FOUR
KERN MEN LISTED AS KILLED ON WESTERN FRONT
Four Kern county soldiers have been killed in action In the
European area, according to an announcement today by the war department
through Associated Press.
Listed were Private William A. Roll, Jr., whose mother resides at
1730 Jefferson street, Delano; Private Clyde Spradley, son of Mrs. Corn
Spradley of McFarland; Private Joe W. Burleson, son of Mrs. Lairlane
Burleson of Buttonwillow, and Private First Class Harold L. Knigge, son
of Mrs. Zelina Knigge of Route 1, Arvin.
[The Bakersfield Californian, 25 Jan 1945, Thu, Page 9] |
(courtesy of J Vogel) |
Grave marker for Pvt Joe W. Burleson in the Fairview Cemetery, Gainesville
(Cooke County), Texas. Although Joe
was native to Texas and stated that he was currently residing in his
home area of Cooke county, Texas, he enlisted in Fresno, California on
March 24,1943.
It is not known when Joe was assigned to
the 508th PIR but based on his enlistment date, he could have been
shipped overseas to a replacement depot no later than early 1944. From
there he would have been transferred to a line unit.
Pvt. Burleson took part in the invasion of Normandy on
D-Day and was killed in action on July 4, 1944. He was
awarded the Purple Heart. |