Some US KIA groups I have in my collection.

Wookster76

Purple Heart KIA Groups these are official NOK goverment engraved awards.

Battle Of the Bulge KIA
PFC. Walfred E. Mattson
Co. B, 60th Armd Inf Bn, 9th Armd Div
KIA 1 Jan 45.

I received this heart from from a friend of Wallys sister. She left the heart to him after she passed away.
It arrived wrapped a handkerchief with her initails embroidered on it and a note explaining how she left the
heart to him. I was lucky enough to find the attached news paper clip . He died in the last major German
offensive of the war on the Western Front







PVT Billy R Kitter 51st Armoured Inf Batt - 4th Armoured Divison

KIA 20th July 1944 Originally buried @ Blosville - Carentan he was 24 years old.
Billy landed at Utah Beach 14th July 1944 with the 51st Armoured Inf Batt and entered combat 17 July,
driving to and securing the Coutances area. Billy was killed on the 20th July just 3 days after landing in Normandy.
Location of death :- Blehou just outside of Carentan.

Official Combat History 51st Armored Infantry Battalion

Monday 17 July 1944

Field Order No 1, Hq 4th Armored Div, was received to cover the movement. The Div was assigned to the VIII Corps, 1st Army. The Bn moved out at 1100 as part of Combat Command "B" which was in the lead. And the 51st led the column, with the third platoon of Co "B" as the point. The unit moved through Ste Colombe, Orglandes, Entrenville, Appeville, Boupte, and went into an assembly area one half mile east of Blehou. The trip was approximately 40 miles. Men dug in

Thursday 20 July 1944

At 0100, Co "B" relieved Co "A" of the 10th on the front line. There was continued shelling in their area. It started to rain a heavy downpour during the afternoon, making conditions in the foxholes miserable. The enemy put down a heavy barrage about 1840 and continued it during the entire night. The enemy counter-attacked and, although Co "B" and Co "A" suffered heavy casualties, they held their positions, and repulsed the counter-attack. The 1st platoon of Co "A" and one squad of the 2nd platoon moved forward to fill in the area of Co "B". At the Bn CP, there, were wild rumors coming back, with exaggerated reports of casualties suffered. There was a great deal of confusion at the CP. Our artillery fired short because the artillery commander had heard a report from a hysterical soldier that we had withdrawn. Thus, a barrage landed in our own front lines. There were many stragglers. One soldier returned to the Bn CP and gave a clear picture of the situation. He reported that the companies were receiving heavy fire and suffering casualties, but that the situation was not desperate and the companies would remain in their positions despite everything. The assault guns and mortars fired for the first time, and the Reconnaissance Platoon moved forward and reinforced the front lines. The drivers and anti-tank platoon of Co "A" moved in to protect the read and flanks of their company and the Recon Platoon of the 704th Tank Destroyer Battalion also went to the front. Every available man was established in perimeter defense around the CP. There was a total of 134 casualties in the battalion. Co "B" had 72, Co "A" had 59 and Co "C" had 3. Lt Leskovar and Lt McIntire were killed.

The Man himself.. just a young fella...



His youngest brother, Harry, died two years earlier in a drowning accident near home and his other brother, Jack, died in Iwo Jima, Japan, less the 8 months after Billy's death.

The Ketters Beatrice and Raymond lost all three of there children, one to a tragic accident and the remaining two to WWII
I can only imagine the heart break they suffered ... a truly tragic story.

arnhem44

Very nice