Edward Henry Holscher (1918-1943)

I am continuing my stories for the WWII Hometown Newspapers Collection Project. This story is about Private Edward Henry Holscher, my 3rd cousin 2x removed.

Edward was born on 20 October 1918 in Ft. Loramie, Shelby County, Ohio. His parents were Henry Frederick (Fred) Holscher and Clara Elizabeth Poeppelman Hoelscher. He was the third of 13 children. The first child, John Albert Hoelscher died in infancy in 1916. In March of 1919 the family moved to their farm about one mile west of Osgood in Darke County, Ohio. The family attended St. Nicholas Catholic Church in Osgood.

The 1920 US Census states that the family owned a farm in Patterson Township, Darke County, Ohio. The family consisted of Fred H. (age 34), Clara E. (age 27), Elisabeth M. (age 2 years 9 months), and Edward H. (age 1 year 10 months).

The 1930 US Census states that the family farm was on Brown Road in Patterson Township, Darke County, Ohio. The family included Fred H. (age 44), Clara E. (age 37), Matilda E. (age 13), Edward H. (age 11), Urban F. (age 10), Leo S. (age 8), John J. (age 7), Alfred F. (age 4 years 7 months), Robert (age 2 years 4 months), Raymond B. (age 1 year 11 months).

The 1940 US Census listed the farm, valued at $400, as being in Yorkshire RR 1. The family consisted of Fred (age 54), Clara (age 47), Matilda (age 23), Edward (age 21), Urban (age 20), Leo (age 18), Joseph (age 16), Alfred (age 14), Robert (age 12), Wilfred (age 9), and Raymond (age 3). Edward had completed an 8th grade education.

Edward registered for the draft on 16 October 1940 and was inducted into the Army four days later, on 20 October 1940. He initially started his service at Ft. Thomas, Kentucky but was soon assigned to Camp Wolters, Texas. His training was as a member of an infantry division. On 29 April 1942 he left the US for Ireland where he arrived on 14 May 1942 to continue his training. After six months of training in Ireland he was sent to North Africa with the 135th Infantry Regiment, 34th Division to fight against the Axis forces in North Africa in Operation Torch. The unit saw its first combat in French Algeria on 8 November 1942 when they seized the Port of Algiers and the outlying airfields.

  

On 31 March 1943, Edward was killed in action becoming the first young man from Osgood to die in service during WWII. He was shot in the leg and as he crawled back he was struck with a mortar shell resulting in severe wounds to the head and thorax. He was buried in an Army burial ground in Tunisia.  His last letter to his family was received on 19 March 1943. His headstone is placed in St. Martin's Catholic Cemetery in Osgood, Ohio.

Sources:

• The Minster Post, Minster, Ohio, 16 April 1943, page 5 (death)
• The Minster Post, Minster, Ohio, 23 April 1943, page 1 (funeral)
• FamilySearch profile (K2XY-X79)