The 9th Infantry Division of the U.S. Army activated for service prior to U.S. entry in World War II in August of 1940 at Fort Bragg. They participated in Operation Blackstone in North Africa beginning in November of 1942. They then participated in Operation Torch and were in Spanish-controlled Morocco until 1943. They fought in the Battle of El Guettar and the Battle of Sedjenane.

They then moved to Sicily and were involved in the Battle of Troina. In November of 1943 they were shipped to Winchester and Alresford, England for training until June of 1944. They landed on Utah Beach in Normandy, France on June 10, D-Day +4. They helped liberate the Cotentin Peninsula. They fought in Cherbourg in June and helped liberate St. Lo in July of 1944. The liberated Chateau-Thierry in August of 1944.

In September of 1944 they captured the Germany city of Roetgen and crossed the Siegfriend Line. They were then fighting in the Hurtgen Forest. By the end of September there had been heavy losses amongst their officers. They fought in Battle of the Bulge near Eupen. On March 8, 1945 they were the first to cross the Rhine River at Remagen and they received the Distinguished Unit Citation for their efforts.

In April of 1945 they were fighting in the Ruhr Pocket against the Panzer Lehr Division in the Harz Mountains. After the war’s end in Europe on May 8, 1945 9th Infantry Division served as occupation forces in Germany. Part of the division served at Dachau Concentration Camp which became a prison camp for Germany army officers and Nazi leaders. The regimented deactivated in December 1946.

PFC Howard Earl Penniston served with Company B of the 47th Infantry Regiment of the 9th Division of the U.S. Army during World War II.

Howard Earl Penniston Jr. was born on May 10, 1924 at the home of his maternal grandparents (Rev. and Mrs. G. C. Wadding) in Benton, Lafayette County, Wisconsin to Howard and Paloma (Wadding) Penniston.

From the 1930 and 1940 U.S. census, the Penniston family lived in Argyle Township in Lafayette County, Wisconsin. The family included father Howard, mother Paloma, and children Howard Earl Jr., Orville Wayne, Willavene Mae and stepson Dallas G. Judy. Father Howard was a farmer, working on his own account.

On Jan. 14, 1942, Howard E. Penniston, Jr. enlisted in service for WWII in Milwaukee. He was single, without dependents and had two years of high school. He put his birth year as 1923 which would have made him 18. However, he was actually 17 at the time of his enlistment. He was employed as an attendant in a filling station or parking lot.

From the Dec. 28, 1942 Wisconsin State Journal came the news that PFC Howard E. Penniston was “seriously injured in Northwest Africa Nov. 9,” which was early on in the North African campaign.

PFC Penniston was sent back to active service in March of 1943. However, he was injured again and his wounds proved fatal. From the April 1943 WWII Hospital Admissions Index, PFC Howard E. Penniston was a battle casualty in the “African area” and was injured in the line of duty. He died “from wounds received in action.”

From the May 15, 1943 The Capital Times, “Argyle Soldier Dies in N. Africa,” had the information that “Pfc. Howard E. Penniston who took part in the Tunisian campaign in North Africa, died Apr. 4 in Africa, according to information received by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Howard E. Penniston Sr., of Argyle, Friday.

“Pvt. Penniston was seriously wounded in action on Nov. 9 his parents were informed in December. But although they had received several letters from him since then, Pvt. Penniston did not mention his wounds. The message Friday did not reveal the cause of his death... 

“Besides his parents he is survived by two brothers, Wayne, in the navy stationed at Great Lakes; Keith, at home; one step-brother Dallas Judy, Beloit, and one sister, Mae, at home.”

In the May 19, 1943 Wisconsin State Journal notice “Memorial Services Sunday to Honor Argyle Soldier,” additional information was provided that Penniston received his “basic training at Camp Wolters, Tex. and amphibious landing training at Ft. Bragg, N. C., before being sent overseas.”

On June 16, 1943, there was a Wisconsin State Journal notice “Pennistons Receive Dead Son’s Award,” which stated that “Mr. and Mrs. Howard Penniston this week received the purple heart award, granted posthumously to their son, the late Pfc. Howard Earl Penniston ‘for military merit and for wounds received in action resulting in his death Apr. 4, 1943.’”

From the May 9, 1946 The Capital Times article titled “Pennistons Told About Son’s Death,” stated “Mr. and Mrs. Howard Penniston, Argyle, learned some details of the death of their son Earl from L. Q. Langeland, Yorkville, Ill., who was a captain in the youth’s division in Africa. Mr. and Mrs. Langeland came here to visit the Pennistons.

“Earl Penniston served as a runner for Langeland during the North African campaign. Langeland said that after Penniston had been wounded he was carried down a mountainside on a cot made out of guns and uniforms. Penniston was treated with blood plasma at a base hospital, but died of shock two hours later.”

In the May 14. 1948, Wisconsin State Journal article “Bodies of 12 Madison Area War Dead Returned to U.S.” came the news that “The bodies of 12 Madison area servicemen who were killed in North Africa battles of World War II have been returned to the U.S. aboard the U.S. army transport Barney Kirschbaum for burial in their home areas, the army announced today.”

PFC Penniston was repatriated and reburied in Woodlawn Cemetery in Argyle, Lafayette County, Wisconsin.

PFC Penniston served with Pvt. Charles A. O’Neil who was from Calamine in Lafayette County and served with the 60th Infantry Regiment of the 9th Division of the U.S. Army and was killed in action in France on July 25, 1944.

PFC Penniston is listed on the National WWII Memorial Gold Star Honor Roll for Lafayette County. His death status was “DOW” — died of wounds received in action. He received the Purple Heart, awarded posthumously.

Thank you, Private First Class Howard Earl Penniston, Jr., for your service to and sacrifice for this country. We honor you and remember you.