Sgt. Charles Richard Earle 33355331 US Army POW. He was born on April 2, 1922, in Trout Run, Pennsylvania. He was the son of Walter Earle and Sarah Mae Carl Earle. He entered the US Army on October 15, 1942 at the age of 20. At the time of his enlistment he was 5 foot 8 inches tall weighed 130 pounds had blue eyes and Blonde hair. He served in 4th Platoon Company C, 398th Infantry Regiment, 100th Infantry Division. On April 7, 1945 Company C was advancing between Untergriesheim Germany and Odheim, Germany. Two platoons of Company C had advanced within seventy-five yards of Willenbach Germany. The German mortar positions and battalion Command Post were located at Willenbach. When the tanks that were advancing with Company C ran out of ammunition and were forced to withdraw, leaving the riflemen in open country with absolutely no protection. It was here that Lt. Frank Reinhart,, and several other men saved the greater part of the company. Lieutenant Reinhart, with utter disregard for his personal safety, exposed himself to all enemy fire in order to direct fire of his mortar and machine-gun sections, which helped keep the enemy pinned down while the rest of the company withdrew. Lieutenant Reinhart was killed in this action during this. Lt. Noel Felix (POW), S/Sgt. Herman Black (POW), and S/Sgt. Charles Earle (POW) were all taken prisoner as a result of staying behind in order to protect the men under their command, by putting heavy fire on the enemy to cover the withdrawal. As a result of the actions of these men, the majority of Company C’s two rifle platoons and machine-gun section was able to form a line on Hill 215.8, where they dug in for the night and reorganized.  S/Sgt. Charles Earle, was awarded the Combat Infantry Badge, the Bronze Star Medal with V and Oak Leaf cluster, The American Theater of operations, the European Theater of Operations Medal ETO with battle stars, and the World War Two Victory Medal. He was discharged on November 8, 1945. He married Rachel Elizabeth Dean on September 29, 1945 in Canton Pennsylvania. He died on May 12, 2004, in Canton, Pennsylvania, at the age of 82.

 

 

1- Elmira Star Gazette

2- the U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current

3- the U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010

4- the Pennsylvania, U.S., Veteran Compensation Application Files, WWII, 1950-1966

5- https://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-detail.jsp?dt=466&mtch=1&cat=all&tf=F&q=33355331&bc=&rpp=10&pg=1&rid=61517

6- https://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-detail.jsp?dt=893&mtch=1&cat=all&tf=F&q=33355331&bc=&rpp=10&pg=1&rid=3834250

7- the U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947