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S/Sgt John T. Corkill graduted from Mauch Chunk Catholic High School and Villanova College. While attending Catholic High, Sgt Corkill was a star on the Varsity Football team.

He enlisted at Fort George G. Meade, Maryland on 9 March 1942. He was selected for Army Specialize Training Program and studied for a year at Lehigh University. When the program was disbanded, he was transfeered to the Infantry. He was sent overseas in September 1944.

On time, Sgt Corkill tried to find a spot where he could see across a fire lane. He pushed between two trees and parted the branches to take a look. A German was directly in front of him, carefully seperating the branches between the same two trees - so close their hands brushed. Corkill came plowing backward, meeting the CO and J. B. Cole. He was in a state of near shock but laughing so hard he could barely stand. The two men had stood staring at each other a couple of seconds, looking at each other's helmet and face. The awful truth struck them both at the same time, a full-fledged double take. Each spun around and took off.

Corkill, Pope, and Flanagan had starting eating. There was big explosion outside. The CO, Corkill and Flanagan ran out to check. In a minute Corky came running back inside the house and said, 'I'm hit.' Pope grabbed for him just as he collapsed to the floor. The Belgian nurse knelt over Corkill, searching for a pulse. She took a mirror from her bag, helt it in front of his mouth. She looked at Brewer and told him in French he was dead. She was crying. Hardly any of us could move. Brewer asked a couple of us to get a blanket and move Corky over by the door. I couldn't touch him. I just couldn't do it. I walked outside in the snow to get some cold air. That was my worst time of the whole war. Pope and Corkill had been eating in the CP. The rounds came in. Corky started to head out, he was worried about his squad, and I told him 'Hey, man, they'll take care of themselves. They can find a hole.' But he went out anyway and a minute later he comes running in yelling my name and collapsed right there on the floor. The men in the room stripped Corkill, trying to find a wound. Pope noticed a small mark. It was just like somebody took an indelible pencil and drew a little jagged line on his abdomen. There was no blood. I remember that Belgian nurse holding this mirror to his face to see if it would fog up. But he had no life. You know, Corky and I were pretty close. I liked him. he was a little older than we were, and I made him squad leader. It really hit me hard when he got it.