Second Lieutenant Albert J. Gibeau, Jr.

1920-1945

Second Lieutenant Albert J. Gibeau, Jr. served with Co D, 320th Inf Regt, from 1943 until his battlefield death in 1945.  As a Staff Sergeant and Squad Leader, he received a Bronze Star for heroic leadership on July 15, 1944 in withdrawing and re-setting his machine gun position while under heavy enemy fire.  Given a battlefield commission, he was wounded on Jan. 7, 1945 while personally leading assault troops to their objective.  On Jan. 15, 1945, he was awarded the Silver Star for heroic actions in moving machine gun and rifle emplacements to the unit’s flank.  He was killed by enemy artillery fire while moving the guns.  He is buried in the Luxembourg American Cemetery.

Technical Sergeant Donald L. Giles

1919-1945

Technical Sergeant Donald L. Giles, a member of G Company, 320thInf Regt, received the Silver Star and three Purple Hearts in World War II. He was taken prisoner on Apr. 15, 1945, being shot in the hip during the capture, and died from lack of medical care on Apr. 16, 1945. He landed in Normandy with his unit, was first shot in the shoulder by a sniper on July 11, 1945, but received the Silver Star for his courageous leadership under fire.   He was wounded a second time on Nov. 8, 1944, returned to duty on Mar. 13, 1945, and led his unit in crossing the Saale River and holding a bridgehead on Apr. 15, 1945 before being captured. He is buried in Plot E, Row 11, Grave 26, Margraten Cemetery, the Netherlands.

Private First Class James G. Graff

Born 1925

Private First Class James G. Graff served in combat with C Company, 134th Inf Regt, from January of 1945 to the end of WW II.  Engaged in heavy combat as a BAR man, he first joined the unit during the Battle of the Bulge.  He was engaged in the battle for Arloncourt, Belgium; Weiswampach, Luxembourg; the crossing of the Roer River; taking of the towns of Wassenberg, Geldern, and Recklinghausen, Germany; and occupation duty at Hannover, Germany.  He is the author of "A Soldier's Story:  Reflections of a Combat Infantryman."  He served as president of the 35th Division Association in 2002 and 2008, and has been a long-time member of the 35th Div Assn Exec. Board, representing the 134th Inf Regt.

Captain Elwin I. Shopteese

1921-1992

Captain Elwin I. Shopteese, a member of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Indian Nation from Jackson County, KS, enlisted and served in E Company, 137th Inf.  Mobilized with his unit in 1940, he trained with them until landing on Omaha Beach in early July, 1944.  He quickly received a battlefield commission for heroic leadership in Normandy.  He led his platoon through the battles of Normandy, Northern France, Ardennes, Rhineland, and Central Europe, receiving a Bronze Star for heroic leadership while leading a patrol into Germany.  He is recalled by his men as a fearless leader who always protected his men.  Later serving in the Korean War, he died on June 25, 1992, and is buried in Potawatomi Nation soil.

First Lieutenant Odie T. Stallcup

1918-2003

First Lieutenant Odie T. Stallcup initially served in D Company, 137th Inf, then commanded the Anti-Tank Platoon, Hqs Co, 1st Bn, 137th Inf, through 226 days of combat in Normandy, Northern France, Ardennes, Rhineland, and Central Europe.  He received the Distinguished Service Cross on Sept. 27, 1944 for heroic actions, while wounded, in personally manning an anti-tank gun, then leading a successful attack which inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy.  He then organized an effective defense before seeking medical treatment.  Following WW II, he received a PhD from the University of Missouri, then taught at the University of Arkansas for 40 years, receiving many civilian awards.  He died on Aug. 11, 2003.

Technical Sergeant John E. "Gene" Weick

1920-2012

Technical Sergeant John E. "Gene" Weick, Falls City, NE, was a member of B Company, 134th Inf Regt.  After entry on active duty in 1940, he trained with his unit for three years before entering combat in Normandy on July 6, 1944.  Wounded at St. Lo, he received the Silver Star for braving heavy machine gun fire to rescue a wounded soldier.  Evacuated to England, he returned to his unit in the Ardennes on Dec. 31, 1944, during the Battle of the Bulge.  He received the Bronze Star on Feb. 26, 1945, for heroic leadership in leading his men against the town of Hilforth, Germany, during which he lost nine men and rescued a wounded member of his unit from a minefield.  Tech Sgt Weick died on Jan 5, 2012.