PFC Alexander Jay Kitcheos was born in Cook County, Illinois, on May 15, 1918, to Eros B. Kitcheos and Frances Wegsyzn-Kitcheos. With his sister and brother, he grew up at 1001 Dunlap Avenue in Forest Park, Illinois. His father died in 1928, and his brother, Julian, died in 1938. He graduated from Field Stevenson School, Forest Park, and Proviso Township High School, Maywood, Illinois, in 1938. At some point, he moved to Los Angeles, and gave his address as 2633 Newell Street and was self-employed. He registered with Selective Service on October 16, 1940, when the draft act took effect and named his mother as his contact person.
Alex was drafted into the US Army on February 14, 1942, in Los Angeles, at Fort MacArthur, San Pedro, California. He received the serial number of 39 019 445. Since his test score on the Army General Classification Test was high he was given the opportunity to train as a paratrooper which he chose to do. When he joined one of the requirements was that he had to be single or had no dependents. What is known is that he trained at Camp Toccoa, Georgia, and went to jump school at Ft, Benning, Georgia, and then went to Ft. Bragg, North Carolina. It appears it was there that he became a member of Company F, 502 Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division. Before he was sent overseas, he married Francis Kwiatkowski, in Chicago, and his wife resided with his mother.
The 101st arrived in England on September 4, 1943, and was stationed at Chilton Foliat and Denford near Hungerford, Berkshire, England. It spent most of the eight months training. On the night of June 5, 1944, the members of the 101st parachuted into German occupied France as part of the D-Day invasion. The division’s job was secure exits from the beaches and destroying the bridges over the Douve River.
After D-Day, the 502nd was involved on the assault on Carentan on June 10th attacking the rail hub from the northeast. Due to the damage to the bridges the division’s advance was slowed and they were shelled by artillery, fired at by snipers, machine guns, and dive bombers. To capture a farmhouse just beyond the fourth bridge, they made a bayonet charge, captured the farmhouse, which allowed the 506th Parachute Regiment to take Carentan on the 14th. The 101st repelled a German counter-attack to retake the town.
What is known was the 101st was involved in fighting Outside of St-Saveur-le-Vicomte – Manche, France, where on June 27, 1944, PFC Alexander Kitcheros was hit by enemy fire and killed. That same day at Blosville, France, Alex was buried in the cemetery in Plot D, Row 2, Grave 24. His grave was marked with a peg.
His wife received a telegram from the War Department on July 20, 1944.
MRS FRANCIS KITCHEROS
THE SECREATRY OF WAR DESIRES ME TO EXPRESS HIS DEEPEST REGREAT THAT YOUR HUSBAND PRIVATE FIRST CLASS ALEXANDER KITCHEROS WAS KILLED IN ACTION ON TWENTY SEVEN JUNE IN FRANCE LETTER FOLLOWS
ULIO THE ADJUTANT GENERAL
Apparently the confirmation letter, dated July 23, 1944, was sent to his wife, but she apparently never received it. In a letter, she asked her Congressman, Carter Manasco, if he could get information on Alexander’s death and the location of his grave. His congressman received this letter from the Quartermaster General’s Office, Washington D.C., and forwarded the information to Frances Kitcheos.
8 March 1945
Honorable Carter Manasco,
House of Representatives,
Washington, D. C.
My dear Mr. Manasco:
The Adjutant General, Washington D. C., has forwarded to this office for further reply, your inquiry regarding the burial of Private First Class Alexander J. Kitcheos, who was killed in action on 27 June 1944 in Normandy, France.
The records of this office indicate the remains of Private Kitcheos were interred in the American Military Cemetery, Blosville, France, in Plot D, Row 2, Grave 24. His wife may be assured that he was buried with the utmost respect and reverence, with an appropriate ceremony conducted at the grave by an Army Chaplain. The cemetery is well cared for and under the immediate supervision of our military authorities. A temporary marker has beeen erected, with a fitting inscription thereon, and the grave has been properly recorded.
Major General Edmund B. Gregory, The Quartermaster General, requests that you express his deep sympathy to the family of Private. Kitcheos in their great sorrow.
For The Quartermaster General:
Very truly yours,
(signed)
JAMES V. HUNT
Lt. Colonel, Q.M.C.,
Assistant.
It also appears his wife may have remarried, since in 1947, Alex’s mother became his contact person. His mother received a letter, dated November 13, 1947, that provided her with information on her options for Alex’s final burial. She was asked to fill-out and return an enclosed form to the Office of Quartermaster General, Washington DC, indicating where she wanted him buried. The form was received by the OQMG on October 3, 1947, indicating his mother wanted his remains returned to Illinois.
Alex’s remains were exhumed from United States Military Cemetery, Blosville, France, and by truck transported to Casketing Point B, Cherbourg, France, on February 18, 1948, where they remained until the casket was placed on the USAT Lawrence Victory which sailed on April 26, 1948, and arrived in the New York Point of Entry on May 7, 1948. His remains were sent by train and arrived at the Quartermaster Corps Distribution Center, Chicago, on May 12th. On June 9, 1948, his casket – in a military hearse with an escort – was taken to the Zimmerman & Son Funeral Home in Forest Park. PFC Alexander J. Kitcheos was buried in Section 54, Lot 425, in the Forest Home Cemetery, Forest Park, Illinois.
