OUR RELATIVES
Staff Sergeant William Claude Gant, our 4th cousin, born on 1 Feb. 1916 in Tennessee to Andrew Eugene Gant and Lena C Hudson.
Claude was enlisted on 17 Sept. 1941 (1).
William C Gant
United States World War II Army Enlistment Records
Name: William C Gant
Name: GANT WILLIAM C
Event Type: Military Service
Event Date: 17 Sep 1941
Event Place: Ft Oglethorpe, Georgia, United States
Race: White
Citizenship Status: citizen
Birth Year: 1916
Birthplace: TENNESSEE
Education Level: Grammar school
Civilian Occupation: Farm hands, general farms
Marital Status: Single, without dependents
Military Rank: Private
Army Branch: Branch Immaterial - Warrant Officers, USA
Army Component: Selectees (Enlisted Men)
Source Reference: Civil Life
Serial Number: 34146205
Affiliate ARC Identifier: 1263923
Box Film Number: 07601.277
A year later, he married 21-year-old Miss Sophie Irene Vinson (b. 29 Dec. 1920). The marriage ceremony took place on 26 March 1942 in Robertson County, TN (2, 3).
Together with his 121st Infantry Regiment of Tennessee, cousin Claude was relocated to Germany. Among others, they fought in the Battle of Hürtgen Forest, east of the Belgian/German border.
Claude's 8th Division (called "Pathfinder") attacked the Weisser Weh Valley on 21 Nov. 1944. Staff Sergeant Claude Gant perished a few days later on 25 Nov., before Hürtgen was taken (29 Nov.).
He was awarded the Purple Heart medal.
Claude was buried at Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery Hombourg, Belgium (Plot D, Row 1, Grave 60). The cross with his name and rank is part of Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery and Memorial.
Second Lieutenant US Army Air Forces Darwin D Gant (b. 27 Nov. 1922, Patton, Green, Iowa), our 4th cousin once removed, the son of Dean Dorset Gant and Clara Lenore Gordinier (4).
Darwin's service number was O-705080. His plane was shot down over Iceland on 21 July 1944 (5).
His name and service has been commemorated on the Tablets of the Missing in Action at the Cambridge American Cemetery, Cambridge, England.
Private Lee J. Gant (b. 1923, Illinois), the son of James Francis Gant and Lula L Davis. Lee J was our 5th cousin twice removed.
Lee J Gant
United States World War II Army Enlistment Records (6)
Name: Lee J Gant
Name: GANT LEE J
Event Type: Military Service
Event Date: 10 Mar 1943
Term of Enlistment: Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law
Event Place: Peoria, Illinois, United States
Race: White
Citizenship Status: citizen
Birth Year: 1923
Birthplace: ILLINOIS
Education Level: Grammar school
Civilian Occupation: Farm hands, general farms
Marital Status: Single, without dependents
Military Rank: Private
Army Branch: No branch assignment
Army Component Selectees: (Enlisted Men)
Source Reference: Civil Life
Serial Number 36476562
Affiliate ARC Identifier 1263923
Box Film Number 10885.150
Lee J fought in France and Belgium with 28th Division of 112th Infantry Regiment. Private Lee J Gant was killed in action, during the Battle of Bulge on 23 Dec.1944. A day later the battle ended.
Our fallen cousin was awarded the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster medal.
Lee J Gant found his eternal resting place at the same cemetery where Walter Claude was buried - at Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery Hombourg, Belgium (Plot E, Row 1, Grave 11).
UNRELATED PERSON
Private Leonard Vincent Gant (b. 17 Nov. 1921 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois) to Mr. Walter Gant and Miss Irene Norwood (7). He was an African American soldier enlisted in Chicago in 1941.
Leonard V Gant
United States World War II Army Enlistment Records (8)
Name: Leonard V Gant
Name: GANT LEONARD V
Event Type: Military Service
Event Date: 27 Aug 1941
Event Place: Chicago, Illinois, United States
Citizenship Status: citizen
Birth Year: 1921
Birthplace: ILLINOIS
Education Level: Grammar school
Civilian Occupation: Unskilled glaziers
Marital Status: Single, without dependents
Military Rank: Private
Army Branch: Branch Immaterial - Warrant Officers, USA
Army Component: Selectees (Enlisted Men)
Source Reference: Civil Life
Serial Number 36021496
Affiliate ARC Identifier 1263923
Box Film Number 10245.86
Leonard served with 369th Coast Artillery Regiment of Illinois in the Hawaiian Islands. He was killed on 15 April 1943. His name and service has been memorialized on the Missing in Action Wall at the Honolulu Memorial.
GLORY TO THE FALLEN HEROES
Resources:
1. "United States World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KMVC-J6S : 5 December 2014), William C Gant, enlisted 17 Sep 1941, Ft Oglethorpe, Georgia, United States; citing "Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, ca. 1938-1946," database, The National Archives: Access to Archival Databases (AAD) (http://aad.archives.gov : National Archives and Records Administration, 2002); NARA NAID 1263923, National Archives at College Park, Maryland.
2. "Tennessee, County Marriages, 1790-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKH9-X7QG : 22 December 2016), William C Gant and Irene Vinson, 26 Mar 1942; citing Robertson, Tennessee, United States, Marriage, p. , Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville and county clerk offices from various counties; FHL microfilm 2,223,672.
3. "Tennessee, County Marriages, 1790-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKHM-DDQH : 5 November 2017), William C Gant and Irene Vinson, 26 Mar 1942; citing Robertson, Tennessee, United States, Marriage, p. , Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville and county clerk offices from various counties; FHL microfilm 425,227.
4. "Iowa, County Births, 1880-1935," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XV6S-WRX : 10 March 2018), Darwin Dean Gant, 27 Nov 1922; citing Paton, Greene, Iowa, United States; county district courts, Iowa; FHL microfilm 1,531,604.
5. World War II MIA and POW List
6. "United States World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K8YT-VKJ : 5 December 2014), Lee J Gant, enlisted 10 Mar 1943, Peoria, Illinois, United States; citing "Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, ca. 1938-1946," database, The National Archives: Access to Archival Databases (AAD) (http://aad.archives.gov : National Archives and Records Administration, 2002); NARA NAID 1263923, National Archives at College Park, Maryland.
No image available
United States World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946
Affiliate Publication Title Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, ca. 1938-1946
7. "Illinois, Cook County, Birth Certificates, 1871-1940," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q23M-H9RC : 18 May 2016), Leonard Vincent Gant, 17 Feb 1921; Chicago, Cook, Illinois, United States, reference/certificate 71717, Cook County Clerk, Cook County Courthouse, Chicago; FHL microfilm.
"United States World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K8PZ-K3Z : 5 December 2014), Leonard V Gant, enlisted 27 Aug 1941, Chicago, Illinois, United States; citing "Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, ca. 1938-1946," database, The National Archives: Access to Archival Databases (AAD) (http://aad.archives.gov : National Archives and Records Administration, 2002); NARA NAID 1263923, National Archives at College Park, Maryland.
No image available
United States World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946
Affiliate Publication Title Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, ca. 1938-1946
8. "United States World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K8PZ-K3Z : 5 December 2014), Leonard V Gant, enlisted 27 Aug 1941, Chicago, Illinois, United States; citing "Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, ca. 1938-1946," database, The National Archives: Access to Archival Databases (AAD) (http://aad.archives.gov : National Archives and Records Administration, 2002); NARA NAID 1263923, National Archives at College Park, Maryland.
No image available
United States World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946
Affiliate Publication Title Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, ca. 1938-1946
American Battle Monument Commission
Photos: Courtesy of Mr. Desire Philippet
Flag: American Graphics - American Flag Clipart
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