PFC Carl Edward Tatterson (WWII)

Remembering PFC Carl Edward Tatterson (Fairmont)

June 25, 1912 - October 20, 1944

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PFC Carl Edward Tatterson (Service #35762658) was born in Fairmont, West Virginia on June 25, 1912, the son of Charles and Rosa (Fleming) Tatterson. Charles was an ice wagon driver (1910 Census), a farm operator on the Grafton Pike (1920 Census), and by 1930 both Charles and Carl were working as dairy men (1930 Census). 

On October 24, 1936, Carl married Letha Marie Shuck in Watson. The 1940 census shows Carl as working for the State Roads Department and living on "Road 31." 

Military Service:

Carl registered for the draft on October 16, 1940. He lists himself as self-employed and living at Rt 4. Carl was 6' and 206 lbs, with brown eyes, black hair, and dark skin.

He enlisted in the military on October 25, 1943 in Clarksburg, WV, where his occupation was listed as farm hand. Carl went on to join the 29th Infantry Division, 116th Infantry Regiment, Company B.

An August 19, 1944 article in the Fairmont Times said: "Private Tatterson entered the Army on Nov. 15, 1943, and received his basic training at Camp Croft, S.C., and advanced training at Fort Benjamin Harrison, Ind. He was sent overseas to England from Camp Mead, Md., on June 19. Prior to entering the service, he was employed at Domestic Coke."

Prisoner of War:

On August 15, 1944, Carl's family received a telegram that he was seriously wounded in action in France on July 30, while serving with the 116th Infantry (Fairmont Times, 8/19/44).

PFC Carl Edward Tatterson was reported missing in action on September 30, 1944. He had been captured by the German Army, and was taken to Work Camps 3324-46 Krumbachstrasse 48011 and Work Camp 3368 Munich 48-11 (WWII Prisoners of War Data File).

German burial records indicate that he died at the Stalag VII-A Work Camp in Moosburg, Germany on October 20, 1944 of a septic embolism (German Burial Records) after a leg wound that required amputation (WarTimeMemoriesProject). His family received word through the International Red Cross in November of 1944 (Fairmont Times, 11/17/44).

Initially interred in Germany, Carl was reinterred at the Mt. Zion Cemetery in Fairmont, West Virginia on July 17, 1949.

No Strangers to Loss:

The Tatterson family was no stranger to loss. They had lost two young children as infants- one month old Charles Kenneth Toothman of Spinal Meningitis in 1911, and nine day old George William Tatterson in 1924, who'd been born two months prematurely.

Tragedy struck the Tatterson family again in 1944, this time three times in two months. Two of Carl's brothers-in-law were killed during WWII as well- PVT Charles Reynolds was killed August 27, 1944, PVT John "Buck" West was killed August 29, 1944, followed by Carl on October 20, 1944. 

Survivors and Legacy:

PFC Carl Edward Tatterson was survived by his wife, Letha, his parents, seven sisters, and one brother. He was preceded in death by an older brother, Charles, and a younger brother, George. Carl's brother Clyde also served in WWII.

In 2011, the West Virginia Legislature passed a ruling that a bridge near Maple Grove United Methodist Church on WV Route 310 would be named after PFC Carl E. Tatterson (WWII) and PFC Joseph W. Sell, Jr. (Vietnam).

Carl is also honored on the West Virginia Veterans Memorial in Charleston, WV.

Sources and More Information:


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