ABELE, Joseph Romanus | Fields of Honor

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Personal info

Full name
ABELE, Joseph Romanus

Date of birth
16 August 1912

Age
32

Place of birth
Johnstown, Cambria County, Pennsylvania

Hometown
Tioga County, Pennsylvania

Military service

Service number
O1309192

Rank
First Lieutenant

Function
Platoon Commander

Unit
L Company,
3rd Battalion,
26th Infantry Regiment,
1st Infantry Division,
1st Platoon

Awards
Silver Star,
Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster

Death

Status
Killed in Action

Date of death
19 April 1945

Place of death
Brocken Mountain, north of Braunlage, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten

Plot	Row	Grave
M	11	14

Immediate family

Members
Romanus Abele (father)
Mary B. (Marshall) Abele (mother)
William J. Abele (brother)
Ellen E. Abele (sister)
Romanus Abele (brother)
Dennis F. Abele (brother)
Margaret M. Abele (sister)
Paul R. Abele (brother)
Emma T. Abele (sister)
Roman Abele (brother)
Davene (Gray) Abele (wife)

More information

1st Lt Joseph R. Abele was graduated from Johnstown Catholic High school with the class of 1933 where he was an outstanding member of the football and basketball team. After graduating from Indiana State Teachers College, he started teaching in Blossburg.

He enlisted at Wilkes Barracks, Pennsylvania on 18 June 1942 and was sent overseas in May 1944.

Upon approaching the top of Brocken Mountain, where a German radar station was situated, it seemed that the place was uninhabited. As soon as L Company was in close range of the building, the men encountered a hail of fire from every window. The Germans dropped grenades, fired small arms and launched deadly Panzerfaust. The fragmentation effect of these Panzerfaust missiles striking the rocks with their tremendous detonations wounded several men and killing Lt Abele instantly.

Lt Abele is remembered at Grandview Cemetery in Southmont, Cambria County, Pennsylvania with a memorial marker.