Darwin Clair Zufall (18, 14 December 1924, Hartville, Ohio), a resident of 606 Mahoning Rd. N.E., Canton, Stark County, Ohio, signed up fro his World War II Draft Registration Card (Serial No. W-102, Order No. V-12386) on 28 December 1942 in Canton, Stark County, Ohio. He was employed by Mats, Inc. Darwin listed his mother, Mrs. Elizabeth Zufall, as the person who would always know his address. He was described as 5' 9½" in height, 190 lbs, with a light complexion, brown eyes and brown hair.
Darwin C. Zufall (1924 Ohio), a resident of Stark County, Ohio enlisted as a Private (S/N 35604345) in the U.S. Army on 08 March 1943 in Fort Hayes, Columbus, Ohio. He was single, had completed 2 years of high school and had been working in” Unskilled occupations in production of rubber goods.
He was assigned to D Company, 6th Ranger Battalion, Sixth Army, U.S. Army.
Private First Class Darwin C. Zufall had the unwelcome distinction of being the first armed American soldier to give his life in the return to the Philippines.
D-day for the Philippines was designated as 20 October 1944 with a large invasion on the beaches of eastern Leyte. However, the Rangers were given an assignment to land on D minus three and take control of three islands at the entrance of Leyte Gulf, so as to eliminate any interference with the main invasion…D company was to land on Suluan and destroy a light house the Japanese were using for communications for ships and aircraft.
“At 0805 hours, October 17, Company D of the 6th Ranger Battalion, under the command of Capt. Leslie Gray, landed at Black Beach 3 on Suluan Island. The mission of the company was to move to a lighthouse located on the southern end of the island, destroy any enemy installations there, and then return to Black Beach 3 where they would reembark.
Under heavy gray skies, strong winds, and a driving rain, D Company went ashore without opposition. With scouts leading off, the Rangers followed a coastal trail. Four unoccupied Japanese storehouses were located and set ablaze. Continuing the march, the Ranger scouts were taken under fire by Japanese defenders. Scout Darwin C. Zufall was killed and Donald J. Cannon wounded. The Rangers went into the assault, and the Japanese withdrew into dense jungle…”
“Before the Rangers returned to the ship, they buried Pfc. Darwin Zufall in the center park of the village of Granadas.” Source: Rangers in World War II by Robert W. Black, Presidio Press, Ballantine Books, New York, 1992; page 240 & 241
“After landing unopposed, the Rangers moved inland, locating and destroying four Japanese buildings including a radio station. As they moved past the burning buildings, Japanese fire broke out on the trail ahead of them. Ranger Private First Class Darwin C. Zufall was killed and Private First Class Donald J. Cannon was wounded, the first American ground forces casualties of the Leyte Campaign.”
Source: Leyte, 1944: The Soldier’s Battle by Nathan N. Prefer, Casemate Publishers 2012; page 35.
He was first buried in the center park of the village of Granadas, Suluan Island, Eastern Samar, Philippines. After the war his remains were brought to USAF Cemetery 7740, Leyte #1, Philippine Islands – Grave 423, (D-D Number 8627).
In the autumn of 1947, his remains (along with 8,568 other American soldiers) were disinterred from Leyte #1 and brought to the American Graves Registration Service Manila Mausoleum. From there, according to the wishes of his next of kin (father, Solomon Zufall), Private First Class Darwin Clair Zufall was buried in his final resting place in the 7701 Ft. McKinley Cemetery (now known as the Manila American Cemetery) – Plot L, Row 6, Grave 29.
Darwin C. Zufall (1924 Ohio), a resident of Stark County, Ohio enlisted as a Private (S/N 35604345) in the U.S. Army on 08 March 1943 in Fort Hayes, Columbus, Ohio. He was single, had completed 2 years of high school and had been working in” Unskilled occupations in production of rubber goods.
He was assigned to D Company, 6th Ranger Battalion, Sixth Army, U.S. Army.
Private First Class Darwin C. Zufall had the unwelcome distinction of being the first armed American soldier to give his life in the return to the Philippines.
D-day for the Philippines was designated as 20 October 1944 with a large invasion on the beaches of eastern Leyte. However, the Rangers were given an assignment to land on D minus three and take control of three islands at the entrance of Leyte Gulf, so as to eliminate any interference with the main invasion…D company was to land on Suluan and destroy a light house the Japanese were using for communications for ships and aircraft.
“At 0805 hours, October 17, Company D of the 6th Ranger Battalion, under the command of Capt. Leslie Gray, landed at Black Beach 3 on Suluan Island. The mission of the company was to move to a lighthouse located on the southern end of the island, destroy any enemy installations there, and then return to Black Beach 3 where they would reembark.
Under heavy gray skies, strong winds, and a driving rain, D Company went ashore without opposition. With scouts leading off, the Rangers followed a coastal trail. Four unoccupied Japanese storehouses were located and set ablaze. Continuing the march, the Ranger scouts were taken under fire by Japanese defenders. Scout Darwin C. Zufall was killed and Donald J. Cannon wounded. The Rangers went into the assault, and the Japanese withdrew into dense jungle…”
“Before the Rangers returned to the ship, they buried Pfc. Darwin Zufall in the center park of the village of Granadas.” Source: Rangers in World War II by Robert W. Black, Presidio Press, Ballantine Books, New York, 1992; page 240 & 241
“After landing unopposed, the Rangers moved inland, locating and destroying four Japanese buildings including a radio station. As they moved past the burning buildings, Japanese fire broke out on the trail ahead of them. Ranger Private First Class Darwin C. Zufall was killed and Private First Class Donald J. Cannon was wounded, the first American ground forces casualties of the Leyte Campaign.”
Source: Leyte, 1944: The Soldier’s Battle by Nathan N. Prefer, Casemate Publishers 2012; page 35.
He was first buried in the center park of the village of Granadas, Suluan Island, Eastern Samar, Philippines. After the war his remains were brought to USAF Cemetery 7740, Leyte #1, Philippine Islands – Grave 423, (D-D Number 8627).
In the autumn of 1947, his remains (along with 8,568 other American soldiers) were disinterred from Leyte #1 and brought to the American Graves Registration Service Manila Mausoleum. From there, according to the wishes of his next of kin (father, Solomon Zufall), Private First Class Darwin Clair Zufall was buried in his final resting place in the 7701 Ft. McKinley Cemetery (now known as the Manila American Cemetery) – Plot L, Row 6, Grave 29.
Darwin Clair Zufall (18, 14 December 1924, Hartville, Ohio), a resident of 606 Mahoning Rd. N.E., Canton, Stark County, Ohio, signed up fro his World War II Draft Registration Card (Serial No. W-102, Order No. V-12386) on 28 December 1942 in Canton, Stark County, Ohio. He was employed by Mats, Inc. Darwin listed his mother, Mrs. Elizabeth Zufall, as the person who would always know his address. He was described as 5' 9½" in height, 190 lbs, with a light complexion, brown eyes and brown hair.
Darwin C. Zufall (1924 Ohio), a resident of Stark County, Ohio enlisted as a Private (S/N 35604345) in the U.S. Army on 08 March 1943 in Fort Hayes, Columbus, Ohio. He was single, had completed 2 years of high school and had been working in” Unskilled occupations in production of rubber goods.
He was assigned to D Company, 6th Ranger Battalion, Sixth Army, U.S. Army.
Private First Class Darwin C. Zufall had the unwelcome distinction of being the first armed American soldier to give his life in the return to the Philippines.
D-day for the Philippines was designated as 20 October 1944 with a large invasion on the beaches of eastern Leyte. However, the Rangers were given an assignment to land on D minus three and take control of three islands at the entrance of Leyte Gulf, so as to eliminate any interference with the main invasion…D company was to land on Suluan and destroy a light house the Japanese were using for communications for ships and aircraft.
“At 0805 hours, October 17, Company D of the 6th Ranger Battalion, under the command of Capt. Leslie Gray, landed at Black Beach 3 on Suluan Island. The mission of the company was to move to a lighthouse located on the southern end of the island, destroy any enemy installations there, and then return to Black Beach 3 where they would reembark.
Under heavy gray skies, strong winds, and a driving rain, D Company went ashore without opposition. With scouts leading off, the Rangers followed a coastal trail. Four unoccupied Japanese storehouses were located and set ablaze. Continuing the march, the Ranger scouts were taken under fire by Japanese defenders. Scout Darwin C. Zufall was killed and Donald J. Cannon wounded. The Rangers went into the assault, and the Japanese withdrew into dense jungle…”
“Before the Rangers returned to the ship, they buried Pfc. Darwin Zufall in the center park of the village of Granadas.” Source: Rangers in World War II by Robert W. Black, Presidio Press, Ballantine Books, New York, 1992; page 240 & 241
“After landing unopposed, the Rangers moved inland, locating and destroying four Japanese buildings including a radio station. As they moved past the burning buildings, Japanese fire broke out on the trail ahead of them. Ranger Private First Class Darwin C. Zufall was killed and Private First Class Donald J. Cannon was wounded, the first American ground forces casualties of the Leyte Campaign.”
Source: Leyte, 1944: The Soldier’s Battle by Nathan N. Prefer, Casemate Publishers 2012; page 35.
He was first buried in the center park of the village of Granadas, Suluan Island, Eastern Samar, Philippines. After the war his remains were brought to USAF Cemetery 7740, Leyte #1, Philippine Islands – Grave 423, (D-D Number 8627).
In the autumn of 1947, his remains (along with 8,568 other American soldiers) were disinterred from Leyte #1 and brought to the American Graves Registration Service Manila Mausoleum. From there, according to the wishes of his next of kin (father, Solomon Zufall), Private First Class Darwin Clair Zufall was buried in his final resting place in the 7701 Ft. McKinley Cemetery (now known as the Manila American Cemetery) – Plot L, Row 6, Grave 29.
Darwin C. Zufall (1924 Ohio), a resident of Stark County, Ohio enlisted as a Private (S/N 35604345) in the U.S. Army on 08 March 1943 in Fort Hayes, Columbus, Ohio. He was single, had completed 2 years of high school and had been working in” Unskilled occupations in production of rubber goods.
He was assigned to D Company, 6th Ranger Battalion, Sixth Army, U.S. Army.
Private First Class Darwin C. Zufall had the unwelcome distinction of being the first armed American soldier to give his life in the return to the Philippines.
D-day for the Philippines was designated as 20 October 1944 with a large invasion on the beaches of eastern Leyte. However, the Rangers were given an assignment to land on D minus three and take control of three islands at the entrance of Leyte Gulf, so as to eliminate any interference with the main invasion…D company was to land on Suluan and destroy a light house the Japanese were using for communications for ships and aircraft.
“At 0805 hours, October 17, Company D of the 6th Ranger Battalion, under the command of Capt. Leslie Gray, landed at Black Beach 3 on Suluan Island. The mission of the company was to move to a lighthouse located on the southern end of the island, destroy any enemy installations there, and then return to Black Beach 3 where they would reembark.
Under heavy gray skies, strong winds, and a driving rain, D Company went ashore without opposition. With scouts leading off, the Rangers followed a coastal trail. Four unoccupied Japanese storehouses were located and set ablaze. Continuing the march, the Ranger scouts were taken under fire by Japanese defenders. Scout Darwin C. Zufall was killed and Donald J. Cannon wounded. The Rangers went into the assault, and the Japanese withdrew into dense jungle…”
“Before the Rangers returned to the ship, they buried Pfc. Darwin Zufall in the center park of the village of Granadas.” Source: Rangers in World War II by Robert W. Black, Presidio Press, Ballantine Books, New York, 1992; page 240 & 241
“After landing unopposed, the Rangers moved inland, locating and destroying four Japanese buildings including a radio station. As they moved past the burning buildings, Japanese fire broke out on the trail ahead of them. Ranger Private First Class Darwin C. Zufall was killed and Private First Class Donald J. Cannon was wounded, the first American ground forces casualties of the Leyte Campaign.”
Source: Leyte, 1944: The Soldier’s Battle by Nathan N. Prefer, Casemate Publishers 2012; page 35.
He was first buried in the center park of the village of Granadas, Suluan Island, Eastern Samar, Philippines. After the war his remains were brought to USAF Cemetery 7740, Leyte #1, Philippine Islands – Grave 423, (D-D Number 8627).
In the autumn of 1947, his remains (along with 8,568 other American soldiers) were disinterred from Leyte #1 and brought to the American Graves Registration Service Manila Mausoleum. From there, according to the wishes of his next of kin (father, Solomon Zufall), Private First Class Darwin Clair Zufall was buried in his final resting place in the 7701 Ft. McKinley Cemetery (now known as the Manila American Cemetery) – Plot L, Row 6, Grave 29.
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Entered the service from Ohio.
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