WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL - PFC Arthur L. Hemenway

 

PFC Arthur LaVon Hemenway

Bryan Democrat, Monday, Jan. 22, 1945

Darwin was actually the last of five Hemenway sons to enlist; Arthur enlisted in Toledo on February 18, 1943. After four years at Farmer High School, he graduated in 1940. PFC Arthur Hemenway was assigned to the 393rd Regiment, 99th Army Infantry Division. 

He deployed overseas in 1944 through the port of LaHavre, France and then moved on northeast to Belgium, just in time for the opening phases of the Battle of Bulge. 

The division history of the 99th described it this way:

Its baptism in combat came with the German winter offensive of December 1944 - the roughest, toughest kind of fighting, It received the full shock of the German 15th and 16th Panzer Army while scattered thinly on a ridiculously wide front (22 miles), stretching through dense woods and over many short, steep hills in the Ardennes."

The 393rd went in on December 16th, quite outnumbered by the Germans, but they held the line. On December 17th, the Germans broke through with an all-out offensive. The 393rd were on the front lines and were easily penetrated through a barrage of artillery fire, mortar shells, and tanks with fake American or Allied markings. The Germans were cutting into the U.S. radio systems giving false orders, and some were wearing American uniforms with ID tags. 

The attack started at 5 in the morning, and it was noon before American bombers could get there to push back. But in the meantime, the Germans were capturing POWS, including PFC Arthur Hemenway. He was executed by the Germans as a prisoner of war.

Pfc Arthur Hemenway was buried at Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery and Memorial in Liege, Belgium. A memorial stone was also placed at Farmer Cemetery.

He died on December 17, 1944, while his brother, Darwin died on January 31, 1944. Ralph and Golda Hemenway sacrificed two of their sons for their country, but three of their other sons survived the war.

What a sacrifice this family made! Their sons; Lehr Ralph, Forrest William, Willard Mann, Walter Scott, and Darwin Eugene and Arthur LaVon and one sister, Vernetha June, one patriotic family

Corporal Willard Hemenway was the first to enter the service in 1941, followed by Walter in 1942, who served in North Africa and Sicily, as well as France. Corporal Robert entered also later in 1942 and served in France. Then Arthur left in February 1943 with the Army, followed by Darwin in March 1943 with the Marines.

Arthur was also presented with a Purple Heart posthumously and his stone lies with the others of his family at the Farmer Cemetery.

Farmer Cemetery Hemenway plot

Dan Hasch - Researcher