Memorial

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1st Lt Gerald H. Penley was born in Casper and attended Casper schools and was graduated from NCHS in 1937. He was a former Tribune-Herald carrier. He attended the University of Wyoming where he was a member of Kappa Sigma social fraternity. During his school days he was always well-liked by his schoolmates and by all who knew him.

His National Guard unit was called into full time active Army service on 24 February 1941, prior to the war, from Casper, Wyoming. He was noted, at that time, as being a Private First Class, employed as a welder.

He was stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington. In May, 1943, he was transferred to Fort Riley in Kansas where he received officer's training. He received his commission on 12 August 1943. He was attached to a cavalry unit at Camp Maxey, Texas, until November 1943, when he was sent overseas. His father received a letter from him dated 6 September, the day before he was killed which he told him he was in Belgium.

His friend Wold remembers him: "He thinks of Penley and the Silver Star commendation for bravery Wold was honored to write. He thinks about the last time he saw his friend, surrounded by flowers, lying on foreign soil."
As an officer, he heard the incident over the radio. It was September 1944. Penley had been charged with finding a southern route into a Belgian village and the Americans secured a small band of Germans as prisoners. One of the Germans still had his gun, but his arms were raised over his head. Another German crept behind him and pulled the trigger, sending out a quick burst of bullets before the Americans killed them all.
But Penley had already been hit.
By the time Wold went to see him, the Belgians had lain Penley's body on a table under a tree and placed flowers all around it.
Wold didn't know where his friend was buried, if his body stayed in Belgium or if he was brought back to Wyoming. Wold thought about contacting Penley's family when he returned from war. He never did and, sometimes, he wonders why.