One Killed,
Two Hurt
in Fort Crash

   Fort Atkinson—A Chicago student was killed early this morning when the car in which he was riding went out of control on Highway 12 at the west city limits of Fort Atkinson.
   The accident victim was Edward Potym, 24, of 1047 W. 31st place, Chicago, who resided there with his mother. Driver of the machine was Norman D. Shugrue, 40, of 7127 Francisco street, Chicago, and also In the car was his wife, Mildred. Both of the Shugrues were Injured In the wreck and now are in the Fort Atkinson Memorial hospital.
   The accident, according to Fort Atkinson police, occurred at 1:39 a. m. today. Mr. Potym was taken by ambulance to the Fort Memorial hospital and died there a short time after arrival. Police said that the Shugrue automobile, which was towing a boat trailer, went out of control just outside of the Fort Atkinson city limits as it proceeded toward the city. The automobile rolled over and finally came to rest about 300 feet from the point where it left the highway.
   This was within the city limits and the accident investigation came under jurisdiction of the city police department.
   The automobile, authorities reported, was badly wrecked. Coroner Carroll Schultz of .Jefferson county said after a preliminary' investigation of the accident that there would be no inquest.

[Janesville Daily Gazette, Janesville, WI, 02 Aug 1948, Mon., Page 1]

Application for grave marker for Edward J. (J. Edward?) Potym to be erected in the Resurrection Catholic Cemetery and Mausoleums, Justice (Cook county), Illinois.  Note that the use of "J" is reversed from civil records, including his birth record in Cook county, IL.

Edward enlisted in the Army on 17 August 1943 and was transferred from Hq 82nd Airborne to Hq 1st, 508 PIR on 23 July 1944. 

Already in combat, he was promoted to Private First Class on 12 January 1945.  Less than three weeks later he was with a group of men in a 81mm Mortar squad.  Sgts Bill Goudy and Glenn Somerville moved their squad leaders into a large stone barn to give instructions on their next task.

An artillery shell came through the wall killing Pfc Steve Tetak.  Bill had shrapnel wounds while Somerville lost his left arm, left eye and toes on his left foot. Pfc Potym, according to Goudy's report, "had a broken leg from stone falling on him."

Pfc Potym's injury was more than a broken leg, however, as after he was evacuated to a field hospital the limb was amputated.

Edward was killed in an automobile accident in Fort Atkinson (Jefferson county), WI on 2 August 1948 at the age of 23.