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name
WHEELES, Reuben Eugene "Gene" - Date of
birth
23 June 1910 -
Age
34 - Place of
birth
Parsons, Labette County, Kansas -
Hometown
Missouri
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
37515531 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
unknown -
Unit
310th Infantry Regiment,
78th Infantry Division
-
Awards
Purple Heart
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
14 December 1944 - Place of
death
Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| B | 10 | 32 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Reuben W. Wheeles (father)
Lizzie L. (Hester) Wheeles (mother)
Cleo I. Wheeles (sister)
Thelma G. Wheeles (sister)
Leona M. Wheeles (sister)
Opelene Wheeles (sister)
Wanda L. Wheeles (sister)
Wilda C. (McFadden) Wheeles (wife)
More information
Reuben Wheeles managed the Miami Safeway store prior to his entry in the service. Later he went to Joplin to manage the store there.The doughboy non-com was assigned to the famous 78th shortly after entering service on March 11, 1943. He received his training at Fort Butner, North Carolina and Camp Pickett, Virginia and participated in maneuvers in Tennessee prior to embarking for overseas duty last October. After a period of advanced training and preparation for action in the field, Sergeant Wheeles saw action in Belgium prior to the First Army's invasion of German soil.
Source of information: Danny van der Groen, Erwin Derhaag, Astrid van Erp, www.ancestry.com - 1930 Census, Joplin Globe 22 April 1945 / Headstone and Interment Record
Photo source: www.findagrave.com - Des Philippet, Joplin Globe 22 April 1945 page 9