William Wheeler COBERN

“Billy, Junior”

Source : PELLOUAIS Jean-François 

Parents : William Washington & Elizabeth Ann Gaylor COBERN

Siblings : Icie Belle, Katie Myrtle, Samuel Judson, George Oscar, Raymond Earl, Horace Charles, Ernest Lee & James Clinton

Source : F Lavernhe

MIA 

KIA (29 avril 1945)

Source : Fold3.com

Source : Fold3.com

William Wheeler Cobern was born on December 16, 1923 to William Washington Cobern and Elizabeth Ann Gaylor in Chilton County, Alabama. He had two older sisters and six older brothers, at least two of whom also served their country in the war, James Clinton Cobern and Lt. Commander Ernest Lee Cobern (USN). His father was a farmer. In the 1920 census, his family was living in Mtn. Creek in Autauga County, Alabama, and in 1930, they were living in adjacent Chilton County, where his two sisters were schoolteachers, and brother Samuel worked on the farm. His father died in September 1935. William was a member of Mtn. Creek Baptist Church and attended Marbury - Mtn. Creek High School.

In the 1940 census, William was living with his brother–in-law D. C. Gandy, a service station operator in Jefferson County, Alabama. William’s sister Isabell (icie Belle) was still a school teacher living in Chilton County. His mother was also living in Jefferson County in Birmingham with one of her children. On June 30, 1942, William registered for the draft in Warrior, Jefferson County. He was living in Midfield, Jefferson County and was employed in Fairfield, Jefferson County at the plate mill at TCI, Tennessee Coal & Iron, the largest employer in the county at that time. He was 5’ 9”, 160 pounds, hazel eyes, brown hair and light complexion.

On May 10, 1943, he enlisted in US Navy Reserve in Birmingham as an apprentice seaman, service #8374947. He trained at the Amphibious Training Base in Solomons, Maryland. On January 9, 1944, he was received on board LST-531. “The Landing Ship, Tank (LST) is an ocean going ship capable of shore to shore delivery of tanks, amphibious assault vehicles, and troops.” “In preparation for Exercise TIGER, the LST carried an additional 25 naval personnel plus 354 officers and men of the 462nd Amphibian Truck Company and the 3206th Quartermaster Service Company. Exercise TIGER, which occurred in late April, was the last full scale rehearsal for Force U (destined to land on UTAH Beach on D-Day) before the invasion, which was now only 5 weeks away. Co-ordination and communication problems resulted in friendly-fire deaths during the exercise, and an Allied convoy positioning itself for the landing exercise was attacked by German E-boats, resulting in the deaths of at least 749 American service personnel and the sinking of both LST-507 and LST-531 in Lyme Bay, Devon, in the early hours of the 28th.

Just after 0215hrs on the 28th April, LST-531 was struck by two torpedoes fired during a German E-boat attack. The result was later described as a ‘gigantic orange ball’ of flame following two thunderous explosions and the ship began to sink almost at once. Ammunition started firing from the bow armament and surviving personnel immediately jumped into the freezing sea – amid burning fuel oil – many of whom could not swim. Many personnel were trapped below decks as the ship rolled over and sank within six minutes. Out of the total of 749 US personnel who died during the German attack, 424 army and navy servicemen were lost from LST-531. Two other LSTs were severely damaged during the attack.”

On April 29, 1943, Motor Machinist’s Mate 3c Cobern was declared missing and was declared dead on April 29, 1945. On September 16, 1945, a memorial service was held for him at Wylam Baptist Church in Birmingham. He was awarded a Purple Heart. His memory is honored at Tablets of the Missing, Normandy American Cemetery, Colleville-sur-Mer, France (Memorial ID 55872992).

Thank you, MoMM3c Cobern, for your sacrifice for our freedom!

Source : Dday-overlord.com

Source : Fold3.com

Source : Fold3.com

Source : F Lavernhe

Une plaque sur la plage d’Utah Beach en Normandie, en hommage aux soldats tués lors de l’opération Tigre.

Source : Wikicommons/Jebulon U.S. Army

Source : Erin Harris Harding

Epouse : Agnès Brown

Parents : William Washington & Elizabeth Ann Gaylor COBERN

Frères et sœurs : Icie Belle, Katie Myrtle, Samuel Judson, George Oscar, Raymond Earl, Horace Charles, William W & James Clinton

Source : PIN

 Guerre de Corée

Guerre du Vietnam

Source : Patricia Wilbert 

Parents : William Washington & Elizabeth Ann Gaylor COBERN

Frères et sœurs : Icie Belle, Katie Myrtle, Samuel Judson, George Oscar, Raymond Earl, Horace Charles, Ernest Lee & William W