Pfc. Edgar Charles Hansler was born in Chicago, Illinois, on January 18, 1922, to William Hansler and Anna Meadows-Hansler, and had a sister and a brother. The family resided at 1920 North 77th Court, Elmwood Park, Illinois. Edgar graduated from Elmwood Park School and since Elmwood Park was not in a high school district, he chose to attend Proviso Township High School as a member of the Class of 1941. After two years, he left school and went to work as a crane operator at Central Steel & Wire in Chicago.
On June 26, 1942, Edgar registered with Selective Service and named his mother as his contact person. He was inducted into the US Army on December 3, 1942, and issued the serial number 36 712 174. After being inducted, he was sent to Camp Grant, Illinois, where he did his basic training. He also trained at Camp Claiborne, Louisiana, and Fort Sam Houston, Texas. From there he joined A Company, 349th Infantry Regiment, which was headquartered at Camp Gruber, Oklahoma, and was the first Army unit completely composed of men who had been drafted into the Army. The 349th was also part of the 88th Infantry Division.
The 349th was sent overseas and landed in Casablanca, French Morocco, on December 15, 1943. In North Africa, it trained in Algeria. On February 4, 1944, the 349th arrived in Naples, Italy, but they did not see combat until the 27th because the command did not have confidence in a division made up of men from Selective Service. During this time, the unit fought in multiple engagements and was sent out to bring back prisoners. What is known is that Pfc. Edgar C. Hansler was killed – when he was hit by shell fragments in his right arm and head – near Castel forte, Italy, on March 29, 1944. The next day, March 30th, he was buried at the United States Military Cemetery in Carano, Italy, in Plot A, Row 8, Grave 92. His grave was marked as with a wooden cross. A letter dated June 23, 1945, informed his parents where he was buried.
Another letter, dated November 9, 1946, told his parents the location of Edgar’s grave in the US Military Cemetery, and it also that they would be receiving another letter with information on their options for Edgar’s final burial. That letter, dated July 31, 1947, arrived and asked his parents to fill-out and return an enclosed form indicating where they wanted Edgar to be buried. The completed form was received by the Office of the Quartermaster General, Washington DC, on August 9, 1947, and indicated his parents wanted Edgar returned to the United States for burial.
Edgar’s remains were disinterred from the US Military Cemetery, Carano, Italy and sent to the morgue in Naples. After being casketed, his casket sailed for the US on the USAT Carroll Victory, on August 11, 1949. The ship arrived at the New York Port of Entry in the 23rd. By train, his casket with a military escort, arrived at the Quartermaster Corps’ Distribution Center #8, Chicago, on September 7th. In a military hearse, Edgar’s casket was sent to the Daniel J. Murphy Funeral Home, Elmwood Park, Illinois, on October 6th. Two days later, on October 8, 1948, Pfc. Edgar C. Hansler was buried at the Mount Emblem Cemetery in Elmhurst, Illinois, in the South Parkway, Lot: 153 S½ Grave: 1
