Charles A. Weisenberger came from a family of 11 children. His brothers were Herbert, Herman, Frank and Tony, his sisters were Marie, Teresa, Louise, Anna, Edith and Alice. His father Anthony and mother Clara Rose were from Indiana and brought their family down to Mississippi on Christmas Eve in a snowstorm on the train. They started a dairy farm in Gluckstadt, MS (a German community) and there, they raised their children. The entire family worked on the farm and they were a good and decent family of the Catholic faith. The children were well mannered and worked hard. They all walked to school. According to Teresa, one of Charles' sisters, each child had a set of summer clothes and shoes and a set of winter clothes and shoes. For their lunch, they would often take a half of a sweet potato to school.

On 27 april 1944 Charles reported for his induction at Camp Shelby Mississippi, from there on he went to basic training and he was sent to the European Theatre of Operations (ETO). Eventually all of the boys in Charles' family served in WWII, as did the son-in-laws. It has often been said that when Charles was killed, and after the death of the other child, his mother died from a broken heart. Each and every child in that family was special and most of all, to their parents ... Later, many years after the war, "the old folks" mentioned the fact that since they were German they felt a real obligation as a family to fight against Hitler and for America - their new home.

In Europe Charles was assigned to the 317th Infantry Regiment of the 80th Infantry Division, nicknamed "the Blue Ridge" ... The 80th Infantry Division landed on Utah Beach, 3 August 1944, assembled near St. Jores by 7 August 1944, and on 8 August 1944 was ordered to stop the German attack at Avranches. Arriving too late to take part in smashing the German drive, it turned east to seize Evron and Ste. Suzanne, 10 August 1944.

The Division then attacked Argentan, taking it, 20 August 1944, and creating the Falaise Pocket. After mopping up in the area, the 80th took part in the Third Army dash across France, cutting through St. Mihiel, Chalons, and Commercy in pursuit of the retreating Germans until stopped by the lack of gasoline and other supplies at the Seille River.

From 25 September to 7 November 1944, the Division maintained an aggressive defense of positions west of the Seille, and prepared for the Third Army sweep into the industrially vital Saar Basin. The attack jumped off on 8 November 1944, the 80th advancing through Delme Ridge, Faulquemont, and St. Avold to within 5 miles of Saarbrucken, when it was relieved by the 6th Armored Division, 7 December 1944.

After 10 days' rest, the Division returned to combat, moving southeast to take part in an attack on the Siegfried Line at Zweibrucken when the Germans launched their winter offensive in the Ardennes. The 80th was moved northward to Luxembourg and was hurled against the German salient, fighting at Luxembourg and Bastogne, driving the enemy across the Sure to Dahl and Goesdorf, 7 January 1945.

On January 13, 1945 Charles apparently found some time write the following letter to his brother-in-law, Joseph E Powell who served in General Patton's Army, in the Quartermaster Corps ...

The 80th Infantry Divison pushed forward and in the next days they attacked the area of Clervaux and Wiltz in Luxembourg. By 23 January 1945 they left both towns behind them, however Charles Weisenberger wasn't with them anymore. Charles was wounded while attacking enemy positions ... He died hours later ...

After the war, his sister Teresa Powell received the following letter on June 10, 1945 from one of Charles' buddies in the army ... Robert "Bob" Godlove ... (Only parts of the letter are shown !)

Apperantly Bob Godlove's letter contradicted with the initial report of the circumstances of Charles' death. The report probably stated that Charles hadn't suffered and that he had been killed instantly.

Bob's story was a different one, but the blow for the family was even bigger when they asked Bob not to withhold any information from them ... In his next letter, Bob gives a description about how long Charles lived after being wounded ... (Only parts of the letter are shown !)

Charles' brother-in-law, Joseph Elton Powell, who was in the Quartermaster Corps and would often come behind the battles and see the horrors of them. This time it was the same, he came behind Charles but his remains had already been removed.

Before going home from Europe after WWII, Charles' brother, Frank Weisenberger visited his grave at that time (most probably) in the temporary cemetery of Foy (Belgium). The cemetery was located close to Bastogne, theatre of fierce fighting during the Battle of the Bulge at the end of 1944 and the beginning of 1945 ...

In the time after Charles' death the family recieved Charles' Purple Heart and the Purple Heart certificate.

Besides that they received a certificate, signed by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt ... "In Grateful Memory of Private First Class Charles A. Weisenberger, who died in the service of his country in the European Area, January 21, 1945 ..."

These days Charles Weisenberger rests in the beautiful American Military Cemetery at Henri-Chapelle ... He is remembered and honored by his nephew Pete Weisenberger, his niece Beth Ellis and Frank, by his entire family, by everyone who visits the Henri-Chapelle cemetery and everyone who visits the In Honored Glory website.

Special thanks to Charles' nephew Pete Weisenberger, to his niece Beth Ellis and Frank, to Robert Godlove, and to everyone else who contributed to this story and thus in keeping Charles' legacy alive and preserved for future generations.