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Willis Obie Dell

Name:
Obie Dell Willis
Rank:
Technician 4th Grade
Serial Number:
Unit:
557th Quartermaster Raildhead Company
Date of Death:
1944-04-28
State:
Georgia
Cemetery:
West View Cemetery, Augusta, Georgia
Plot:
Row:
Grave:
Decoration:
Comments:

Obie Dell Willis was born on June 22, 1922. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II as a Technician Fourth Grade in the 557th Quartermaster Raildhead Company. He was killed during the Exercise Tiger--one of the large-scale rehearsals for the D-Day invasion of Normandy. This took place in April 1944 in Slapton Sands, Devon in the UK. An Allied naval convoy involved in the exercise was attacked by German submarines, and coordination and communication problems resulted in friendly fire deaths. At least 749 American servicemen were killed. Because of the impending invasion of Normandy, the incident was highly classified and the full story did not come out until years later after the war. He died on April 28, 1944 at the age of 21 and is now buried in West View Cemetery, Augusta, Richmond County, Georgia, USA.