Colclasure, Richard 'Dick'

Other Events and Attributes:

• Reference Number: COLC.R004
• _FGRAVE: 109535800
• Military Service: World War II, Sergeant, Company C, 313th Infantry Battalion, 79th Infantry 'Cross of Lorraine' Division, United States Army

Notes:

Richard Colclasure was born 1 Sep 1915 and died 15 Oct 1986, in a plane crash, his plane was hit by a student pilot near Charleston, Coles County, Illionos. Richard married Hazel Mae Warren and together ran a Western Auto Hardware store for years in Arcola, Illinois. Richard was a WWII prisoner of war and an accomplished pilot.

Military Service:
Entered active service as a draftee on December 3, 1943 at Chicago, Illinois. Trained as a heavy mortar crewman (military occupational specialty 1607). Departed the Continental U.S. on May 13, 1944 bound for the European Theater of Operations. After crossing into the continent across Utah Beach, entered combat on June 19, 1944 with Company C, 313th Infantry Battalion, 79th Infantry 'Cross of Lorraine' Division through the Normandy, northern France, and into the Rhineland Campaigns. Capaptured by the Germans in mid-September, he was interned at Stalag 2B near Hammerstein, Germany until liberated by advancing American forces on April 12, 1945. Earned the American Campaign Medal, The European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with three bronze battle stars, the WWII Victory Medal and the Good Conduct Medal. Honorably discharged as a Sergeant on November 25, 1945 at Fort Sheridan, Illinois.

Source: http://www.wwiimemorial.com/Registry/plaque.aspx?honoreeID=1923895

Family/Spouse: Warren, Hazel Mae. Hazel (daughter of Warren, William Fleming Curtis 'Bill' and Forfang, Anna Emelia) was born on 29 May 1920 in Wyoming; died on 9 Feb 2011 in Decatur, Macon County, Illinois; was buried in Arcola Township Cemetery, Arcola, Douglas County, Illinois. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]