Person:Fred Taylor (12)

_MILTID: 37515996 Date: 22 MAR 1943

NAME: Per Aunt Marg, he was referred to as Fred, Jr. to distinguish him from his dad, Fred Wilson and his nephew, Fred Lee Drury. Actually, his birth certificate shows Jr., even though he did not have the middle name of Wilson that his father had.

PERSONAL: A quiet man, who enjoyed a good laugh. Had a dimple in his chin (like Kirk Douglas).

DOB: I have a Family Record that has DOB 1922.

SSAN: 515-05-7343. (From death certificate).

NICKNAME: Was known to everyone in the family as "Spud".

MILITARY: World War II Veteran World War POW, captured by Germans shortly after D Day, 1944 On June 7, 1844. Served Mar 43 - Dec 45 Served 82nd Airborne Was POW from Jun 9 44 - May 45. Was POW for 11 months Was PFC Went over and back on Queen Elizabeth II Was POW in Dresden, Germany

MILITARY: Serial No. 37-515-996. Inducted mar 15, 1943 at Ft Leavenworth, age 19. Trained at Fort Ord, CA, Parachute school, Ft Benning, GA - 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Division. Qualified as Rifle Expert on Oct 2, 1943. Shipped overseas on Dec 12, 1943. Returned June 11, 1945, after being released from German prison camp. Parachuted into Normandy on D-Day, June 6th, 1944. Was captured either that day or the next. Awarded Distinguished Unit Badge and Good Conduct Medal. Discharged at Ft. Leavenworth, KS on Dec 7, 1945.

We have the following documents, reflecting when the parents learned of the events involving Fred, Jr.

Jul 10, 1944. Letter from War Dept confirming earlier telegram that he was missing in action.

August 23, 1944. Letter from Senator Arthur Capper of deep regret that their son was listed as missing in action.

Dec 19, 1944. Letter from HQ Army Service Forces that Fred Taylor, Jr. was a prisoner of war (No 08173) and was interned at Stalag 4-B, Germany. This letter gave instructions for communicating and that a parcel label and two tobacco labels would be forwarded to them.

Jan 10, 1945. Letter from Fred, Jr., in a cover in German, and a US Censor stamp.

Apr 14, 1945. Letter from HA Army Service Forces that Fred Taylor, Jr. had been transferred to Stalag 4-A, Germany.

May 17, 1945. Telegram from Adjutant General of the Army that Fred, Jr. had been "returned to military control".

MILITARY: A Concordia Paper, no date in this clipping: "PVT FRED TAYLOR LISTED MISSING IN FRANCE INVASION. Mr. and Mrs. Fred W. Taylor, Route 1, Concordia, received word from the War Department this morning that their youngest son, Pvt. Fred Taylor, Jr., has been reported missing in action. Pvt Taylor has been missing since June 7 when he took part in the invasion of France with an infantry paratroop unit.

The message: "The Secretary of War desires me to express his deep regret that your son, Pvt Fred Taylor, Jr. has been reported missing in action since 7 June in France. If further details or other information are receieved you will be promptly notified. Ulio, the Adjutant General."

Pvt Taylor was 21 years old May 22 of this year and entered the service March 22, 1943. He took basic infantry training at Camp Roberts, Cal and paratroop training at Fort Benning, Ga. In November of 1943 he volunteered for overseas replacement duty and arrived in England last Christmas eve. Some time ago, he and his brother, Edwin N. Taylor, who was also stationed in England, were able to spend a week together. Corp Edwin Taylor is also now in France with the invasion forces.

Pvt. Fred Taylor attended Concordia schools and was employed by the Midwestern Engineering Pipeline Construction company in Arkansas and Michigan before he entered the service."

__________________

According to this web site,

http://www.wartimememories.co.uk/mb/board1/707.shtml

Stalag 4-B was at

Muhlberg Sachsen, Germany

The Camp was liberated by the Russians, per the above web page.

1. ↑ Marjorie Weaver. McBride Family Record. (Date: 1970;).
2. ↑ Obituary - Named in Another's
   Anna Taylor, named as a child.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} Ancestry.com. 1930 United States Federal Census. (Name: Ancestry.com Operations Inc; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2002;)
   Database online. Year: 1930; Census Place: Concordia, Cloud, Kansas; Roll: 696; Page: 13B; Enumeration District: 9; Image: 816.0.

   Record for Fred W Taylor

4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2} Ancestry.com. Kansas State Census Collection, 1855-1925. (Name: Ancestry.com Operations Inc; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2009;)
   Database online.

   Record for Fred Taylor

5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3} Ancestry.com. Social Security Death Index. (Name: Ancestry.com Operations Inc; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2010;)
   Database online. Number: 515-05-7343; Issue State: Kansas; Issue Date: Before 1951.

   Record for Fred Taylor

6. ↑ ^6.0 6.1 Birth Certificate
   KS 215 651.

   Fred Taylor, Jr. Born 113 W 8th St, which was home

7. ↑ ^7.0 7.1 Death Certificate
   Riverside County Dept of Health.

   dod 08/10/1988, dob 05/22/1923, born Kansas, father Fred W. Taylor b Kansas, mother: Anna L. Millirons, b Kansas, Lana Lederer, daughter

8. ↑ Funeral Announcement
   Rose Hills.
9. ↑ Find A Grave
   Rose Hills Cemetery, Whittier, CA.

   Fred Taylor, "Uncle Spud", 05/22/1923 - 08/10/1988

10. ↑ Memorial Service Program
    Fred Taylor, Jr 1988.
11. ↑ Obituary
    Concordia newspaper, Fred Taylor Jr.