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| Lt. Elmo Koehler died of wounds sustained on D+3. A monument in Amfreville France commemorates the arrive of the 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/5066731/elmo-francis_perry-koehler https://www.tracesofwar.com/sights/12486/507-Parachute-Infantry-Regiment-Memorial.htm |
Elmo Francis Koehler never had a chance to reach 100 years old today. Instead, he sacrificed his life for our freedom.
He was born on January 26, 1918 in Kansas. His parents Anton and Grace were born in Kansas and Iowa respectively. Elmo's paternal grandparents were born in Germany. His father worked as a farm laborer and later as a carpenter. Elmo had two younger brothers (who both served in the military) and two younger sisters. By 1940 Elmo had completed four years of high school. He was living at home and worked in sales. He married Ruby Hood in August 1940.
He enlisted in the army on December 23, 1940. He volunteered for paratrooper training and completed paratrooper school in October 1942. He became a first lieutenant in Company F, 3rd Battalion, 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division.
On the evening of June 5, 1944 Lt. Koehler climbed about a C-47 Dakota all geared up for his first combat jump. In the early hours of D-Day he dropped into Normandy. The airdrops were scattered and the men were not able to group up in their own units. Lt. Koehler was wounded on D+3. He died of his wounds eight days later on June 17, 1944.
His grave is at Oak Hill Cemetery, Atchison, Kansas. I don't know what happened to his widow.
Last year on this date I profiled Philippine Bataan Death March survivor Ronald Boston and ex-Olympian Louis Zamperini (the subject of the book and movie Unbroken).
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| https://www.dawn.com/news/1154651 |
On behalf of the fallen, if you would like to see more people become aware of this project to honor the WW2 fallen, be sure to share with others on Twitter, Facebook, etc. Thanks for your interest!
I created this video to explain why I started this project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXt8QA481lY.
Join the public Facebook group WW2 Fallen 100
Thank you so much for this wonderful post of my uncle 1LT Elmo Francis Perry Koehler He is so loved in our family and we miss him.
ReplyDeleteAnna,
DeleteIf you have more details about your uncle, I invite you to add it to a Fold3.com memorial as part of the www.storiesbehindthestars.org project.
Lt Elmo Koehler was also my uncle. He and his wife Ruby (Hood) Koehler had a son, Roy Anton "Tony" Koehler 4 Fe 1943 at Ft. Benning GA. He died 24 Jul 1999 Wichita, KS. Ruby married Albert Hinz (1918-2005) on 5 Oct 1946 and had son Kenneth Hinz 20 Mar 1948. Ruby died 3 Sep 2012.
DeleteThis is awsome I just found out that this is my 2great grandfather
ReplyDeleteThis is my great grandpa not 2nd tried fixing poat above but wouldn't let me
ReplyDeleteMy email is pkhatfield88@gmail.com I just found out my real grandpa is Tony Koehler. He knew about my mom but they never had a relationship with each other. I have already contacted a few relatives on ancestry. Would love to know more.
ReplyDelete