In Memory of Private First Class
Charles Crawford Walker
Dallas, South Dakota
Gregory County
March 28, 1918-June 15, 1944
Killed in France
Charles C. Walker was born on March 28, 1918, in Chamberlain, South Dakota. Charles attended the High School of Dallas, South Dakota. He entered the Army on July 3, 1942. Charles was then sent to Camp Craft, South Carolina. After his basic training, he was assigned to the 60th Infantry.
Charles was sent to Africa on January 6, 1943, where he took part in the Tunisian and the Sicilian campaign. After his service in Africa, he was sent to England where he took further training. Charles died on June 15, 1944, from fatal wounds received in an invasion of France. His sister remembers that he lived for six days after suffering his wounds and died on his father’s birthday.
Charles was the first boy from Dallas, South Dakota, to make “the supreme sacrifice,” according to the local paper. His parents received his Purple Heart for military merit and wounds that resulted in death. With this was a citation that read, “He stands in the unbroken line of patriots who dared to die that freedom might live, and grow, and increase its blessings. Freedom lives, and through it he lives in a way that humbles the understanding of most men.”
In a letter home printed in the July 15, 1943, issue of the Gregory Times Advocate, he wrote that he had done lots of traveling by trains, trucks and jeeps. “German shells don’t seem to have as much wallop as ours have, and our gun crews are able to put out more rounds in less time,” he added.
There was a memorial for Charles Walker in the Dallas auditorium. The service closed with the sounding of the taps and the presentation of the flag to Mr. and Mrs. Walker in memory of their son. His sister, Muriel, had some memories of the memorial service.
Charles was the son of Mr. and Mrs. W. W. Walker of Dallas, South Dakota. Charles had three sisters; Muriel Beckers, Sybil Lewis, and Edlyn Noring. He also had two brothers; Lee, and James, who was in the Naval Reserves.
This entry was respectfully submitted by Michael E. Wollman, 10th Grade at Bonesteel-Fairfax High School, Bonesteel, South Dakota, April 3, 2002. Information for this entry was gathered from an interview with Muriel Beckers of Riverton, WY, news reports from the Mitchell Daily Republic, and the Gregory Times Advocate newspapers.
