Prior to the U.S. entry into World War II, the 1st Armored Division activated at Fort Knox on July 15, 1940. The division used tanks and other light and medium armored vehicles used by artillery and infantry regiments. In August of 1941, the division moved to Camp Polk in Louisiana for training. They then went to Fort Jackson in South Carolina in October for more training until December when they returned to Fort Knox.
The 1st Armored Division traveled to Fort Dix in April of 1942 to ship overseas. They left New York harbor on May 11, 1942 and arrived in Ireland five days later. They trained there until being transferred to England in October of 1942.
Some of the regiments and battalions shipped to North Africa to participate in Operation Torch in November of 1942 along with British and French forces. They fought Germany and Italian forces in Algeria and Tunisia beginning in late November. They were fighting at Sidi Bou Zid on Feb. 14, 1943 and suffered great loss of life and tanks. Victory was won at Tunisia with the surrender of the Axis forces by May 13, 1943.
The division began to move to Italy in November of 1943. They fought in Sicily and Italy as part of the 5th Army until Victory in Europe Day on May 8, 1945. After that, the division served as occupation forces in Germany. They returned to the U.S. and deactivated at Camp Kilmer in New Jersey in April of 1946.
Tech 5 Harold C. Richards served with G Company of the 1st Armored Regiment of the 1st Armored Division of the U.S. Army in North Africa.
Tech 5 Harold Curwen Richards was killed in action in Tunisia on Feb. 14, 1943, according to his grave marker. In 1948, he was repatriated and reburied in Evergreen Cemetery in Shullsburg, Lafayette County, Wisconsin. He is listed on the National WWII Memorial Registry for Lafayette County. His death status was KIA. He received the Purple Heart, awarded posthumously.
Harold Curwen Richards was born April 30, 1918 in Shullsburg in Lafayette County to Thomas and Margaret (Curwen) Richards.
From the 1920 U.S. Census, the Richards family lived in Shullsburg. The household included father Thomas, mother Margaret, and children Homer, Doris, Howard, and Harold. All were born in Wisconsin. They owned their own home, and father Thomas was a farmer on his own account.
The Richards family was likely in the same home in 1930. All the children remained with their parents, with the addition of son Dean.
From the 1940 U.S. Census, the family was in the same house as they were in 1935. The family included the parents and children Harold, Howard, and Dean. Father Thomas, at age 74, was the farming manager working on his own account. Harold at 26 was not working and may have been a student as he had two years of college. Howard was farming heifers for no pay. Dean was 16 and working as an oil tender at an oil station for paid wages.
On Oct. 16, 1940, Harold Curwen Richards registered for the WWII Draft. His address was Estey Street in Shullsburg. He had no employer. His next of kin was his mother.
On July 3, 1941, Richards enlisted for service in WWII in Milwaukee. He had two years of college and his civilian occupation was “farm hands, general farms.”
From the July 10, 1941 Wisconsin State Journal article “23 Selectees Transferred from Area,” the news from the article was that “Twenty-three Madison area selectees were transferred Wednesday from the army reception center, Camp Grant, Ill., to the infantry replacement center at Camp Wolters, Tex., or the cavalry replacement center at Ft. Riley, Kan., the army reported today.” Harold C. Richards of Shullsburg was on the list of those being transferred to Camp Wolters.
From the February 1943 WWII Hospital Admission Card Files, Harold C. Richards was an enlisted man admitted in the “African Area.” He was killed in action and the details were “not known” and not recorded here.
In the July 21, 1943 The Capitol Times notice “Shullsburg Man Is Killed in Africa,” the notice stated “Technician Harold C. Richards, son of Mrs. Margaret I. Richards, Shullsburg, was killed in action in North Africa, according to a report issued today by the war department.”
In the Aug. 23, 1943 The Capitol Times article “Given Purple Heart Award,” came the news that “Corp. Harold C. Richards, son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas F. Richards, Shullsburg, who was killed in action in North Africa last winter, has been awarded the Purple Heart posthumously.
“Two brothers, Pvts. Howard and Homer, are now in service.”
Stories Behind the Stars researcher, Mac Kolar, did research on Tech. 5 Harold C. Richards for a project. Kolar wrote that Richards attended the University of Wisconsin in Madison.
“Tec 5 Richards was among 485 University of Wisconsin who were honored at a memorial convocation held at the University’s fieldhouse on 8 May 1946. Additionally, he was among 46 University alumni to have a student veterans housing project named in their honor. His name appears on the University of Wisconsin Gold Star Honor Roll.
“The McCann-Richards VFW Post 10533 bears Tec 5 Richards’ name.”
From the June 3, 1948, Wisconsin State Journal, the news from Shullsburg was “The body of Technician Fifth Grade Harold Richards, son of Mrs. Margaret I. Richards, Shullsburg, who was killed in action in Africa, Feb. 13, 1943, will arrive here Friday.
“Funeral services will be held … in the Methodist church by the Rev. John Hodgson. The American Legion post will conduct the military rites. Burial will be in Evergreen cemetery.
“Survivors besides his mother are three brothers, Dean, Shullsburg, and Howard and Homer, Madison, and a sister, Doris, Madison.”
Thank you, Technician 5th Grade Harold Curwen Richards, for your service to and sacrifice for this country. We honor you and remember you.
