Briefing Document: Weldon Bailey "Joe" Weaver

Subject: Biographical and Military Service Information

Date: October 26, 2023

1. Overview:

This document summarizes key information regarding the life and military service of Weldon Bailey "Joe" Weaver, drawing from the provided text. It outlines his personal history, military enrollment, and ultimately his death in action during World War II.

2. Key Personal Information:

Birth: Weldon Bailey "Joe" Weaver was born on November 14, 1908, in Sidney, Comanche County, Texas.

Parents: His parents were Lena Elba Arnold (born 1885, Arkansas, died 1942, Dallas, Texas) and Frank Greene Weaver (born 1876, Alabama, died 1964, University Park, Dallas County, Texas).

Family: He grew up in a large family, with three brothers and two sisters in 1920, and later with three brothers and three sisters in 1930.

Marriage: He married Imogene McDaniel (born 1917, Comanche County, Texas, died 2003, Los Angeles County, California) on April 14, 1936, in Eastland County, Texas.

Children: They had two children.

Occupation: In 1940, he worked as an over-the-road truck driver. He later worked at Robert L. McKee Construction Co. at Camp Brownwood before entering military service.

Education: He had two years of high school education.

3. Military Service:

Draft Registration: Weaver registered for the draft on October 16, 1940, at Brownwood, Texas, while living in Sidney. His address later changed to 132 E. Emerson Ave., Monterey Park, California. He listed his mother as his next of kin contact.

Enlistment: He enlisted in the US Army as a private in Los Angeles, California, on November 16, 1943, from civilian life, assigned service number 39717157. He was a white male born in Texas in 1909 (note the slight discrepancy in birth year compared to the original record), residing in Los Angeles County, California.

Unit: He served in the 328th Infantry Regiment of the 26th Infantry Division.

Deployment: The 26th Division landed in France at Cherbourg and Utah Beach on September 7, 1944. Initially, the unit was on patrol duty along the coast.

Combat: The 328th Infantry saw action with the 80th Infantry Division from 5-15 October 1944. The 26th was then reassigned to XII Corps of the U.S. Third Army under General Patton. The Division was part of a limited objective attack on October 22, 1944, in the Moncourt woods.

Death: Pvt. Weaver was fatally wounded in action on November 8, 1944, during an offensive spearheaded by the 761st Black tank Battalion, and died of his wounds on November 9, 1944, near Dieuze, France.

4. Burial:

Initial Burial: He was initially buried in a temporary grave.

Reinterment: After the war, his remains were reinterred in the Lorraine American Cemetery and Memorial at Saint-Avold, Departement de la Moselle, Lorraine, France.

5. Key Quotes:

"Private Weldon B. Weaver 39717157 US Army 328th Infantry Regiment 26th Infantry Division."

"...fatally wounded in action on 8 November 1944 and died of the wounds on 9 November 1944 in the vicinity of Dieuze, France."

6. Key Themes and Facts:

The text provides a concise yet detailed view of Weaver's life, from his upbringing in rural Texas to his military service and ultimate sacrifice during World War II.

It highlights the common experience of many American men during the war: leaving civilian life to fight in Europe.

It outlines the operational timeline of his unit within the broader context of the European theater, particularly the movements of the 26th Infantry Division.

It underscores the human cost of war, with a focus on a single individual's tragic fate, and also a sense of his ultimate honor.

The sources contain one small discrepancy: his birth year is noted as 1908 at the start but then as 1909 in his military enrollment information.

7. Conclusion:

Weldon Bailey "Joe" Weaver's story is a microcosm of the experiences of countless soldiers who served and died in World War II. The information presented paints a picture of a man rooted in a family history, working as a truck driver before joining the army, serving overseas and ultimately paying the ultimate sacrifice for his country.