PVT Glenn Grenville Wadsworth (WWII)


Remembering PVT Glenn Grenville Wadsworth (Boothsville)

October 10, 1923 - January 20, 1945

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PVT Glenn Grenville Wadsworth (Service Number 35752793) was born in Smithfield, West Virginia on October 10, 1923, the son of Reverend Golden Gordon and Velma May (Starkey) Wadsworth. During the 1920 Census, Golden (often written as G.G. Wadsworth) was working on his family's farm on Broad Run Road near Ashley in Doddridge County. He still lived in Ashley when he and Velma married on January 2, 1921 (WV Marriage License), and in Doddridge County when Glenn was born in 1923, but by 1930 their family was living in Harrisville (Ritchie County) while G.G. worked as a Methodist Pastor (1930 Census), the career and calling he'd have for the rest of his life. 

The 1940 Census found their family, including 16-year-old Glenn and his five siblings, living in Ft. Spring, WV, near Ronceverte in Greenbrier County. The 1940 census also notes that in April of 1935, their family was living in rural Kanawha County. Somewhere between April 18, 1940 and April 27, 1942, they moved to Marion County, where G.G. was the pastor of Boothsville Methodist Church (G.G.'s WWII Draft Card). At the time, Boothsville was considered to be part of Watson, so their address was "Rt 1, Watson."

Glenn graduated from Fairmont Senior High School in 1942. Unfortunately, he was listed as unphotographed in the 1942 Maple Leaves yearbook.

Military Service:

Glenn registered for the draft at age eighteen on June 30, 1942. Still living in Boothsville, Glenn was working for Owens-Illinois #4 Plant in Clarksburg, WV. Glenn was 5'11 1/2" and 186 lbs, with blue eyes, brown hair, and light skin (WWII Draft Card).

On April 10, 1943, Glenn enlisted in Clarksburg, WV (Army Enlistment Records). Before enlisting, he was employed by Fairmont Machinery (Bob Comes Home, Glenn Is Missing, 6/8/45). He trained at the Cavalry Replacement Training Center in Fort Riley, Kansas and Fort George in Meade, Maryland before being sent overseas (1943 Morning Reports). Glenn became a member of the 12th Armored Division, 17th Armed Infantry Battalion, Company A.

Their company arrived at LeHavre, France from England on November 11, 1944. From there, they relieved units of the 26th Infantry Division starting around December 8, who were occupying part of Bining, France (17th Journal of Operations, pg 3). Many soldiers faced issues from the cold such as trench foot and frostbite, needing to be evacuated from the area (pg 8). On December 12, 1944, they liberated the village of Hoeling with no resistance, followed by a time of rest in Eywiller, France that began December 14 (pg 10). 

The 17th in Herrlisheim, France

Excerpt from Journal of Operations: 17th Armored Infantry Battalion:
"On 18 January at 0330, a report was received from the Brr OP in Herrlisheim that a strong enemy counter-attack supported by tanks was developing from the north end of town. Normal and emergency barrages were immediately fired by our artillery. Reports continued to come in until 0408 that the enemy had infiltrated behind our positions and was using small arms, grenades, and medium tanks to over-run our positions. All communications with the forward CP ceased at 0408 with a report that the CP was surrounded and tanks were firing into the building above" (pg 16). 

Major James W. Logan's final radio message at 4 am was "I guess this is it" (American VI Corps Fought the Battle for Herrelsheim). Around 140-150 servicemembers were able to escape the barrage, only three of them officers. 

Estimated losses from that battle (beginning January 17) are:
  • Killed in Action: 17
  • Wounded in Action: 169
  • Missing in Action: 150-200
  • Non-Battle Casualties: 34

Statistics Source: Journal of Operations: 17th Armored Infantry Battalion, pg 15

PVT Glenn Wadsworth was one of the many who were reported Missing in Action on January 18, 1945. He died of his wounds on January 20, 1945 at the Lufftwaffe Air Corps Hospital in Buhl, Germany (IDPF, pages 28, 32). The National Archives list his status as "Executed, Died in Ship's Sinking or Result of Ship Sinking, Shot While Attempting Escape" (WWII POW Data File). His official cause of death was a shrapnel wound to the neck (IDPF, page 32).

Legacy and Survivors

Glenn traveled several times before arriving at home in West Virginia. Originally interred at the Buhl-Kappelwindeck Cemetery by hospital staff (IDPF, page 33) he was first moved to the U.S. Military Cemetery in Bensheim, Germany, before being moved to St. Avold in Metz, France. PVT Glenn Grenville Wadsworth reached his final resting place at the Grafton National Cemetery in West Virginia on December 17, 1948 (IDPF, page 10).

PVT Glenn Grenville Wadsworth was survived by his parents and five siblings. His older brother, PVT Robert S. Wadsworth, also served in the infantry during WWII and was a POW in Germany, held at Stalag 7B in Bavaria for almost a year. Their younger brother, HM2 Lyman Wadsworth, who at 9 during the Attack on Pearl Harbor was too young to serve in WWII, served in the Navy during the Korean War.

Glenn is honored at the West Virginia Veterans Memorial in Charleston, WV. 

Sources and More Information:


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