Claude Rothell, Jr.

Graduating Class
1943

Major
Animal Husbandry

Activities at Clemson
Cadet Corporoal, Sergeant, First Lieutenant; Block “C” Club, V.Pres, Animal Husbandry Club, Alpha Chi Psi, Saluda-Lexington-Clemson Club; Sports: Football 1,2,3,4

Hometown
Saluda County, South Carolina

Family
Wife - Margaret Coleman; Parents - Mr. and Mrs. Claude Rothell; and brothers - Fred Bacon Rothell and Jack Rothell

Service & Rank
Army, Second Lieutenant

Unit
48th Infantry Battalion, 7th Armored Division

Awards/Citations
Purple Heart

Date of Birth
Jul 1, 1921

Birth Year
1921

Date of Death
Sep 14, 1944

Details of Death
Killed in Action in the vicinity of Marengo, France

Burial Details
Lorraine American Cemetery, Plot K, Row 42, Grave 26

Barrow Stone Location
NE

Additional Information

7th Armored Division Action in France

The Division landed on Omaha and Utah Beaches, 13–14 August 1944, and was assigned to Third U.S. Army.  The Division drove through Nogent-le-Rotrou in an attack on Chartres.  The city fell on 18 August.  From Chartres, the Division advanced to Seine River, 24 August.  The Division then pushed on to bypass Reims and liberate Château-Thierry and then Verdun, 31 August.

The 7th halted briefly for refueling and then on 6 September drove on toward the Moselle and made a crossing near Dornot.  This crossing had to be withdrawn in the face of the heavy fortifications around Metz.  The 7th then made attempts to cross the Moselle northwest of Metz but the deep river valley was not suitable terrain for an armored attack.  Elements of the Division assisted the 5th Infantry Division in expanding a bridgehead east of Arnaville, south of Metz, and on 15 September, the main part of the Division crossed the Moselle there.  The Division was repulsed in its attacks across the Seille River at and near Sillegny, part of an attack in conjunction with 5th Infantry Division that was also repulsed further north.

Extract from:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7th_Armored_Division_(United_States)

https://www.wwiimemorial.com/default.asp?page=registry.asp&subpage=search&drawtable=YES

Service ID #: O-537451

https://www.7tharmddiv.org/48deaths.htm

Related Images Click to Enlarge

The State 10/12 1944 P2

Grave Marker in Lorraine AMC