SGT James Lionel Myers (WWII)

Remembering SGT James Lionel Myers (Fairmont)

March 29, 1919 - June 8, 1944

----

SGT James Lionel Myers was born March 29, 1919 in Fairmont, WV, the son of William and Grace (Shaferman) Myers. 

William worked in the coal industry, as a foreman (1910 Census) and miner (1920 census). Unfortunately, William and James' brother, Herbert, died in the Jamison #8 mine disaster on January 14, 1926.

The family moved to Fairmont by the time of the 1930 census, where James completed one year of high school at East Fairmont. James also entered into the coal industry, working as a trackman in the mines (1940 census). At that time, the family was living at what the 1940 census described as "296 Fairmont/Morgantown Road."

James registered for the draft on October 16, 1940, at which time he was working for the Industrial Collieries Corporation in Fairmont. He is listed as being 6'4" and 183 lbs, with gray eyes, brown hair, and light skin.

He enlisted in Clarksburg, WV, on October 12, 1942.

Military Service

When Operation Overlord began on June 6, 1944, SGT James Lionel Myers was serving in the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne. The airborne phase of D-Day was called Operation Neptune.

The 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment Association's Unit History Page says of their mission:

"The 82nd's mission was to destroy vital German supply bridges and capture causeways leading inland across the flooded areas behind the Normandy beaches where seaborne forces would land to gain control of roads and communications. More than 10,000 All-Americans landed by parachute and glider on June 6, 1944 - D-Day - as part of the greatest airborne assault in history.

The 508th was responsible for the Southwest portion of the 82d Airborne Division sector in Normandy.Their primary targets were bridges over the Douve River, located at Brienville and Beuzeville-la-Bastille. Clouds and heavy anti-aircraft fire caused the formations to break up and many of the planes to stray off course. The confusion was also compounded by the Wehrmarcht's presence in the scheduled drop zones. This prevented the pathfinders from marking them and consequently delayed many pilots from flashing the jump lights until they had overshot the drop zones as they frantically searched for the markers. Consequently, both the 507th and 508th troopers were widely scattered over the Normandy countryside." (full account can be found here)

 

James was killed in action on June 8, 1944. His hospital admission card only reads that he was killed in the line of duty.

According to the Sainte-Mère-Eglise Airborne Museum, James was originally buried in the Blosville American Cemetery. He was later re-interred at Maple Grove Cemetery in Fairmont, WV, alongside his parents and several siblings. James is also honored on the "Marion County Veterans Killed in Action" Memorial at Veterans Square in Fairmont, WV. 

Sources and More Information:


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

CPL Olen Jay Canfield (WWII)

Image
Remembering Tec5 Olen Jay Canfield (Levels Road) January 10, 1919 - September 6, 1944 ---- Tec5 Olen Jay "Skeeter" Canfield (Service #35275107) was born January 10, 1919 in Norton, WV, the son of John and Sarah (Fansler) Canfield. Norton is about six and a half miles from Elkins, in Randolph County. Their family spent the next few decades in Marion County (1920-1940 Census) with John working as a general laborer (1920), lumber cutter at the sawmill (1930), and WPA Road Laborer (1940). The 1940 Census specifies their location as Levels Road, and gives Olen's occupation as "new laborer."  ---- Military Service: Olen entered the draft in Colfax on October 16, 1940. At the time, he was unemployed. Olen was 6'3 1/2" and 165 lbs with brown hair, brown eyes, and light brown skin. "Skeeter" enlisted on February 10, 1942 at Fort Hayes in Columbus, Ohio. His occupation was listed as "metal rolling." In the service, Olen was part of
Read more

1LT Frank Kinsey Evans (WWII)

Image
Remembering 1LT Frank Kinsey Evans (Fairmont) April 28, 1916 to May 13, 1944 "He is a gentleman in whom we place absolute trust." - 1934 FSHS Yearbook ------ 1LT Frank Kinsey Evans was born in Fairmont, WV on April 28, 1916 to William and Ora (Kinsey) Evans. William was the Chief Clerk for a local coal company. The family lived in a variety of locations in Fairmont, all on West Side: 1910 Census: 416 Madison Street 1920 Census: 224 Spring Street 1930 Census: 724 Mt. Vernon Avenue 1940 Census: 414 Gaston Avenue Education Frank graduated from Fairmont Senior High School in 1934. The 1933 yearbook states that Frank's ambition was to become an engineer, while his classmates said of him in the 1934 Maple Leaves "He is a gentleman in whom we place absolute trust." While at Fairmont Senior, he participated in Hi-Y and French Club. Next, Frank enrolled at Fairmont State Teachers College (now Fairmont State University). Frank was the student manager of the Fighting Teach
Read more

CPL Edward Lee Bane (WWII)

Image
Corporal Edward Lee Bane was born December 14, 1911 in Murraysville, Pennsylvania to Kelly Herman Bane and Jesse (Masters) Bane. Unfortunately, his mother died March 9, 1916 of pneumonia following several days of lagrippe and measles, leaving behind three children-- Fred (7), Edward (4), and Marguerite (2). By 1920, Edward (8) was living on Dunkard Mill Road just outside of Farmington, where his father was working as an engineer at the local gas plant. By then, Kelly had married Rose Bradley, with Edward's half-brother, Robert Harry Bane, soon to arrive.  Edward registered for the draft on October 16,1940. He listed himself as 5'8" and 160 pounds, with blue eyes, brown hair, and light brown skin. By then he had married Elizabeth Hoskinson and was living at 511 Rose Avenue in Fairmont, West Virginia. He was working at the Fairmont Supply Company on 10th Street. In 1941, Edward and Elizabeth were living at 411 1/2 Walnut Ave, and both were still working at the Fairmont Suppl
Read more