Marion County Remembers

Remembering 1LT John Comuntzis (Fairmont) May 12, 1914 - September 7, 1944 ---- "A man more pure and bold and just, was never born on earth." -1932 Fairmont Senior High School Yearbook ---- 1LT John Nicholas Comuntzis (Service Number O-343115) was born in Fairmont, WV on May 12, 1914, the son of Nicholas and Cornelia (Tutulis) Comuntzis. Nicholas and Cornelia were Greek immigrants who settled in Marion County, Nicholas in 1891 and Cornelia around 1913 (" N.J. Comuntzis Dies Suddenly This Morning ," The West Virginian). Their family owned a confectionary store on Adams Street in Fairmont (see "The Comuntzis Confectionary" at bottom) beginning in 1904.  In 1919, the Comuntzis family's world was rocked when Nicholas Comuntzis died suddenly at 41 of meningitis. Cornelia was left to raise four-year-old John and three-year-old Pauline by herself. John graduated from Fairmont Senior High School in 1932, where he played football and was a member of the Kl?ub (...

Remembering Tec5 Paul William Frantz (Fairmont) September 28, 1923 - December 17, 1944 ---- Note: WWII Tec5 status is equivalent to CPL, so some records have Paul listed as Tec5, others say CPL. --- Tec5 Paul William Frantz (Service #35752794) was born in Lumberport, West Virginia on September 28, 1923, the son of Henry and Margaret (Nichols) Frantz. Their family lived in a number of places in Fairmont over the next two decades (see note at bottom), while Henry worked as a painter (1927 City Directory), plumber, "general utility worker," and later at North Pole Ice, before settling down in Paul's final home, at 38 Freeland Street in 1939 (1939 City Directory). It is interesting to note that another fallen Marion County servicemember, S1C Dale Franklin Cox , lived at 34 Freeland Street at the same time that Paul lived at 38 Freeland Street (1940 Census). Paul attended St. Peter's High School in Fairmont, housed in what is now Fairmont Catholic Grade School. A newspaper...

Remembering PFC Carl Edward Tatterson (Fairmont) June 25, 1912 - October 20, 1944 ---- 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 i...