Thomas P. LaBelle

Company B 1st Battalion 22nd Infantry

4th Infantry Divsion

KIA 06/10/1944

Thomas Patrick LaBelle was born in Worcester, Worcester County, Massachusetts on August 2, 1919.

Prior to entering military service he was employed at the Frank A. Labelle Trucking Company in Worcester.

He was drafted into the Army on February 26, 1942, at Fort Devens, Massachusetts. He had completed two years of
High School, and listed his civilian occupation as Semiskilled Occupations in Mechanical Treatment of Metals.
He was single, with no dependents. His religion was listed as Catholic.

He was awarded the Good Conduct Medal as a Private in Company B,
in Headquarters 22nd Infantry General Orders No. 14 dated December 31, 1943
at Fort Jackson, South Carolina.

Private First Class Thomas LaBelle was killed in action, while serving with Company B, 1st Battalion 22nd Infantry,
as part of Task Force Barber, in the attacks in the area of Ozeville, France, on June 10, 1944. Most of 1st Battalion's
engagement that day was in the vicinity of the town of Fontenay-sur-Mer, with the Battalion in the attack, and fighting off
German counter-attacks.

Decorations of Thomas LaBelle

The following narrative is from the Find A Grave website, created by Phil LaBelle:

PFC Thomas Patrick LaBelle, US Army 4th Infantry, died on 10-JUN-1944 during the WWII invasion of Normandy.
He was initially buried on 17-JUN-1944 in Ozeville, France, at the American Military Cemetary
of St. Mere Eglise #1, Plot C, Row 5, Grave 91.

His remains were disinterred on 02-MAY-1948 and sent to the US for reburial in St. Johns Cemetary on 18-May-1948.
His mother, Mary H. (Ryan) LaBelle is buried in the same plot. She died 27 years earlier while giving birth
to Thomas' brother Edward in 1921.

Funeral arrangements were handled by Callahan Brothers Funeral Home, 36 Trumbell St., Worcester, MA.

In October 2004, I filed paperwork with St. John's and with the Dept of Veteran Affairs
to have a bronze military marker added to his gravesite.

Thomas P. LaBelle was buried in the temporary U.S. Military Cemetery,
Sainte Mere-Eglise #1 at Carentan, France and some time later
his remains were returned to the United States where he was
reinterred in Massachusetts in 1948.

Burial:
Saint Johns Cemetery
Worcester
Worcester County
Massachusetts
Plot: Galilee Section, Row 7, Lot 146

Family monument where Thomas P. LaBelle is buried

Photo by Phil LaBelle from the Find A Grave website

Grave marker for Thomas P. LaBelle

Photo by SASmith from the Find A Grave website

Top photo of Thomas LaBelle, in his uniform as a member of the 22nd Infantry, by Phil LaBelle from the Find A Grave website
Note 22nd Infantry Distinguished Unit Insignia on his lapels.

BACK