Hollis Loomis enlisted in the U.S. Army on 28 October 1942 in Akron, OH and volunteered for parachutist duty. The 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment had begun forming just eight days earlier at Camp Blanding, Fl and Hollis joined them there.
After completing a rigorous basic training, the regiment moved to parachute school at Ft Benning where, following the completion of "five jumps from an aircraft in flight", Pvt Loomis and more than 2000 others pinned on their prized jump wings.
Advanced field training began at Camp Mackall, NC in March 1943 and continued through mid-December when the regiment departed for Camp Shanks, NY. Known as "Last Stop USA", Shanks was the departure point for most of the troops embarking from the port of New York.
After 12 days tossing on the Atlantic, the regiment disembarked in Belfast, Ireland and conducted another three months of field training exercises before moving to Nottingham England in March 1944.
It was from this area that the regiment ultimately left for the invasion of France on D-Day when they parachuted behind enemy lines on 6 June 1944.
Pfc Loomis was constantly in combat for the next month and was fatally wounded on 5 July 1944. His decorations included the Good Conduct Medal (November 1943) and the posthumous awards of the Purple Heart medal as well as the Combat Infantryman Badge.
He was initially interred in the Blosville France Cemetery Plot D, Row 6, Grave 101.
Following the war, his family elected to have his remains repatriated and he was laid in his final resting place in Arlington in Section 12 Site 2478.
NARA War Department records list this soldiers Home of Record as Stark County, Ohio...Killed In Action...Re-interred on 06/16/1948.
After completing a rigorous basic training, the regiment moved to parachute school at Ft Benning where, following the completion of "five jumps from an aircraft in flight", Pvt Loomis and more than 2000 others pinned on their prized jump wings.
Advanced field training began at Camp Mackall, NC in March 1943 and continued through mid-December when the regiment departed for Camp Shanks, NY. Known as "Last Stop USA", Shanks was the departure point for most of the troops embarking from the port of New York.
After 12 days tossing on the Atlantic, the regiment disembarked in Belfast, Ireland and conducted another three months of field training exercises before moving to Nottingham England in March 1944.
It was from this area that the regiment ultimately left for the invasion of France on D-Day when they parachuted behind enemy lines on 6 June 1944.
Pfc Loomis was constantly in combat for the next month and was fatally wounded on 5 July 1944. His decorations included the Good Conduct Medal (November 1943) and the posthumous awards of the Purple Heart medal as well as the Combat Infantryman Badge.
He was initially interred in the Blosville France Cemetery Plot D, Row 6, Grave 101.
Following the war, his family elected to have his remains repatriated and he was laid in his final resting place in Arlington in Section 12 Site 2478.
NARA War Department records list this soldiers Home of Record as Stark County, Ohio...Killed In Action...Re-interred on 06/16/1948.
Hollis Loomis enlisted in the U.S. Army on 28 October 1942 in Akron, OH and volunteered for parachutist duty. The 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment had begun forming just eight days earlier at Camp Blanding, Fl and Hollis joined them there.
After completing a rigorous basic training, the regiment moved to parachute school at Ft Benning where, following the completion of "five jumps from an aircraft in flight", Pvt Loomis and more than 2000 others pinned on their prized jump wings.
Advanced field training began at Camp Mackall, NC in March 1943 and continued through mid-December when the regiment departed for Camp Shanks, NY. Known as "Last Stop USA", Shanks was the departure point for most of the troops embarking from the port of New York.
After 12 days tossing on the Atlantic, the regiment disembarked in Belfast, Ireland and conducted another three months of field training exercises before moving to Nottingham England in March 1944.
It was from this area that the regiment ultimately left for the invasion of France on D-Day when they parachuted behind enemy lines on 6 June 1944.
Pfc Loomis was constantly in combat for the next month and was fatally wounded on 5 July 1944. His decorations included the Good Conduct Medal (November 1943) and the posthumous awards of the Purple Heart medal as well as the Combat Infantryman Badge.
He was initially interred in the Blosville France Cemetery Plot D, Row 6, Grave 101.
Following the war, his family elected to have his remains repatriated and he was laid in his final resting place in Arlington in Section 12 Site 2478.
NARA War Department records list this soldiers Home of Record as Stark County, Ohio...Killed In Action...Re-interred on 06/16/1948.
After completing a rigorous basic training, the regiment moved to parachute school at Ft Benning where, following the completion of "five jumps from an aircraft in flight", Pvt Loomis and more than 2000 others pinned on their prized jump wings.
Advanced field training began at Camp Mackall, NC in March 1943 and continued through mid-December when the regiment departed for Camp Shanks, NY. Known as "Last Stop USA", Shanks was the departure point for most of the troops embarking from the port of New York.
After 12 days tossing on the Atlantic, the regiment disembarked in Belfast, Ireland and conducted another three months of field training exercises before moving to Nottingham England in March 1944.
It was from this area that the regiment ultimately left for the invasion of France on D-Day when they parachuted behind enemy lines on 6 June 1944.
Pfc Loomis was constantly in combat for the next month and was fatally wounded on 5 July 1944. His decorations included the Good Conduct Medal (November 1943) and the posthumous awards of the Purple Heart medal as well as the Combat Infantryman Badge.
He was initially interred in the Blosville France Cemetery Plot D, Row 6, Grave 101.
Following the war, his family elected to have his remains repatriated and he was laid in his final resting place in Arlington in Section 12 Site 2478.
NARA War Department records list this soldiers Home of Record as Stark County, Ohio...Killed In Action...Re-interred on 06/16/1948.
Inscription
PFC, US ARMY WORLD WAR II
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