​​

Name: Louis C. Klepac

Service number: 35289948

Born: 30 March,1918, Ohio

Hometown: Cuyahoga County, Ohio

Family:   Louis Klepac (father)

               Stella Klepac (mother)

Rank: Private First Class

Division: 9th Infantry Division

Regiment: 60 Infantry Regiment

Enlistment:  25 March, 1942, Camp Perry Lacarne, Ohio

Status: KIA

Date of death: 21 Juli 1944

Awards: Purple Heart

Grave Number: Plot F Row 28 Grave 40

Cemetery: American War Cemetery Colleville-sur-Mer

Other information: Louis was first in the K-Company, 326th Glider Infantry Regiment, 82nd Division. The 326th GIR was transferred to Airborne Command on February 10, 1943. I am still looking for information about when and why Louis was transferred to the 60th Infantry Regiment, D-Company.

Louis was killed in the vicinity of Le Mesnil-Eury, France.His medical records state that his cause of dead was a traumatical amputation of one of his legs. This probably confirms the story of his family that he was killed by stepping on a landmine.

mail from Anne Reinker, who’s grandmothers sister was Louis’ mother

Hi Kristof,

I just noticed your email address in you first message. Below are the notes I have in my genealogy program, some of which were things my Dad told me before he passed away in 2005. Dad tended to ramble when he talked about things, so I hope his comments will make some sense to you. I’m not sure I understand them all completely, but I transcribed them as best I could. Maybe your research will shed more light on Louis.

BIRTH:

Estimated birthdate of May 1918 is based on Louis being age 1 & 8/12 in the January, 1920 Census.

CENSUS:

January 1920 Census: Louis was age 1 8/12 and living with his parents at 3848 East 54th Street. (see mother's notes for complete transcription.)

April 1930 Census: Louis was age 12, and lived with parents at 3659 East 52 Street. (see mother’s notes.)

Apparently there was no Cleveland death notice published for Louis. I checked the Cleveland Public Library database under several different spellings and could not find one.

MISC NOTES ABOUT LOUIS‘ DEATH:

Dad’s Notes: Louis, Jr. was killed in service; was a paratrooper; possibly hit a mine. See more notes below.

Questions for Dad: Was Louis killed as a Paratrooper or did you once mention that he was reassigned before his death? He is listed as a PFC with the 60th Infantry 9th Division. This was Dad’s outfit for awhile.

Dad’s response: 

The 9th Division is 10,000 -12,000 men and had 3 infantry regiments. Dad was with the 60th Field Artilery and they transfered to the 47th and they went to England. Louis died with the same APO number (Army Post Office 9) that dad had. He died in the same Division - he had been with the 82nd airborne prior to this (on the jump into France), but they must have transfered him into the Infantry like Dad was transfered. Dad thinks he was killed in the bombing. 

They were bombing short - 3000 of our planes. But someone who lived on the next street from Dad (a buddy of Louis who served with him) says he stepped on a mine. He jumped into Cherbourg and then got transfered into the infantry. When Dad got home from the War, he visited Aunt Stella (Louis’ mother) on Corlett and asked where Louis was when he died and she handed Dad a letter that had Dad’s infantry and division number on it. In a movie that showed in the theaters, Gen Eisenhower was standing next to Louis’grave. Louis’ brother saw this in the Theaters.