Missing information?
Do you have any additional information you would like to share about a soldier?
Submit- Full
name
GROFFEN, Wesley James - Date of
birth
19 March 1923 -
Age
21 - Place of
birth
Port Huron, St. Clair County, Michigan -
Hometown
Pittsfield, Washtenaw County, Michigan
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
36419983 -
Rank
Private -
Function
unknown -
Unit
C Company,
1st Battalion,
504th Parachute Infantry Regiment,
82nd Airborne Division
-
Awards
Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster
Death
-
Status
Died of Wounds - Date of
death
21 December 1944 - Place of
death
Belgium
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Henri-Chapelle - unknown
Immediate family
-
Members
Earl Groffen (father)
Leona W. (Hines) Groffen (mother)
Alberta M. Groffen (sister)
Arthur E. Groffen (brother)
Mable L. Groffen (sister)
More information
Pvt Wesley J. Groffen attended Roosevelt High School in Ypsilanti, Michigan and was employed by Ann Arbor Merchant's Delivery Service before he enlisted in Kalamazoo, Michigan on 18 January 1943.He received his Paratroopers Wings at Fort Benning, Georgia in May 1943 and was a veteran of the campaigns in North Africa, Italy, France and The Netherlands.
He was reported wounded in action in September 1944. After recovering, he returned to his unit. for this wound he was awarded the Pruple Heart Medal a first time.
At the main entrance to the Ann Arbor County Courthouse is a WWII plaque with Private Groffen's name listed with those that died from Washtenaw County, Michigan.
Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Carla Mans, Susan Linton - Ann Arbor News dated 4 October 1943 / 19 January 1945 / 2 March 1945, WW2-Airborne.us, NARA, WW2memorial, www.ancestry.com
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Family collection - courtesy of Ed Weichsler