SGT Bernard Emery Toothman (WWII)

Remembering SGT Bernard Emery Toothman (Fairview)

May 9, 1916 - December 14, 1944

----

SGT Bernard Emery Toothman (Service number 15015784) was born in Fairview, WV on May 9, 1916, the son of Sterling and Augusta (Fletcher) Toothman. For a time, their small family lived in Akron, Ohio, where Sterling was a rubberworker at a factory (1920 Census). On August 18, 1925, Sterling, now a gas worker died at Cooks Hospital in Fairmont, WV at age 31. His cause of death was peritonitis and a perforated ulcer (WV Death Certificate).

Augusta was left to raise Bernard and his younger brother, Elmer, by herself in Fairview. In 1935, she married A.V. Owens at the Church of Christ in Fairview.

Bernard attended Fairview High School, graduating in the mid-1930s.

Military Service:

On October 16, 1940, Bernard registered for the draft in Morgantown, WV. At the time, he was working for Montgomery Ward and living at 407 Stewart Street. He was 5'7" and 160 lbs with gray eyes, black hair, and ruddy skin. He enlisted on December 16, 1940, in Fort Hayes (Columbus), Ohio. 

Bernard was a member of the 87th Infantry Division, 347th Infantry Regiment, First Battalion, Company B, Rifle Company, (The Fallen of the 87th Division in World War II Spreadsheet). The 87th arrived in England on November 12, 1944, and in France at the beginning of December. They took Fort Driant, and worked their way towards the France-Germany border, which is where we find the 347th Infantry Regiment in mid-December, 1944.

The 347th Infantry Regiment in World War II says of that time frame (excerpts from pages 8-9 in the PDF). It is important to note that Bernard was in the First Battalion:

"On the morning of December 12th, Colonel S. R. Tupper, the Regimental Commander, and his staff went forward to Weisviller, France, to contact the Commanding Officer of the 328th Regiment of the 26th Division, to learn what they could about the situation up ahead. After returning from this trip, Colonel Tupper ordered the Regiment to move to an assembly area in the vicinity of Weisviller, and later that afternoon orders were issued for the Second and Third battalions to relieve the corresponding units of the 328th, along that front." [several paragraphs later]

"The Second and Third Battalions attacked from Hills 356 and 360 respectively and jumped off at 0700. The First Battalion formed a Regimental reserve. The Anti-Tank Company moved into position to give Anti-Tank protection to the city of Woelfling. The Cannon Company gave direct support to the attacking battalions. The 912th Field Artillery Battalion was in direct support of the Regiment and the Tank Battalion assisted in the advance of the Regiment. C Company, 312th Engineer Battalion, continued to clear the road of mines and prepared to construct necessary bridges in the sector. The 549th Anti-Aircraft Battalion continued to protect bridges in the zone and provide Anti-Aircraft protection. C Company, 312th Medical Battalion, had set up and was operating a normal clearing station. The 346th Infantry on the right and the 320th Infantry of the 35th Division on the left made co-ordinated attacks at the same time. 

Thus it was that the first attack of the 347th Infantry in the Battle of Germany jumped off. During the day the men contiued to make slow advances until 1600 when the advancing elements were pinned down. They succeeded in determining however that four companies of a German Grenadier Regiment were dug in along a line generally conforming to the German Border."

It was likely during this battle on December 14, 1944 (estimated) that SGT Bernard Toothman was killed in action near Weislingen, France, when shrapnel fragments struck his head (IDPF). 

Note: Weislingen was written as his death location on the Individual Deceased Personnel File (IDPF), but it is around 16 miles from Weisviller. No morning reports are currently available digitally to verify his exact location.

Legacy and Survivors:

SGT Bernard Emery Toothman was initially buried in Limey, France on December 18, 1944. He reached his final resting place beside his father at the Fairview Cemetery on July 31, 1948 (WV Death Register).

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.

Bernard was survived by his mother, Augusta, and brother, Elmer. Augusta lived to her 90s before joining Bernard and Sterling at the Fairview Cemetery behind Fairview Elementary School in 1983. Tec4 Elmer Toothman, who also served in WWII, lived in Fairview until his death in 2008 (Findagrave).

Sources and More Information:

  • Fairview Scrapbooks: Fairview Public Library
  • Findagrave: SGT Bernard Toothman, Augusta Toothman, Sterling Toothman, Elmer Toothman
  • Hospital Admission Card Files: Bernard E. Toothman (Accessed through Fold3)
  • Individual Deceased Personnel File (IDPF): SGT Bernard E. Toothman (Accessed with help from Fort Knox)
  • National Archives Records for Bernard Toothman, WWII
  • US Army Enlistment Records: Bernard E. Toothman (Accessed through Ancestry)
  • US Census Records: 1920, 1930, 1940, 1950 (Accessed through Ancestry)
  • West Virginia Death Certificate: Sterling Toothman
  • West Virginia Marriage License: Augusta Toothman and A.V. Owens
  • West Virginia Memory Project: SGT Bernard E. Toothman
  • Yearbooks: 1945 Fairview High School Yearbook (source of this photo)

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