Pvt. Charles William Speechley
Born: 29 December 1920 – Chicago, Illinois
Parents: Charles A. Speechley & Kathryn Walsh-Speechley
Siblings: 2 sisters
Home:
– 5900 Ridge Avenue – Berkeley, Illinois
Education:
– St. Domitilla School – Hillside, Illinois
– Proviso Township High School
– Class of 1939
Occupation: J. D. Patton – Chicago, Illinois
Selective Service Registration: 16 February 1942
Contact Person: Catherine Speechley – mother
Inducted:
– 2 September 1942 – Chicago, Illinois
Serial Number: 36368699
Training:
– Camp Walters – Texas
– Camp Howze – Texas
– volunteered to become a Ranger
– Camp Forrest – Tennessee
– Fort Pierce – Florida
– Camp Ritchie – Maryland
– Rangers trained to use German weapons and how to speak German
Unit: F Company, 2nd Ranger Battalion
Engagements:
– D-Day – 6 June 1944
– Pointe Du Hoc
– Battle of Brest, France – 27 July 1944 – 31 August 1944
– The fighting to capture the port was house to house with heavy casualties.
Killed in Action:
– 31 August 1944 – Brest, Departement du Finistere, Bretagne
Buried:
– Queen of Heaven Cemetery – Hillside, Illinois
– Grave: 2 Lot: 4 Block 11 Section: 22
Medals:
– Purple Heart
