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| Pfc. Donald Casavant served with the 2nd Infantry Division when in it was in Germany in 1945. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/124363891 https://www.pinterest.com/pin/674273375431628518/ |
Donald Casavant never had a chance to reach 100 years old today. Instead, he sacrificed his life for our freedom.
He was born on February 27, 1918 in Vermont. His parents Bernard and Elizabeth were also both born in Vermont. His father worked as an insurance agent. Donald had three younger sisters. By 1940 his parents had divorced. Donald lived with his mother who worked as a hospital maid. He had completed one year of college and worked as a retail mens store clerk.
He was drafted into the army on February 8, 1943. He became a private first class in Company K, 3rd Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division (nicknamed "Indianhead"). From October 1943 to June 1944 the 2nd ID was in training in North Ireland and Wales. It landed on Omaha Beach on D+1. Pfc. Casavant likely joined his unit as a replacement. During the war the 2nd ID suffered more than 16,000 casualties so it needed new troops to replace all those wounded, killed, or captured.
The 2nd ID crossed the Rhine on March 21, 1945. Pfc. Casavant was killed on April 14, 1945 when the 2nd ID established a bridgehead on the Saale River.
His grave is at Morningside Cemetery in Brattleboro, Vermont.
Last year on this date I profiled Minoru Nakayama and there is also a tie-in to the JFK assassination. You can read about Minoru 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.
Please consider joining the public Facebook group to increase the exposure of this project. Go to: WW2 Fallen 100
My Uncle Donald was also in the seminary before he was drafted.
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