William Louis “Bill” Aplington, was born on May 11, 1925, to William J. and Elizabeth Lavanway Aplington, in LaSalle, Illinois. His father was a local attorney who had served in the Army in World War I. By the time Bill was 15, he had five brothers and three sisters. He and at least three of his brothers attended St. Bede Academy—a local Catholic high school. Bill was interested in music and joined his high school’s band becoming president his senior year. He was also successful in his studies having made the honor roll his sophomore year. Other activities he enjoyed…
Tag: WWII
S SG Gilbert Edward Amos, Service No. 36430298
Gilbert Edward Amos was born at home on October 22, 1921, in Peru, Illinois, to Edgar Robert and Bertha Wobrock Amos. Edgar, who was crippled since birth, worked as a bookkeeper at Vollmer Furniture Store—a local business owned by his mother’s family. Bertha also worked as a bookkeeper, but at L&B Wobrock—her family’s dry goods store in Peru. Throughout his life, Gilbert lived with and close to his extended family. In 1927, when Gilbert was six years old, his mother passed away. With his father apparently unable to care for him, his aunt and uncle, Lena and Fred Sibley, were…