Pvt. Willard McKee Is
Killed on West Front
The Adams County death casualty list for World War II was increased to forty last Friday morning, when a telegram from the War Department to Mrs. Nola Gravett McKee, of Carbon, announced that her husband, Pvt. Willard McKee, aged 25, died in Germany, April 27, 1945.
There is some question as to whether Pvt. McKee was killed in action or died from wounds Monday, May 7, as she had received a telegram from the War Department stating her husband had been wounded on April 27 and then Friday came the telegram announcing he had been killed.
Willard is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert McKee, who now reside at Oregan City, Oregon. His wife is the former Nola Gravett and they have one child, Dickie, aged 3 years. Willard lived all his life in the Carbon vicinity and he has a large host of relatives and friends who grieve over his death. He entered service in July, 1944 and went overseas in January of this year, serving with an infantry company.
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News From Carbon
Our community was greatly saddened Friday morning when word came that Willard McKee had been killed in action. Word had come to Mrs. McKee a few days before that he had been slightly wounded and the death message was a great shock to his family. Sincere sympathy is extended to the bereaved ones.
Source: Adams County Free Press, Corning, Iowa, Thursday, May 17, 1945, Pages 1 & 10
Willard Kenneth McKee was born Aug. 12, 1920 to Robert and Lucy Rodman McKee. He died Apr. 27, 1945 and is buried in Lorraine American Cemetery, Saint Avold, France. He has a cenotaph in Oakland Cemetery, Corning, IA.
Pvt. McKee served in World War II with the U.S. Army 157th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Division. He was awarded the Purple Heart.
Sources: ancestry.com; abmc.gov
