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Edward E. BENSON
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Source : Historian Leopoldville
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| NUMBER OF SERVICE | 20713045 | ||||||
| AGE | 22 years old | ||||||
| DATE OF BIRTH | 1922 Duluth, St. Louis County MINNESOTA | ||||||
| ENLISTMENT STATE | MINNESOTA | ||||||
| FAMILY | Parents : William & Lilian BENSON | ||||||
| RANK | Private First Class | ||||||
| FONCTION | Infantryman | ||||||
| JOB BEFORE ENLISTEMENT | Actor |  | |||||
| DATE of ENLISTEMENT | 10 February 1941 Duluth MINNESOTA | ||||||
| COMPANY | Company I | ||||||
| REGIMENT | 264th Infantry Regiment | ||||||
| DIVISION | 66th Infantry Division "Black Panther Division" | ||||||
| DATE OF DEATH | 25 December 1944 |
Source : F Lavernhe | |||||
| STATUS | MIA | ||||||
| PLACE OF DEATH | Aboard in USS Léopoldville, In Manche(Channel), off Cherbourg | ||||||
| CEMETERY |
NORMANDY AMERICAN CEMETERY from Colleville | ||||||
| GRAVE |
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| DECORATION |
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| STORY | |||||||
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Enlisted in the National Guard Medical Department, Edward entered active service in 1941 Parents William & Lilian BENSON, he had a sister and two brothers. Edward grew up in Duluth MINNESOTA. before the war he worked as a delivery salesman for the Duluth Herald Tribune he was assigned to the 125 artillery regiment later he was assigned to the 264th infantry regiment, edward was at camp rucker when he learned of the death of his brother who was pfc at the 15th infantry regiment 3rd infantry division. he died in the south of france. His girlfriend was Margaret MASS. She heard the terrible news over the phone. it was Edward's father who called him. Edward and Margaret got engaged on top of the Empire State Building. One day a friend of Edward called margaret. this friend was one of the Leopoldville survivors. he explained to her that he and Edward were on the deck of the ship and they were singing Christmas carols. very observant edward decided to go get his bible on one of the lower decks when the torpedo exploded. Following this horrible news margaret also a practicing left as a missionary in 1949 in China. Margaret says she still loves him. | |||||||
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Arrived on November 26th, 1944 in England, the division polishes up its training until December 24th In the daytime of the departure and the crossing towards France and Normandy. The division embarks on two ships of which the SS Leopoldville which receives 262th and 264th regiment Infantry and leaves Southampton in training(formation) accompanied with four escort ships. Arrived unless 5 miles from Cherbourg, a German submarine U-Boat 486 is in ambush and sends a torpedo to the ship. He is touched on the starboard beam before. 802 soldiers over the 2235 which he(it) transported are killed in this drama. Leopoldville is marine cemetery today. | |||||||
See History of Leopoldville (Click on the picture) 
| SOURCE INFORMATION & SOURCE PHOTO | Clive TIRLEMONT - Frédéric LAVERNHE - Leopoldville.org |
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| PROGRAMMER | Garrett, Clive, Frédéric & Renaud |