PVT. Roy Dotson 33821574 US Army KIA. He was born on December 10, 1918, the son of John Preston Dotson Aliphair Dona Dotson of Ira, Virginia. He was marred to Lucy Baker Dotson of Kelsa Virginia and had 2 children. He entered the US Army on June 5, 1944 at Camp Lee Virginia, at the age of 25. At the time of his enlistment he was 6 foot 2 inches tall weighed 175 pounds had brown eyes and black hair. He served in 1st Platoon, F Company, 253rd Infantry Regiment, 63rd Infantry Division. He died on March 2nd 1945 at the age of 26, from German artillery when given the order to put up Barbwire. PFC John “Jack” I Douglas and PVT Charles J Carcione were also killed while put up Barbwire. (According to an oral history with Robert Bane a few days after these 3 men died one of the men from First Platoon dropped a hand grenade in the fox hole of the officer that gave the” pointless order to string barbwire during the day in view of the Germans.” The officer lived but never returned to the company.) PVT. Roy Dotson is burred at Epinal US Military cemeteries in France. He was awarded the Combat Infantry Badge, the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart Medal, The American Theater of operations, the European Theater of Operations Medal the World War Two Victory Medal.
63rd Division records
WW2 Draft Card Young Men 1940 – 1947
US Headstone and Interment records for US Military cemeteries on foreign soil 1942 – 1949
U.S. WWII Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947
1920 United States Federal Census
1930 United States Federal Census
1940 United States Federal Census