WW2 Fallen - Arthur Sprick, 1st Armored Division and one of the Band of Brothers

Private Arthur Sprick served in the 1st Armored Division in Tunisia.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/64285457/arthur-j_-sprick
https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/daily/wwii/tank-battle-in-happy-valley-1st-armored-division-in-the-run-for-tunis/

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

He was born on March 14, 1919 in Madison, Illinois. His parents Oscar and Elizabeth were born in Illinois and Missouri, respectively. I don't have any more information about his father. His mother worked as an embroidery factory presser. Arthur was an only child. He and his mother lived with his maternal grandmother. By 1940 Arthur had completed two years of high school and was working as a leather factory creaser.

He was drafted into the army on February 26, 1941. He served as a private in the 6th Armored Infantry Regiment, 1st Armored Division.

After landing in Algeria in November 1942, the 1st Armored took a central role in the advance across North Africa. By late March it was in Tunisia, advancing through German positions barring the road to Gabes. Pvt. Sprick was killed in action on April 1, 1943.

His grave is at St. Jerome Catholic Cemetery in Troy, Illinois.

Thank you Private Sprick for your sacrifice. Let's Earn It for Arthur.

JOSEPH TOYE
Born in Hughestown, Pennsylvania on the same day as Arthur Sprick was Joseph Toye. He might not be a household name, but he became well-known as one of the paratroopers portrayed in the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers.

Joseph dropped out of high school to work in the coal mines after his father died. He joined the army four days after Pearl Harbor and then volunteered for the paratroopers to make more money. 

On D-Day he injured his hand when it got caught wrong in his chute cords. He was part of the group that Lt. Dick Winters put together to take out the guns at Brecourt Manor. Joe survived being concussed by a German grenade and an errant American grenade. He was awarded the Silver Star for this action.

Sgt. Joseph Toye
http://www.marcusbrotherton.com/an-unimagined-success/

Joe was wounded by an artillery bombardment in Holland during Operation Market Garden. He was evacuated to England but returned to his unit in time for the Battle of the Bulge. While on the front lines, he was wounded by shrapnel and sent back to an aid station in Bastogne. He decided not to stay and snuck back to Easy Company's front line position. During another artillery bombardment on January 3, he was caught in the open and took more shrapnel in the back and then had his right leg blown off. 

Joe spent nine months in hospitals recovering. After the war he worked as drill bit grinder. He died in 1995. Colonel Dick Winters delivers his eulogy.

Last year on this date I profiled one of the Normandy fallen, Robert Taylor, 28th Infantry Division. You can read about Robert 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.

Follow on Twitter @ww2fallen100
Please consider joining the public Facebook group to increase the exposure of this project. Go to: WW2 Fallen 100

WW2 Fallen 100 is supported by

The Greatest GENERATIONS Foundation

“Where Every Day is Memorial Day”

http://www.tggf.org