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Personal info

Full name
TOMALA, John Michael
Date of birth
8 February 1924
Age
20
Place of birth
Depew, Erie County, New York
Hometown
Lancaster, Erie County, New York

Military service

Service number
32833294
Rank
Private First Class
Function
unknown
Unit
E Company,
2nd Battalion,
16th Infantry Regiment,
1st Infantry Division
Awards
Bronze Star,
Purple Heart

Death

Status
Finding of Death
Date of death
6 June 1944
Place of death
Omaha Beach or more inland in the vicinity of Colleville-sur-Mer, France

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
A 9 21

Immediate family

Members
Joseph Tomala (father)
Lottie Tomala (mother)
Theodore Tomala (brother)
Josephine Tomala (sister)
Laura Tomala (sister)
Stella Tomala (sister)
Bertha Tomala (sister)
Florence Tomala (sister)

More information

Pfc John M. Tomala attended Lancaster High School and was employed at Stephan Brothers.

He enlisted in Buffalo, New York on 13 February 1943. He was sent overseas in June 1943.

He served in the North Africa and Sicilian campaigns.

His body was found and first buried as unknown at the temporary American Cemetery at La Cambe, France. Later, he was transported to the American War Cemetery Ardennes for identification, where Pfc Tomala was interred permanently.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.abmc.gov, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov - WWII Enlistment Record, www.ancestry.com - 1940 Census / U.S., Headstone and Interment Records for U.S. Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil / WWII Draft Card

Photo source: Peter Schouteten, www.newspapers.com - Buffalo Evening News 21 July 1944