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name
CASSELMAN, John C - Date of
birth
3 June 1919 -
Age
25 - Place of
birth
New York -
Hometown
Jefferson County, New York
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O1309216 -
Rank
First Lieutenant -
Function
unknown -
Unit
F Company,
2nd Battalion,
517th Parachute Infantry Regiment
-
Awards
Bronze Star,
Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
3 January 1945 - Place of
death
In the vicinity of Basse-Bodeux, Trois Ponts, Belgium
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Henri-Chapelle
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| F | 4 | 63 |
Immediate family
-
Members
William J. Casselman (father)
Esther E. (McHugh) Casselman (mother)
Esther M. Casselman (sister)
James A. Casselman (brother)
Margaret C. Casselman (sister)
Thomas V. Casselman (brother)
Sarah L. Casselman (sister)
Wilta I. (Webster) Casselman (wife)
More information
1st Lt John C. Kasselman joined the New York National Guard in October 1940. After training, he was sent to Hawaii in January 1943.He was married to Wilta Ilene Webster on 1 February 1943.
After the glider infantry training at Camp Mackall, North Carolina, he was sent to North Africa in October 1943 and participated in the fighting in North Africa, Sicily and Italy and the invasion of Southern France .
He volunteered to become a paratrooper while stationed in Sicily.
He was reported slightly wounded in action in September 1944. For this wound he was awarded the Purple Heart Medal a first time.
He also was recommended for the Bronze Star Medal but the citation had not been received at the time of his death. His parents had a letter stating "I have been recommended for the Bronze Star Medal because I pulled off a trick on the Krauts which was successful."
His wife served in the US Marine Corps at the Records Department in Arlington, Virginia.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Megan Harshbarger, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com, www.517prct.org
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Claude Kalbusch, Megan Harshbarger