PVT Jennings Bryan Vincent (WWII)

Remembering PVT Jennings Bryan Vincent (Fairmont)

November 7, 1914 - October 17, 1944

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PVT Jennings Bryan Vincent (Service #35077862) was born in Fairmont, WV on November 7, 1914, the son of Anthony and Zillah (Griffith) Vincent.

Anthony, a farmer, and his family lived on Goose Creek (1910 Census) before settling down on Vincent Road off Rt 310 (1920 census). By 1930, Anthony, now 63, was working as a laborer at the Aluminum Plant and living at 510 East Ferry Street (1930 census). 

Jennings attended East Fairmont High School and graduated in the class of 1932.

Anthony went on to work as the deputy assessor for the City of Fairmont (1938 City Directory, 1940 Census). Jennings, now 25, worked as a truck driver for the road construction company (1940 Census).

Marriage and Enlistment:

Jennings married Wanda Rife (unofficially by his 1940 draft card, officially in 1944), and their son Jennings Anthony Vincent was born September 16, 1940.

Jennings entered the draft on October 16, 1940. He was 5'11" and 178 lbs, with brown eyes, light brown hair, and light skin. He was a truck driver for the State Road Commission.

He enlisted on March 31, 1944, at Fort Thomas in Newport, Kentucky. 

Military Service:

PVT Jennings Bryan Vincent was a member of the 39th Infantry, 9th Infantry Division. Beginning around October 2, 1944, the 9th Infantry Division was engaged in the Battle of Hürtgen Forest (9/16/44-12/16/44).

Regimental History, Thirty Ninth Infantry Regiment, as quoted in Chronicle of the Ninth Division's 39th Infantry Regiment states:

"On October 4, the entire regiment moved over to the Hurtgen Forest sector and took up positions in and around Zweifall, Germany. This movement was about 7 miles and was made over difficult roads. It rained continuously and the enemy harassed movements with the artillery fire. From October 4 to October 26, the regiment was engaged in fighting in the Hurtgen Forest sector and succeeded in penetrating to the outer fringe of the forest before being finally relieved on October 26, 1944 by the 28th Division. During the entire period it was cold, wet and continously raining, making movements of any kind very difficult."

PVT Jennings Bryan Vincent died of wounds received in battle on October 17, 1944. His hospital admission card reads: "First location: Thorax, generally; Third Diagnosis: Nephritis, Unclassified Causative Agent: Artillery Shell, Fragments, Afoot or unspecified." Medics attempted to save him by performing an exploratory thoracotomy, but unfortunately were not successful.

Survivors and Legacy:

PVT Jennings Bryan Vincent is buried at the Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery and Memorial in Belgium. He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart for his service, and is honored at the West Virginia Veterans Memorial in Charleston, WV. 

Jennings was survived by his wife and son, his mother, and four siblings (three sisters and one brother). He was preceded in death by his father, Anthony, who died of hypostatic pneumonia on September 6, 1942, and one sister, Hannah (1900-1902), who died of scarlet fever.

Jennings Bryan Vincent's son, Jennings Anthony Vincent, went on to marry and have several children. He died 

Sources and More Information:

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