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| Lt. Eso Naranche was a platoon leader in the 34th Infantry Division in Tunisia. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/124231280/eso-naranche http://ww2today.com/1st-may-1943-the-us-34th-division-takes-hill-609 |
Eso Naranche never had a chance to reach 100 years old. Instead, he sacrificed his life for our freedom.
Last year I was not able to write a profile everyday from September to November because I was studying for the Certified Financial Planner test (I passed!). I feel my project to honor one U.S. serviceman for each day of the war would be incomplete if I left them off. As I have time, I am going back and adding profiles for the days I missed.
Eso was born on October 19, 1918 in Montana. His parents Eso and Martha were both born in what became Yugoslavia. His father worked as a copper miner and died in 1935. Eso had an older brother and sister and a younger brother. Eso was an accomplished athlete in high school. He worked as a miner to pay his way through college. By 1940 Eso was living with his sister in Butte, Montana and attending the University of Montana, studying business administration, playing fullback on the football team, and also playing on the track team. He also participated in ROTC. He was a star of the 1942 East-West Shrine football game. He graduated in 1942. He was married to Dolores Walker.
He enlisted in the US Army in June 1942 and was committed as an officer. He became a second lieutenant and platoon leader in Company G, 2nd Battalion, 168th Infantry Regiment, 34th Infantry Division. The 34th Infantry was known as the “Red Bull” Division, and has the distinction of having taken more enemy-defended hills than any other US Army Division in WWII. The 34th ID began combat operations in November 1942 in North Africa. It defeated Vichy troops in Algeria.
A hometown newspaper story in February reported that Lt. Naranche's unit was caught behind enemy lines and was able to sneak away under cover of night. Lt. Naranche was killed in action on March 28, 1943 while his unit was advancing on Fondouk el Aouareb.
Butte High School's football stadium was renamed Naranche Stadium in his honor and is still in use today.
His grave is at Mountain View Cemetery in Butte, Montana. He is buried next to his mother, a request he made to his wife if he didn't make it home. I don't know what happened to his widow.
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.
Please consider joining the public Facebook group to increase the exposure of this project. Go to: WW2 Fallen 100
Eso Naranche was my uncle married to Delores Walker who was my mothers sister. When I was in high School I was given his letter sweater from Butte High. I wore it for many years. I believe my nephew has his purple heart.
ReplyDeleteAlso Delores Walker, Eso's wife is buried at Sierra Dawn Cemetery in Sacramento Ca.next to her mother Mary Walker Schneider.
ReplyDeleteDo you want to see his story added to the www.storiesbehindthestars.org project? Email me at don@storiesbehindthestars.org.
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