PFC Joseph Reynold Burkland, born 10 Aug 1910 in Danville, Montour County, Pennsylvania., was the son of Charles R and Annie (Cook) Burkland of Danville, PA. He left a wife Henrietta A (Waite) and a 6 year-old daughter, Joan Ann, in Danville, Pennsylvania.
Joseph enlisted 6 Jul 1944 at Wilkes Barre, PA. He was one month short of his 34th birthday.
The Danville Morning News (Danville, Pennsylvania) – 30 Apr 1945, Mon – FIVE REASONS WHY THE AXIS CANNOT WIN – Burkland Brothers in Service – Out of the vast manpower which is driving the Germans into the last holes of utter defeat and pushing the Japs back against their rising sun are five sons of a Riverside couple who hold local honors for a family in the armed services. They are the Burkland Brothers, Donald, Joseph, Robert, Albert and Roland, the sons of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Burkland , of Riverside, and in addition, all five are former carriers of The Morning News, having delivered the Danville daily in a traditional chain from brother to brother. Of the five, one is missing in Western Front action. Pfc. Joseph Burkland, who is married to Miss Henrietta Waite, of 18 Bloom Street, Danville, was reported missing somewhere in Germany on February 18th. He entered the United States Army on July 6th, 1944. There are two other brothers in the Army and two are in the Navy. Cpl. Donald Burkland, who entered the Army on February 27th, 1943, is stationed in England. Pfc. Albert Burkland, who is now stationed at Camp Meade, Md., has been in the Army since December 27th, 1944. As to the naval end of the service quintet, Seaman 1-C Robert Burkland is on convoy duty on the Atlantic Ocean, having entered the service on June 10th, 1944. Yoeman 3-C Roland Burkland, who joined the Navy on February 10th, 1944, is somewhere in the Pacific Theater of operations. These five boys are from a family of 12 children. The entire family of 14 are members of St. Peter’s Methodist Church at Riverside. The first Burkland boy started delivering The Morning News to subscribers in 1925 and as others grew into boyhood they continued to inherit the route leaving behind them a splendid record of newsboy service. Their father is an employee of the Pennsylvania Railroad and the entire community shares in the pride the couple has in their children – happy, reliable, courageous, daring young America.
The NARA WWII Casualty Lists By State and County show PFC Burkland, of Montour County, PA, as FOD (Finding of Death), which means he was initially missing in action for at least one year and one day. His remains would have been recovered and identified later and interred at the Lorraine American Cemetery.
The Harrisburg Telegraph – 28 Feb 1946, Thu – Private Burkland Listed as Dead – Danville, Feb. 28. – Joseph R Burkland, reported missing since February 18, 1945, has been officially listed as dead by the War Department, according to word received by his wife. Pvt. Burkland entered the service July 6, 1944, and left for overseas duty in December of the same year. His last known action was in the vicinity of Saarlautern, Germany, where the Germans counter-attacked and succeeded in wiping out the whole company. He had been awarded the Good Conduct Medal and the Purple Heart Medal. He is survived by his widow, daughter, Joan Ann Burkland, of Bloom Road, and his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Burkland, of Riverside. The following brothers and sisters also survive: Walter, John, Robert and Donald, all of Danville; Harry of Mifflinburg; Albert, U.S. Army; Roland, U.S. Navy; Mrs. Harry Linn and Mr.s Robert Strawser, of Riverside; Miss Ruth Burkland, of Harrisburg, and Mrs. Mary Priest, of Emporium. He was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church, Danville Lodge, Loyal Order of the Moose and the Washington Fire and Hose Company No. 2.