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| Second Lieutenant Oscar Alexis earned the Bronze Star while serving with the 91st Infantry Division in Italy. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/127061686 https://www.pinterest.com/pin/538672805423316860/ |
Oscar Harold Alexis never had a chance to reach 100 years old today. Instead, he sacrificed his life for our freedom.
Harold was born on July 26, 1920 in David City, Nebraska. His father Oscar Ebenezer Alexis was born in Pennsylvania to immigrants from Sweden. His mother Helen Victoria Carlson was born in Nebraska, also to Swedish immigrants. His father worked as a teacher in a public high school and as a cabinet maker. Harold had one younger sister. Harold was an active member in his church and the Boy Scouts, and graduated from Lincoln High School. He attended the University of Nebraska, where he was a member of the Pershing Rifles and Pi Delta Kappa, and graduated in 1942.
Harold enlisted in the US Army in August 1942 and attended officer candidate school at Fort Benning, Georgia. He married the former Eloise Maxine Thompson on 8 March 1943. Harold was commissioned as a second lieutenant on 18 March 1943 and was assigned to Company E, 361st Infantry Regiment, of the 91st Infantry Division.
The 91st ID, known as the Wild West Division, fought in World War I and was reactivated at Camp White, Oregon on 15 August 1942. After 18 months of rigorous and intensive training, the 91st departed the States in early April 1944 for combat in the European theater. The 91st was initially based at Port-aux-Poules, Algeria where it underwent several weeks of additional training, focused on amphibious invasion techniques. On 24 May 1944 the 361st Infantry Regiment was detached from the 91st and sent to join the Fifth Army in Italy. The 361st began combat operations with the 36th Infantry Division as part of the breakout from Anzio on 3 Jun 1944, resulting in the capture of Rome on 4 June 1944. The 361st then continued to fight their way through Italy against strong German resistance.
Lt. Alexis was killed in action on 25 June 1944, likely during a firefight near the town of Scalvaia in the Tuscany region. According to his grave marker, at some point he was awarded the Bronze Star but I could not find a citation for it.
Oscar Harold Alexis was initially buried in Italy and was reinterred in Lincoln Memorial Park in Lincoln, Nebraska in 1949. In addition to his widow, he left behind a seven month old daughter.
Thank you Lt. Alexis for your sacrifice. Let's Earn It for Oscar.
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This profile was written by Bob Fuerst. "I’m a NASA engineer, B-17 Flying Fortress enthusiast, and amateur genealogist so this kind of research is an ideal outlet for me. But more than anything, it’s a way to express my sincere appreciation for The Greatest Generation and the sacrifices that they made, especially those who made the ultimate sacrifice. They should never be forgotten and I’m grateful to Don for allowing me to play a small part in honoring them."
Last year on this date I profiled P-39 fighter pilot Marion Sapp. You can read about Marion 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
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“Where Every Day is Memorial Day”
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