Pvt. Walter Alfred Jonas was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on January 30, 1925, to George W. Jonas and Elizabeth Campbell-Jonas, and had two brothers. The family resided at 1124 Beloit Avenue, Forest Park, Illinois, and he graduated from Field Stevenson School, Forest Park, and attended Proviso Township High School, as a member of the class of 1943, for three and a half years. He left before graduation. On January 30, 1943, he registered with Selective Service and named his father as his contact person. He married Anna Marie Osborn on April 6, 1943, and became the father of a daughter.
He was inducted in the US Army on April 14, 1944, but it is not known where he did his basic training. He was given the serial number of 36 968 298. He was sent overseas where he joined the 135th Infantry Regiment, 34th Infantry Division which was fighting in Italy. Details of when he joined the regiment and where he fought are not known, Pvt. Walter A. Jonas was killed in action on April 27, 1945, while on a reconnaissance patrol when he was hit by gun fire on the left side of his chest.
What is known is that he was buried at the United States Military Cemetery, Mirandola, Italy, on May 6, 1945, in a shroud in Plot C, Row 3, Grave 324. His grave was marked with a wooden cross. He was reported killed in action to his wife, by the War Department, on May 22, 1945.
MRS ANN M JONAS
1124 BELOIT AVENUE
FOREST PARK ILLINOIS
THE SECRETARY OF WAR DESIRES ME TO EXPRESS HIS DEEPEST REGRET THAT YOUR SON PRIVATE WALTER A JONAS WAS KILLED IN ACTION ON TWENTY SEVEN APRIL IN ITALY LETTER FOLLOWS
ULIO THE ADJUTENT GENERAL
A letter followed, but the content is not known.
In 1946 and 1947 the Office of the Quartermaster General, Washington DC, sent letters to Ann Jonas about her husband. One letter, dated November 7, 1947, provided information on her options for Walter’s final burial and asked her to fill-out and return an enclosed form indicating where she wanted him buried. In September 1948, since she had not returned the form, the OQMG sent a letter to the Veterans Administration which informed the office that Ann Jonas had remarried and was living in Sanderson, Texas. This made Walter’s father his legal next of kin, but it appears that his father allowed his mother to act as next of kin.
Sometime in 1949, his mother was sent the same letter that had been sent to Walter’s wife providing her with her options for Walter’s final burial. Walter’s parents had moved to Tomah, Wisconsin, but she returned the enclosed form to the OQMG and indicated that she wanted Walter to be returned to Illinois for burial.
Walter’s remains were exhumed and sent to the Leghorn Morgue were they were casketed. On May 4, 1949, his casket was placed on the USAT John L. Mc Carley which sailed the same day. The ship arrived in the New York Port of Entry on May 23, 1949, and on the 25th his casket was sent by train, with a military escort, to Quartermaster Corps; Distribution Center #8, Chicago, arriving on the 27th. In a military hearse, Walter’s casket was taken to Fred Zimmerman and Son Undertakers in Forest Park on June 20th. He was buried in Saint Joseph Cemetery, River Grove, Illinois.
