Pvt Raymond F. Hamilton - We Remember

 

Raymond Hamilton was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Albert (Eva Demonceau) Hamilton of Dracut.  He was killed in action during the fight for control of Iwo Jima on March 1, 1945. During World War II when Marines were wounded they were brought to a ship to be treated. If they died of their wounds they would sometimes be buried at sea.  So Pvt Hamilton was buried at sea with full military honors and is remembered on the Court of the Missing in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Sadly, he was the second son to die in World War II. His brother Rudolph died in France, November 8, 1944 and is buried at Epinal America Cemetery in France.

Raymond was a graduate of Dracut High School and worked at the Merrimack Woolen Mills before enlisting. He was engaged to Miss Rita Soucier of Bridgeport, CT formerly of Lowell. He was only 19 years old.

He was also survived by three brothers; Louis in the U.S. Navy, PFC Ernest in Germany, young brother Robert and two sisters Mrs. Eva Goyette and Mrs. Lillian Tetreault.

He is one of over 3,000 Marines buried at sea during World War II. Please remember Pvt Raymond Hamilton and his brother Rudolph who never came home.

Corp. Edward Espinola - We Remember

Corp. Edward Espinola was the only child of Mr. and Mrs. Manual (Olga Bettencourt) Espinola. He was born on September 14, 1920. He was a graduate of Butler Junior High School and Lowell High School. He married Delia Barros on September 13, 1942 at St. Anthony's Church in Lowell. He enlisted the same month in the United States Marine Corps. He had been an employee at the A & P Corrugated Box Company.

 

 He died during the fight for Iwo Jima on March 3, 1945. He left behind his wife and his parents. He is buried in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Please remember Corp. Edward Espinola and the supreme sacrifice his family gave for us.

Corp. Edmond J. Dziegiel - We Remember

Corp. Edmond J. Dziegiel was born February 25, 1924 in Lowell to Mr. & Mrs. Karol (Eva Mare) Dziegiel. His father was born in Krosmo Poland and was a veteran of the first world war.

Edmond attended the St. Stanislaus School and graduated from Lowell High School class of 1942 where he was a football player. He grew up on 6 Roosevelt Place in Centralville.

He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corp November 11, 1942. He was killed in action on Iwo Jima March 4, 1945. He was 21 years and 7 days old. The only child of the Dziegiels.

 www.findagrave.com

He was the first Polish American from Lowell to be returned for burial after the war. His funeral mass was at Holy Trinity and he is buried in Holy Trinity Cemetery on Boston Road in Lowell.

We must remember Corporal Dziegiel and his supreme sacrifice for our freedom. His parents are gone, he is gone and he has no siblings, nieces or nephews. He gave it all.

Wesley H. Davis Jr. of Tyngsboro - We Remember

Wesley Herbert Davis was born in Tyngsboro on October 10, 1919 to Mr. & Mrs. Wesley (Ruby I. Willett) H. Davis. Soon after he was born the family moved to Spencer, MA and he graduated there class of 1937. The family moved back to Tyngsboro where his dad bought a dairy farm located next to the Tyngsboro Country Club on Pawtucket Boulevard. Young Wesley nicknamed "Bud" or "Buddy" was a milkman and worked the farm with his dad.

He enlisted in Boston June 12, 1944 in the United States Marine Corp and assigned to the Fifth Division. On March 9th his family reported to the Lowell Sun that he spoke "of the dramatice rising of the flag on the volcano on Iwo Jima". He reported that his farm experience helped him dig his fox hole.

He was killed in action on Hill No. 362 on March 6th on one of the bloodiest fights of all. He was twenty five years old. He left his parents, three sisters, a brother and a fiance, Miss Virginia Goldwaite of Dunstable.

He was the first Tyngsboro hero to be repatriated on American soil. The entire population of Tyngsboro came to his funeral in April of 1948. He is buried near his home in the Sherburne Cemetery on Coburn Road.

After the war his father was active in civic politics and owned "The Dairy Bar" across from the Tyngsboro Country Club.

Please remember this Tyngsboro hero that was surely missed.

Pvt Gerard Ulric Belley - We Remember

Private Gerard Belley was killed in action on Iwo Jima March 4, 1945. He was the oldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Ulric (Albertine Guillemette) Belley of 61 Crawford Street in the Pawtucketville section of Lowell. He had attended St. Joseph's School and prior to his service was employed at the Wamesit Power Company.

 Courtesy Lowell Sun

He was a member of the Fifth Marine Division and was only 21 years old. He enlisted in May 1943.

In addtion to his parents, he was survived by two sisters Ella and Jeannine and a brother Normand. He is buried at the Long Island National Cemetery in Farmingdale, NY. The Cape Cod National Cemetery was dedicated in 1980.

Courtesy www.findagrave.com

Thank you for your service and your sacrifice. Lowell remembers.