T/5 Otto Edward Stenzel was born in Chicago on April 7, 1912, to Christ Stenzel and Anna Taube-Stenzel. His parents at some point separated and his mother and he resided at 306 South 7th Avenue, Maywood, Illinois. He graduated from Washington School and attended Proviso Township High School for one year. He then went to work as a machinist.
He joined the Illinois National Guard in September 16, 1940 since the Selective Service Act was about to become law on October 16, 1940 and issued the serial number 20 606 850. He was promoted to Private First Class in June 1941. Since he was in the National Guard, he did not have to register when the draft became law. He did register on November 10, 1941, and named his mother as his contact person and indicated she was living in Berwyn, Illinois. He gave his address as 1528 North 33rd Avenue, Melrose Park, Illinois.
It is not known when he was called into federal service. He was a member of 1st Squad, 3rd Platoon, Company E, 117th Infantry Regiment, 30th Infantry Division. On June 1, 1942, the Army created the technician ranks for men who had received specialized training. Otto was received the rank Technician Fifth Grad which meant he would have been called corporal, but he had no training to command troops. The division trained at Camp Blanding, Florida, from October 1943 to May 1943. Next it was at Camp Forrest, Tennessee, before moving to Camp Atterbury, Indiana, on November 10, 1943. It remained at the base until January 1944, when it was sent to the east coast for transport to England. Arriving there, on February 22, 1944. During its time in England, the division trained for the Allied Invasion of France.
The 30th landed at Omaha Beach on June 11, 1944, and was given time to organize before being sent into combat. It secured the Vire-et-Taute Canal, and crossed the Vire River on July 7th. The 30th spearheaded the attack on the Saint-Lô that led to break out from the Normandy beachhead which ended the stalemate that had occurred. The division was involved in a friendly-fire incident where someone in the Air Corps changed the orders of where the bombing should be done resulting in the plane’s bombs falling on the division.
On August 6th, the 30th was sent to Mortain, France in relief of 1st Infantry Division. During the first day, August 7, 1944, of the German Panzer counter-attack named Operation Luttich which was an attempt to stop the American advance made by Operation Cobra. Otto was killed. His records show he had suffered severe burns. On August 11, 1944, in a shroud, he was buried in the United States Military Cemetery #1, Marigney, France, in Plot P, Row 8, Grave 151.
It was not until after the war that his mother received a letter, dated October 2, 1946, telling her the name of the cemetery he was buried in and the location of his grave. She was also informed that in the future another letter would provide her with information on his final burial. She also sent a copy of her husband’s death certificate showing he had died on September 30, 1946. Although they had been separated for over 20 years, it appears they had never divorced.
Otto’s mother received another letter dated October 27, 1947, providing her with information on her options for his final burial from the Quartermaster General Office, Washington DC. She was asked to complete an enclosed and return the form to the OQMG, Washington DC. The completed form was received by the OQMG on December 11, 1947, and indicated that she wanted Otto returned to Illinois for burial.
Otto’s remains were sent by truck, on June 7, 1948, to Casketing Point A, Cherbourg, France, and casketed. On August 3rd his casket was placed on the USAT Lawrence Victory which sailed the same day. The ship entered the New York Port of Entry on August 19th and his casket was sent by train, with a military escort, to the Quartermaster Corps’ Distribution Center #8, Chicago, arriving on August 27th.
Otto’s casket was taken in a military hearse, with a military escort, on September 22nd, to the Suburban Funeral Home, Maywood, Illinois. Tec 5 Otto Stenzel was buried on September 24, 1948, in Concordia Cemetery, Forest Park, Illinois.
