This is not as much of a story of a soilders heroics during the war but about an untold family story. To begin, my wifes great grandfather was a 1st Sgt. Cecil C. Godsey from the Texas panhandle. Sgt. Godsey was K.I.A. on December 28, 1944 in Belgium. This was all my wife's family ever new of his service. There was no story of how he died or where exactly. Well a few years ago my mother-in-law who knows of my intrest in the war sent me a large box she found in her family home and told me I might like it. In the box I found the personal affects of Sgt. Godsey. It was a wealth of information some of which included his K.I.A. telegram sent to his wife, photo albums, purple heart and alot of paperwok as well as a dress uniform. I of course was happy as all get out to be able to see all of this stuff. To return the favor I made it my goal to solve the mystery of his service that the family was unaware of. There were a few hear say stories of how he died that some of the family remembered but it was hard to say. After some time I was not having any luck piecing the puzzle together when one day I was reading a book and came across a line that started the hunt. It was a simple line that talked about the cemetery I knew he was burried in. From that and searching site after site I found the following:
1st. Sgt. Cecil C. Godsey #6281458 Enlisted in the Army on June 25, 1937 at Fort Bliss, Texas where he served as a cook in the 75th infantry division. He was discharged on September 1, 1941 and reenlisted September 2, 1941 @ Fort Sill Oklahoma in the Btry "D" 33rd Bn, 8th Tng. Regt., Feild Artillery Repl. Tng. He was eventually promoted to 1st Sgt. and was sent to Europe on or around the first of December 1944. He was listed in the 897th FA BN, 289th Infantry Regiment, 75th Infantry Division. He was part of a 105 mm gun crew so he came a long way from a cook in his first enlistment. From here I found an account of a vet. on a 75th Infantry Division site that stated that " visiting old friends in a armored outfit in a field next to us our first Sgt. Cecil Godsey was killed with one round from an 88 that hit the vehicle he was sitting on." To sat the least I was shocked to find the reson of his death in such a blunt way. His unit was involved in the battle of Sadzot when he was killed. My wife as well as the rest of her family were quite shocked to find out how a man they barely knew for some and did not know for others died. When he was killed my wife's grandmother was just about two years old so she never really knew him and I gave her a picture I found in his affects of him in uniform and her at her birthday party just a month befor he shiped out. Everyone was both relived and saddened to finally know what happend to Sgt. Godsey. My next quest is to get a photo of his grave site because none of her familiy has seen it.
He is located in Henri-Chapelle, Belgium
United States Military Cemetary
Plot UU, Row 7, Grave 137
I ask anyone who might visit this place is there a way I could have someone take a photo of his grave and marker as I do not know if or when I could do it myself. Thanks for those who read this, it means a world to me and my family.
Thank You,
Jason
1st. Sgt. Cecil C. Godsey #6281458 Enlisted in the Army on June 25, 1937 at Fort Bliss, Texas where he served as a cook in the 75th infantry division. He was discharged on September 1, 1941 and reenlisted September 2, 1941 @ Fort Sill Oklahoma in the Btry "D" 33rd Bn, 8th Tng. Regt., Feild Artillery Repl. Tng. He was eventually promoted to 1st Sgt. and was sent to Europe on or around the first of December 1944. He was listed in the 897th FA BN, 289th Infantry Regiment, 75th Infantry Division. He was part of a 105 mm gun crew so he came a long way from a cook in his first enlistment. From here I found an account of a vet. on a 75th Infantry Division site that stated that " visiting old friends in a armored outfit in a field next to us our first Sgt. Cecil Godsey was killed with one round from an 88 that hit the vehicle he was sitting on." To sat the least I was shocked to find the reson of his death in such a blunt way. His unit was involved in the battle of Sadzot when he was killed. My wife as well as the rest of her family were quite shocked to find out how a man they barely knew for some and did not know for others died. When he was killed my wife's grandmother was just about two years old so she never really knew him and I gave her a picture I found in his affects of him in uniform and her at her birthday party just a month befor he shiped out. Everyone was both relived and saddened to finally know what happend to Sgt. Godsey. My next quest is to get a photo of his grave site because none of her familiy has seen it.
He is located in Henri-Chapelle, Belgium
United States Military Cemetary
Plot UU, Row 7, Grave 137
I ask anyone who might visit this place is there a way I could have someone take a photo of his grave and marker as I do not know if or when I could do it myself. Thanks for those who read this, it means a world to me and my family.
Thank You,
Jason
Since english isn't my first language, I do hope that you all can read my "rough" translation.
, regards Johnno.
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