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Showing posts from March, 2024

Samuel H. Rainey

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Branch: AIR FORCE Service Number: 12330055 Rank: Corporal Unit: 15th Air Force, 98th Bombardment Wing (Medium), 345th Bombardment Squadron 5318 Malcolm St. Samuel Hoy Rainey, “Sam” was born on January 23, 1933 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to parents Abraham and Margaret (Hoy) Rainey. A younger brother, John “Jack,” was born two year later.  Sam was named after his mother's brother Samuel Hoy, who killed in action at the age of 18 on July 1, 1916 in France during World War I, while serving with the 12th Regiment of the Royal Irish Rifles. Samuel's parents emigrated from Randalstown area, Antrim County in Northern Ireland to Philadelphia in 1929. By 1940, the Rainey Family was living at 5318 Malcolm Street in Philadelphia. Sam attended elementary school while his father and Uncle John managed a grocery store. Margaret tended to young Jack and the homestead. The family moved to 519 Black Horse Pike in Mount Ephraim, New Jersey some time between 1940-1945 wh

Cornelius M. Sinon

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Branch: ARMY Service Number: 42083710 Rank: Private Unit: 3rd Infantry Division, 7th Infantry Regiment, Company "F" Cornelius Martin Sinon, “Neal” was born on May 16, 1925 in Camden, NJ to parents Tunis and Rose (Conklin) Sinon. Both parents were originally from Northern New Jersey. Young Neal may have been named after his maternal grandfather, Cornelius B. Conklin or perhaps his paternal uncle, Cornelius Peter Sinon. He was the middle sibling of the family with older brother Jacob "Jake" Herbert Sinon, who was  born in August 1923 and younger sister Mary Jeanette Sinon, born in December 1927. 15 Third Avenue As parents, Tunis and Rose had been described as “pampering" and at times, and over-protective of their children. They were also not known to be strict disciplinarians. Tunis was employed at Camden Forge where he worked as a bricklayer and Rose was a stay at home mother. The family lived at 979 Sylvan Street in Camden, New Jersey, acco

Leslie A. Holtzapfel

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Branch: ARMY Service Number: 32751123 Rank: Private Unit: 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional), 2nd Battalion, Company “G” 3119 East Ironsides Road Leslie Armstrong Holtzapfel was born on January 3, 1923 to parents Albert Jacob Holtzapfel and Ethel May (Brown) Holtzapfel in their home at 3119 East Ironsides Road in the Fairview section of Camden, NJ. Albert was employed as a telegraph operator for the Postal Telegraph Company and Ethel took care of the housekeeping as well as the couple’s children. Leslie had older siblings; Hazel, born in April 1912, Albert “Bud,” was born in February 1919, and Edith in September 1920. Two more brothers came along after Leslie. John “Jack” was born in July 1925 and David, born in October 1927, but he sadly died from heart disease at only 3 days old. Tragedy would strike the Holtzapfel Family once again on February 6, 1931. Roland W. Taylor of Camden was driving his vehicle along Kendall Boulevard in Oaklyn while intoxicated with two p