Lt. (jg) Edward A. Luttringhaus was born in Chicago, Illinois, on October 10, 1910, to Walter Luttringhaus and Philippina J. Zagorniak-Luttringhaus, and he had a sister and a brother. The family resided at 837 South 15th Avenue, Maywood, Illinois. He graduated from Irving School and Proviso Township High School in 1928. He attended Northwestern University, Evanston, and then received a bachelors degree from DePaul University, in Chicago, in 1936. While he was in college, he joined the Naval Reserves. After receiving his degree he was self-employed. Records show his father died in 1937.
When the Selective Service Act took effect on October 16, 1940, Edward registered for the draft and named hid mother as his contact person. Information is poor, but he joined the United States Marine Corps at some point an on March 3, 1942, he was transferred to the US Navy, in San Diego, California, to be commissioned an Ensign. His serial number was 21 57 68. From the US Naval Training Center, San Diego, he was sent to Princeton University. At some point he was promoted to a Lieutenant Junior Grade.
Information again is scarce, and it is not known when he went overseas, but it is known that he served in the Mediterranean Area as the Executive Officer on the LST #374. (LST referred to Landing Ship Tank). From records he was hospitalized with an intestinal obstruction on November 3, 1943, in the US Army 80 Station Hospital, Bizerte, Tunisia. This caused him to develop peritonitis which is an infection that can lead to sepsis which causes the person’s body to damage its own organs.
Edward underwent surgery in an attempt to save his life. What is known is that he died on November 3, 1943, in Bizerte, Tunisia, and was buried in the 2nd Corps Cemetery Lot I, Row 2, Grave 9, on November 5, 1943. After the war, his mother, who had moved to Chicago, received a letter telling her the options available to her for Edward’s final burial. She was asked to fill-out an enclosed form and return it to the Office of the Quartermaster General in Washington DC indicating where she wanted Edward buried. The OQMG received the form which indicated that Edward’s remains should to be returned to Illinois.
Edward’s remains were exhumed and on February 13, 1948, moved the American Graves Registration Service Morgue in Borgel, Tunis, Tunisia. At the morgue his remains were casketed and held there until April 21, 1948 when his casket was placed on the USAT Barney Kirschbaum which sailed the same day. The ship arrived in the New York Ort of Entry on May 19, 1948. By train, with a military escort, Edward’s casket was sent to the Quartermaster Corps’ Distribution Center #8, in Chicago, and arrived there on the 21st. On June 4th, in a military hearse, his casket was taken to the Grein Funeral Home in Chicago. The next day, June 5, 1948, Lt(jg) Edward A. Luttringhaus was buried in All Saints Catholic Cemetery, Des Plaines, Illinois, in Block 4, Section 7, Grave: 20.
