Corporal/Technician 5
Virgil Walter Schubert
The Valentine's Day baby's parents were Bertie Casper and Edna Grace (Durham) Schubert. In the 1920 Census, Virgil was listed as 1 year old at the family residence in Richland Township, Defiance County. His mother was born in Defiance County, Ohio, while his father was from Tennessee.
Born in 1918, Virgil was the oldest child in his family which also included siblings Dorothy, Eunice, Herman, Wilbur, Mary Ilene, Alvin C, Martha (died 1935 at 1 yr) and an infant, Harold (born and died in 1941).
In the 1940 Census, Virgil was 22 years old and living with his parents In Putnam County, along with six siblings and his paternal grandmother, Susan Schubert. He had graduated from high school and gave his occupation as farmer.
Virgil registered for the draft on October 16, 1940. At 5'8" and 150 pounds, he had brown hair and gray eyes. On March 7, 1941, he enlisted into the Army at Toledo, Ohio.
Virgil was sent first to England and Scotland, and then he moved on to North Africa, especially Tunisia, where he was attached to the British 8th Army. The North African campaign began on 10 June 1940 and lasted until 13 May 1943. The British took the lead, but the Americans joined in the Allied effort. In April 1943, a major Allied air force effort (Operation Flax) had cut off Axis supplies to North Africa. The U.S. Army surrounded the defenders at Enfidaville, ending the Axis effort in North Africa. It was during this fighting that Virgil was killed. He was admitted to the Army Hospital in Tunisia on April 23, 1943, with battle wounds after being shot; he died there at 25 years old.
The front page of the Crescent-News carried this story on June 8, 1943:
"War Department Letter Reveals Virgil Schubert Killed April 23
Mr. and Mrs. Bertie C. Schubert of route 2, Continental, have received from the Adjutant General of the Army, a letter officially confirming the death of their son, Cpl Virgil W. Schubert, 25, 'killed in action in defense of his country,' on April 23, 1943, in the North African area.
Date and place of burial are not yet known, because 'these reports are brief due to the very nature of warfare,' the letter states, adding that additional information will be sent immediately upon receipt.
Corporal Schubert was born in South Richland township, Defiance county, Feb. 14, 1918. He was graduated from Oakwood High School in 1936. He was superintendent of the Highland Presbyterian Sunday school in 1938-1939, after which he taught a Sunday school class continually until beginning military service.
He engaged in farming with his father until he was inducted into the U.S. Army at Toledo on March 7, 1941. He had his preliminary training at Camp Wolters, Texas, and was transferred to the First Infantry Division at Fort Devens, Mass. in June 1941. He became private first class before going overseas.
Arriving in England Aug. 12, 1942, he was stationed in England and Scotland until he took part in the landing in North Africa on Nov.6, 1942. He spent the winter from December to April 15 on the battlefields of southern Tunisia, part of the time attached to the British Eighth Army.
He was a platoon messenger for 18 months. He was made corporal, 5th grade technician, in charge of company mail on Jan. 18, 1943.
Besides his parents, he leaves three sisters, Dorothy, Eunice, and Mary, and three brothers, Lester, Wilbur and Alvin; his maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Durham, Continental, and paternal grandmother, Susan Schubert."
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| Crescent-News, June 14, 1948 |
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| Riverside Cemetery, Defiance, Ohio |
Mary Williams, Researcher
