Private First Class
United States Army
Eugene Paul Gasser, the son of Michael A. and Alma Gasser, was born in Davenport on 21 March 1923.
Eugene attended elementary school at Saint Vincent’s home, which wasn’t far from his parents home. He graduated from Saint Ambrose Academy (Class of 1941) and attended Saint Ambrose College. While at Saint Ambrose College, he was president of the French Club and took part in numerous Saint Ambrose-Marycrest dramas. He was also a star baseball player with several twilight league teams.
On 12 December 1942, Eugene enlisted in the Officers Reserve Corps and left for infantry training at Camp Roberts, California. He later transferred to the Army Air Corps where he received his training at East Central States College in Ada, Oklahoma. After seven months of training, he was sent to Sheppard Field, Texas and later to Camp Howie, Texas as an infantryman. On 3 October 1944, Eugene boarded a troop ship in New York harbor, heading southern France. During this trip, the troop ship came under attack by German planes that were driven off by anti-aircraft fire. He finally landed on Callahan Beach (west of Marseille) on 20 October 1944. While in southern France, he was assigned to Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 410th Infantry Regiment where he took part in the Vosges Mountain campaign (24/25 November 1944).
His parents received a War Department telegram, informing them that Eugene was Killed-In-Action on 13 December 1944. In a letter to his parents, dated a week before his death, Eugene wrote of his first narrow escape from death while on a reconnaissance mission. He said the soldier next to him had been blown into the air and badly wounded, while he himself was knocked unconscious and suffered asphalt burns through the explosion of a shell. His unit had made their way back through a mine field.
In addition to his parents, one brother, Michael, survived Eugene.
Private First Class Eugene Paul Gasser, United States Army, is buried in Holy Family Cemetery in Davenport, Iowa.
Source of Information:
1. Saint Ambrose Academy school newspaper, The Saint Ambrose Academy News, 14 January 1944, page 3.
2. Saint Ambrose Academy school newspaper, The Saint Ambrose Academy News, 4 May 1944, page 4.
3. Saint Ambrose Academy school newspaper, The Saint Ambrose Academy News, 7 December 1944, page 2.
4. Saint Ambrose Academy school newspaper, The Saint Ambrose Academy News, 18 January 1945, page 1.
5. Saint Ambrose Academy school newspaper, The Saint Ambrose Academy News, 1 February 1945, page 2.
6. Davenport Democrat and Times, 29 December 1944, page 1.
7. National Archives, World War II Honor List of Dead and Missing Army and Army Air Forces Personnel for the State of Iowa.
8. National World War II Memorial veteran’s registry; http://www.wwiimemorial.com/.
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