PVT William Clifton Travis (WWII)


Remembering PVT William Clifton Travis (Fairmont)

October 17, 1909 - February 9, 1945

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PVT William Clifton Travis (Service Number 35560215) was born in Fairmont, WV on October 17, 1909, the son of Clyde and Bertha Kimmel. When William was born, his family lived at 17 Bolton Street in Fairmont and Clyde worked as a brakeman for the B&O Railroad (1910 Census). In 1912, their family moved to Market Street ("Moving"). 

In 1917 tragedy struck Bertha's family. Her younger brother Thomas died of tuberculosis in December of 1917, her mother died of tuberculosis in January of 1918, and yet another brother, George, died of tuberculosis in July of 1918. Unfortunately, Bertha herself contracted tuberculosis, and in February of 1919, Clyde and Bertha sold their Market Street home ("Personals," 11 February 1919) and moved to Arcadia, Texas where Clyde's parents resided, in hopes of restoring Bertha's health. Bertha died April 19, 1919 in Texas, leaving Clyde with three young sons: Carlos, William, and Edison ("Mrs. Clyde Travis Dies in Texas"). 

Clyde and his sons moved back to Fairmont in June of 1919 ("Personals," 4 June 1919), and by January 7, 1920, when the census was taken, were living on Water Street in Monongah where Clyde worked as a brakeman (1920 Census). On October 15, 1920, Clyde married Ada Vincent, whose husband Aaron had died in 1917 of Scarlet Fever (WV Marriage License).

Marriage and Military Service:

Sometime between 1935 and 1938, William married Dola Wyllis Gump, 10 years his junior. They had one child, William Travis, born in 1939 (1940 Census). Their family lived at 1115 Speedway Avenue, and William worked for L.A. Hess as a truck driver (1940 Census, Draft Card).

On October 16, 1940, William entered the draft. He was 5'6" and 135 lbs, with brown hair, brown eyes, and a dark complexion. He enlisted on February 24, 1944 in Fort Thomas Newport, Kentucky.

William was assigned to Anti-Aircraft Replacement Training Center (AARTC) at Fort Bliss in Texas on February 28, 1944. On May 26, 1944, he was assigned to 51st AART Battalion, Battery D as a truck driver. 

Eventually, William became part of the 80th Infantry Division, 319th Infantry Regiment, Company G. The Company's February 13, 1945 Morning Report for Company G lists William as Missing in Action from February 9, 1945 (pg 26). He was moved to a KIA designation in July of 1945 (IDPF).

PVT William Clifton Travis was killed in action by a concussion on February 9, 1945 in Hosdorf, Luxembourg (IDPF, pg 66). The day of his death, the 80th had been attempting to cross the Our River.

Legacy and Survivors:

PVT William Clifton Travis was survived by his wife, Mrs. Dola Travis, and their three children: William R. Travis, Charles A. Travis, and Sharon L. Travis (IDPF, pg 72). William was also survived by his father, two brothers, half-sister, step-mother, and several step-siblings. He was buried in his final resting place at the Grafton National Cemetery on April 15, 1949.

He is honored on the "Marion County Veterans Killed in Action" Memorial at Veterans Square in Fairmont, WV, and at the  West Virginia Veterans Memorial in Charleston, WV. 

Sources and More Information:




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