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Charles W Ellis

War: World War II
Parent/Wife: Son of Rose and Charles Ellis, Husband to Clara
City: Wisc. Rapids
Birth Date: 6 Aug 1914 Rhinelander, Oneida County, Wisconsin, USA
Death Date: 30 Nov 1944 (aged 30)
How Died: Kia
Where Died: Germany
Where Buried: Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery, Belgium
Rank: 1Lt
Branch: Army

Kia=Killed in Action
Dow=Died of Wounds
Dod=Died of Disease
Mia=Missing in Action

Stories

23 Mar 1945, Fri The Daily Tribune (Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin) Newspapers.com

Six days prior to the death of Charles Ellis Jr., the destruction of Burkenau and Auschwitz crematoriums was ordered. Auschwitz was the largest Nazi concentration camp, and under the reign of the commander Rudolf Hoess, over 1.1 million people died in these two concentration camps alone, 90% of them being Jews. This number is enough to populate a state and even some small countries. Many brave men, like Charles, gave their lives to eliminate places of terror like those. Charles was killed in action on November 30th, 1944 in Germany while working with a tank division. He left behind a loving wife, Clara, and a very large family of brothers and sisters. As a First Lieutenant in the Army, he was respected.

A First Lieutenant is the second lowest form of a commissioned officer; one grade lower than a Captain. So though Charles was low on the authority ranking, his men still had to respect him as he was their commanding officer. First Lieutenant is just one of the first steps to a higher rank. Based on the rank as a commissioned officer, men would receive a special pin. The higher the rank, the more elaborate the pin would become. In Charles's case, he would wear a flat, silver, rectangular pin to show his authority over others.

As a casualty of the brutal attacks from all countries in WWII, Charles felt the horror and saw the massacres that we only can vaguely envision. He would have been operational in the Army during the times of many, now, historical events. In Germany, where Charles was stationed, the Holocaust was occurring with all of the cruel experiments and torture. In the U.S., just weeks before Charles's death, Franklin D. Roosevelt won his fourth consecutive term in the Presidential office. As a major figure in U.S., and world, history; Roosevelt helped the United States economy during the Great Depression and along with Winston Churchill personally determined the Allied Forces strategies during World War II.

Throughout one of the most tragic events in history, many brave soldiers, including Charles Ellis Jr., gave their lives for a greater cause. Though countless men remain unaccounted for and unknown, lost in battle, they served a huge part in the outcome of the war. Without the great service they provided for our country and the world, our society could have drastically different characteristics. Though not everyone received honorary medals after the war, every single person, man or woman, who gave of their time and talents to put an end to the tragedies deserved one. We honor and salute everyone who has made a difference and literally changed the world.

Sarah Vomocil, Student
Marshfield Junior High

 


News Articles

Ellis Family
Ellis Family Sacrifice
Ellis Leaves for Fort Sheridan
Ellis Memorial
Ellis Notice
Supreme Sacrifice

 

  Honoring Our Wood County War Dead