WW2 Fallen - Emil Harms, 88th Infantry Division, and his brother Frank, USS Tang + TV pioneer

PFC Emil Harms served with the 88th Infantry Division in Italy. Motor Machinist Mate 2d Class Frank Harms, shown in a wedding photo, served on the submarine USS Tang.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/47960866/emil-j_-harms
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/26806347/frank-george-harms

Emil J. Harms never had a chance to reach 100 years old today. Instead, he sacrificed his life for our freedom.

He was born on May 20, 1919 in Humboldt, South Dakota. His parents Frank and Annie were born in Iowa and Germany, respectively. Frank's parents were also from Germany. Emil's father worked as a farmer. Emil had three older brothers, two older sisters, and a younger sister. By 1940 Emil had moved out. He was not listed with his parents in the 1940's census, nor is his name listed elsewhere. There is a chance by then that he was already married to Mary Jane Hockett. Older brother Frank was also married. His wife was the former Georgia Courtney. They had at least one child.

He was drafted into the army on July 6, 1943. He was trained for an anti-aircraft unit at first but later became a private in Company L, 349th Infantry Regiment, 88th Infantry Division (nicknamed "Fighting Blue Devils").

The 88th ID arrived in Naples Italy in January 1944. It fought in the campaign to advance on Rome and 88th ID troops were among the first to enter Rome. Pvt. Harms was killed in action on January 7, 1945, a period during which his unit was defending the Mount Grande-Mount Cerrere sector.

When Pvt. Harms was reported killed, his brother Frank, a navy motor machinist mate 2nd class, was listed as missing in action. He had served on the submarine USS Tang. Tang was one of the most successful American submarines of the war, sinking 33 enemy vessels. After sinking two freighters on October 24, 1944, Tang suffered a misfortune when firing its last torpedo onboard. The torpedo steamed in a circular run resulting in hitting and sinking Tang. A few men, including Captain Richard O'Kane, survived. They were either on the conning tower when the torpedo struck or got out by using a Momsen lung to escape from the submarine 180 feet below. Frank was one of the 78 who did not survive. His death was not confirmed until after the war.

Emil's grave is at Zion Lutheran Cemetery in Hartford, South Dakota. Frank has a memorial at Black Hills National Cemetery in Sturgis, South Dakota. I don't know what happened to Emil's widow. Frank's widow did not remarry and died in 1984. His son Gary died in 2006.

Thank you Emil and Frank for your sacrifice. Let's Earn It for Harms brothers.

GEORGE GOBEL
George Gobel was born on the same day as Emil Harms. He was born in Illinois. George started as a country music singer before the war,  but joined the Army Air Forces where he became a flight instructor teaching pilots how to fly AT-9s and B-26s. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Gobel

After the war he move to comedy and found success in early television in 1954 with The George Gobel's Show which ran until 1960. He produced the popular TV show Leave it to Beaver. A generation later he became a regular on The Hollywood Squares game show. He died in 1991.

Last year on this date I profiled George Lewis, 35th Infantry Division. You can read about George here.

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.

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WW2 Fallen 100 is supported by

The Greatest GENERATIONS Foundation

“Where Every Day is Memorial Day”

http://www.tggf.org