Missing information?
Do you have any additional information you would like to share about a soldier?
Submit- Full
name
HARLOW, William Lailer - Date of
birth
23 March 1910 -
Age
35 - Place of
birth
Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts -
Hometown
Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O1325646 -
Rank
Second Lieutenant -
Function
unknown -
Unit
G Company,
2nd Battalion,
317th Infantry Regiment,
80th Infantry Division
-
Awards
Purple Heart
Death
-
Status
Died of Wounds - Date of
death
3 April 1945 - Place of
death
In the vicinity of Hammelburg, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Lorraine
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| G | 10 | 6 |
Immediate family
-
Members
William B. Harlow (father)
Hattie C. (Lailer) Harlow (mother)
Elizabeth C. Harlow (sister)
John B. Harlow (brother)
Richard F. Harlow (brother)
Louise H. (Fellows) Harlow (wife)
More information
2nd Lt William L. Harlow graduated from Dartmouth College in 1932 and worked as a foreman before he enlisted in Suffolk, Massachusetts on 24 March 1943.He was taken prisoner of war on 14 September 1944 in the vicinity of Sainte Geneviève, France. After being held in Oflag 64 in Szubin, Poland. On 21 January 1945 all prisoners, capable to walk were marched out because of the advancing Russian forces. On 10 March they reached Oflag XIII/B in Hammelburg.
He was wounded during the attempt to liberate the camp by Task Force Baum on 27 March 1945.
On the way back to Allied lines with a part of the liberated prisoners, they met heavy enemy resistance and a lot were wounded and brought back to the camp hospital of Stalag XIII/C where Lt Harlow died of his wounds.
Source of information: Leo Minne, www.abmc.gov, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.ancestry.com - 1930/1940 Census / Headstone and Interment Record / Massachusetts Marriage Index / WWII Prisoners of War, www.80thdivision.com
Photo source: www.findagrave.com - Len GPoppa, Dartmouth College 1932