet of flowers on his grave. She also wrote, “In your name I have visited his grave and have prayed for his soul, that he may rest in peace.” Mrs. Gortgen explained that she had been at the cemetery several times before. According to her letter, the Margraten cemetery is a considerable distance from Waubach as she stated she had to drive over a couple of hours to reach the cemetery. Mrs. Gortgen explained that the village of Waubach is in the neighborhood of the coal mines, and is lying right at the German border, and is called Ubach over Worms. The ending of her letter stated, “we’ll always think a lot of the dear friend at Margraten and we’ll pray every day for him and his friends, who died for the freedom of our Country.”

From The Marion Star dated 3-11-1954

It appears that PFC Ronald D. Musgrave’s remains may have later been returned to Marion, Ohio, for final burial. But, a letter from Terry Hirsch, date unknown, stated that his remains were removed (possibly from the Margraten Cemetery). It may be that Terry Hirsch did not know of the remains being removed to his hometown of Marion, Ohio.

A letter from a Terry Hirsch states his body was removed from the cemetery for some reason after being interred for years, she does not know why they removed the body nor where they took him.

Oddly, family was never told this revelation, what a horrific way to pay tribute to a hero. We will remove his name when they have the nerve to tell us why they disturbed his burial place and where did they take his body.

Unknown from FindaGrave.com

It appears that PFC Ronald D. Musgrave’s remains were reinterred in the Marion Cemetery, Marion, Ohio.

Ronald D. Musgrave is remembered on the Honor Roll, at the Veterans Memorial Park, in Marion, Ohio; on the west wall of the Marion County Courthouse; and on the World War Two Memorial Wall, at the Marion Cemetery.