WWII CasualtiesBURIED OUTSIDE FAYETTE COUNTY |
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WWII CasualtiesBURIED OUTSIDE FAYETTE COUNTY |
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Oliver Frank Psencik
Private First Class, U.S. Army
38453742
83rd Armored Field Artillery Battalion
Born: May 18, 1923, son of Albert Pscencik, Plum
Attended Plum School, La Grange High School graduate
Entered Army 1943; trained in TX & SC; served in Europe
Died: August 24, 1944, killed in Action near Brest, France
Buried at: Plot G Row 12 Grave 2
Brittany American Cemetery, St. James, France
Awards: Purple HeartThe Fayette Country Record
Tuesday, September 12, 1944
OLIVER PSENCIK, PLUM, KILLED IN ACTION, FRANCE
Fayette county's second war fatality in one week was revealed here Friday morning when Mr. and Mrs. Albert Psencik of Plum were informed that their son, Pfc. Oliver F. Psencik, 21, was killed in action in France on August 24th.
Pfc. Psencik was with the 83rd armored field artillery battalion. In his letters he revealed that he drove a jeep for the lieutenant-colonel of his outfit.
He was born at Plum on May 18, 1923, attended the Plum school and graduated from the La Grange high school in 1942. He entered the service on February 26, 1943. He was drafted with the first 18-year-old group and of the group he is the first to lose his life. He was stationed at Camp Hood and later was sent to Fort Jackson, South Carolina where he was stationed until January of this year, when he left for England. About a month ago he was sent to France.
His last visit home was in December, 1943.
The last letter received by the family was written on August 20, four days prior to his death. In one of his recent letters he stated, "I am still driving a jeep for the lieutenant colonel and believe me, we go through hell. I have two Germans to my credit. . . "
Surviving are his parents and one sister, Bernice, of Plum.
Photo provided by Robert Dittrich
Pvt. Rudolph Reinhart Dittrich
Born March 26, 1924 at Freyburg
Died May 20, 1944 at Hermitage, EnglandSon of Anna C. Ripper and Ferdinand J. Dittrich
Paratrooper, 101st Airborne, 506th Regiment,
E Company, US ArmyDied in a parachute training accident
Interred in 1949 at Fort Sam Houston
Military Cemetery, San Antonio, TXPvt. Rudolph Dittrich was mentioned in the Stephen Ambrose book, Band of Brothers, and was portrayed in the first episode of the HBO mini-series of the same name.
Alton W. Hanisch
Ensign, U.S. Navy
0-306347
United States Naval Reserve
Son of Wenzel F. Hanisch, La Grange;
Graduate of La Grange High School
Entered Navy 1942; trained in TX; served in USA
Died: August 26, 1944 in plane crash off the west coast
Missing in Action or Buried at Sea
Tablets of the Missing at West Coast Memorial, Presidio, CaliforniaThe Fayette Country Record
Tuesday, September 8, 1944Memorial Services For Alton Hanisch Are Slated Sunday
Memorial services for Ensign Alton W. Hanisch will be held Sunday, September 10 at 8:30 p.m., at the Trinity Hill Lutheran church, it is announced by Rev. Robert P. Nerger, pastor.
Ens. Hanisch lost his life on August 26 when his navy plane crashed in the Pacific while on maneuvers off the West Coasst.
He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. W. F. Hanisch of the Trinity Hill community and was born January 16, 1922. He graduated from high school here in 1941 and enlisted in the naval reserve in July, 1942.
Rev. Nerger will deliver the memorial sermon, to which the general public is invited.
Jimmie S. Knight
First Lieutenant, U.S. Army
O-518718
44th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron
Son of James Knight, La Grange; husband of Sarah Heil Graduate of Texas A&M
Entered Army 1943; trained at Ft. Riley, KS; served in Europe
Died: February 27, 1945, killed in action in Germany
Buried at: Plot P Row 9 Grave 10, Netherlands American Cemetery,Margraten, Netherlands
Awards: Bronze Star, Purple HeartFayette County Record He Fought To The Last!
Letter Gives Detail of Lt. Knight's Death
A recent issue of The San Antonio Express carried an account of the death in action of First Lieut. Jimmie S. Knight of La Grange, as related by a Texas A. & M. classmate of the fallen officer.
The item follows:
"Details telling of the death of First Lieut. Jimmy S. Knight in action in Germany have been received by his wife, Mrs. Sarah Jean Knight of San Antonio.
"A personal letter has been received by Mrs. Knight from Lieut. D. L. Holder of San Antonio, one of Knight's close friends who was graduated from A. & M. college with him and was serving overseas with Knight at the time of his death. Holder was selected by the company commander, Capt. E. C. Jones, to convey the message to Mrs. Knight.
"On February 27 Knight was approaching an enemy town in Germany riding in a jeep. He had just finished firing his machinegun at the hostile forces until his weapon was empty. Stopping to reload the gun, Knight was shot in the back by a German sniper. Ordering his men to take cover, the 24-year-old cavalryman continued loading and firing the machinegun, although mortally wounded, until his men made their escape.
"Two of the men later made their way back to the position, recovering the jeep. Knight was unconscious by this time, however, and later died as the result of the wounds he had received. For his actions in this encounter, Lieut. Knight has been posthumously awarded the bronze star medal.
"A native of Somerville, Knight was graduated from the La Grange high school. He was graduated from Texas A. & M. college with the class of 1943, having lettered in both track and football while attending the school. He had been oversears since October, 1944. In January Knight was cited for bravery in leading a patrol behind enemy lines, and as a result was granted a leave to London . . ."
Knight's marker at Margraten, Netherlands
courtesy of Stevin BasherPvt. Leroy Joe Pavlik
19 Feb 1923 - 11 May 1945Pvt 7 Marines 1 Marine Div
Weimar Catholic Cemetery (St. Michael's),
Colorado County, TexasSon of Ernst Pavlik, Weimar; attended Sedan School
Entered Marines 1944; trained at Camp Pendleton, CA; served on Okinawa; killed in action on Okinawa; awarded Purple Heart
Pfc. George R. Huepers
Son of Peter E. Huepers; attended Holman, Ammannsville, & Wildwood Schools
Entered Army 1942; trained in WA & CA; served in Hawaii, Philippines, & Okinawa; awarded Purple Heart; killed in action April 20, 1945
Buried in Weimar Odd Fellows Cemetery
Son of Edward and Emilie (Trojan) Brune
Attended Borden School
Inducted into the U.S. Army July 27, 1942
June 29, 1945S-Sgt. Adolf Brune Killed In Action On Okinawa, May 14
Edward Brune of the Holman section received word from the War Department recently that his son, S-Sgt. Adolf C. Brune, had been killed in action while with the American forces on Okinawa, May 14. No further particulars have been received.
Sergeant Brune was born July 14, 1920, and was inducted into the army on July 27, 1942. Before entering the service he did carpentry work and did construction work on the highway. He attended the school at Borden and was a member of the Lutheran Church.
Sgt. Brune was reported slightly wounded in February of this year. In March, he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for exemplary conduct against the enemy while on the island of Guam. He served with the famous 77th Infantry Division in the Philippines. The award was made by Major General A. D. Bruce, Commanding General of the Liberty Division.
Survivors include his father, Edward Brune; four sisters, Mrs. Charlie Hatterman, Mrs. Richard Freis of Weimar; Mrs. Ben Braden and Mrs. Leona Thomas of Fort Worth; six brothers, Max of Columbus, Henry of Holman, Pfc. Alfred H. Brune of Ft.Knox, Ky., S-Sgt. Leroy C. Brune now somewhere in Innsbruck, Austria, Pfc. Eddie Brune now overseas and Edmund Brune of El Campo.
The Mercury extends sincere sympathy to the bereaved family in the loss of their soldier boy.
PFC Andrew C. Schramm
7 Feb 1924 - 23 May 1945Sts. Peter & Paul Cemetery
Frelsburg, Colorado County, Texas
Adam BogdanskiMaster Sergeant, U.S. Army Air Forces Thomas E. Baumgarten
Radioman, Third Class, U.S. Navy
John E. BurlesonSecond Lieutenant, U.S. Army Air
Forces
James E. BurnsPrivate, U.S. Army Hugh CarrollPrivate First Class, U.S. Army
Marvin George Chudej
Private, U.S. Marine Corps
Granville W. CowanLieutenant, U.S. Navy
Carl W. Engelman
Seaman, First Class, U.S. Navy
Alfred W. Fischer
Captain, U.S. Army Air Forces Fischer's name on marker at Margraten, Netherlands Chester W. GranvilleFirst Lieutenant, U.S. Army Air
Forces Victor E. GuearinStaff Sergeant, U.S. Army Air Forces
Daniel J. Gully
Yeoman, First Class, U.S. Navy
Herman J. HeinrichPrivate, U.S. Marine Corps Melvin E. Hertel
Technical Sergeant, U.S. Army Air
Forces Additional information comes from Jeanette GouldsberryFrank W. HerzikFirst Lieutenant, U.S. Army Air
Forces |
Alfred J. Hubenak
Signalman, Second Class, U.S. Navy Joe A. Kasmiersky
Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army Air Forces
Albert B. Malcik
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Most photographs and some data came from The Men and Women
in World War II from Fayette County,
compiled under the direction of Fayette County Judge Ed Janecka and
printed by Schulenburg Printing and Office Supplies in 1995.
Some information came from Fayette County, Texas Heritage,
published in 1996 by Curtis Media, Inc.
The remaining data came from the American Battle Monuments Commission website.
If you would like to contribute a photograph or obituary of a veteran from Fayette County
who died while serving our country, please contact Rox Ann Johnson.
