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Aldred John "Abe" Birmingham

SGT in 3132nd Signal Service Co : 4th Platoon

ASN#36297843

Born 1923 in WI, Died 1984

County of residence at enlistment: Rock County, WI
Other residence(s): Janesville, WI
United States Army, European Theatre of Operations
Occupation before the war: semiskilled occupations in fabrication of metal products, n.e.c
College education before the war: Manhattan College with ASTP 6 months
Notes: Known in Ghost Army as "Bull"
Source: W. Anderson Notes; 3132 Caption List; Sonic 4th Platoon, 1944; 3132 Pine Camp Photo Names; photo from Ancestry® (Janesville HS 1941)

Abe Birmingham was born on April 8, 1923 in Sturgeon Bay, WI, on a peninsula located in between Green Bay and Lake Michigan. He was the middle of three children, and his father was a garage mechanic. By 1930 the family had relocated to Janesville, WI, a much larger and more urban area.

Abe played football and basketball at Janesville High School, and graduated from there in 1941. A year later, when he registered for the draft on June 30, 1942, he was working at the Parker Pen Defense Plant in Janesville. (His enlistment record six months later says that his occupation was "semi-skilled occupations in fabrication of metal products.")

He enlisted on January 14, 1943 and trained at Camp Stewart in Georgia. He also spent six months in the Army Specialized Training Program studying engineering at Manhattan College. He was assigned to the 3132 Signal Service Company, and saw service in Europe during the war, earning a promotion to SGT.

After his discharge, at Camp Shelby in Mississippi, he returned to Janesville and married Ruth Evelyn Fredendall on November 22, 1945. Fellow Ghost Army Sergeant Oliver G. Gallaugher was his best man.

Abe went back to work at Parker Pen (no longer a defense plant); in 1946, both he and his father were working there.

Abe would work at the Parker Pen plant for 41 years. Meanwhile, he and Evelyn raised three children: Carol, Aldred Jr. (AJ), and Patricia, and were active in the Cargill United Methodist Church. Abe was also recognized locally for his prowess as a fisherman, deer hunter, and bowler.

Evelyn died in 1976; in 1978 Abe married Lois Algrem Krohn. He died on November 4, 1984 and is buried at Oak Hill Cemetery in Janesville.

Photo:

1941 yearbook (see below)

Sources:

1930 census

https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/57802155:6224?tid=&pid=&queryId=24dd4e962ff5525b990f982891443c50&_phsrc=LQk1&_phstart=successSource

1940 census

https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/76007909:2442?tid=&pid=&queryId=24dd4e962ff5525b990f982891443c50&_phsrc=LQk3&_phstart=successSource

1941 high school yearbook

https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/182653192:1265?tid=&pid=&queryId=24dd4e962ff5525b990f982891443c50&_phsrc=RUp4&_phstart=successSource

1942 draft card

https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/198585395:2238?tid=&pid=&queryId=24dd4e962ff5525b990f982891443c50&_phsrc=RUp3&_phstart=successSource

1943 enlistment record

https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/3306166:8939?tid=&pid=&queryId=24dd4e962ff5525b990f982891443c50&_phsrc=RUp2&_phstart=successSource

1945 article in the Janesville Daily Gazette (WI) about his discharge from service

https://www.newspapers.com/image/11644289/?terms=aldred%20birmingham&match=1

1945 wedding announcement in Janesville Daily Gazette (WI)

https://www.newspapers.com/image/11651076/?terms=aldred%20birmingham&match=1

1946 Janesville city directory

https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/866314850:2469?tid=&pid=&queryId=24dd4e962ff5525b990f982891443c50&_phsrc=LQk12&_phstart=successSource

1946 article in the Janesville Daily Gazette (WI) re his shooting deer

https://www.newspapers.com/image/10976067/?terms=aldred%20birmingham&match=1

1950 census

https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/117816146:62308?tid=&pid=&queryId=24dd4e962ff5525b990f982891443c50&_phsrc=LQk9&_phstart=successSource

1954 Janesville city directory

https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/954161315:2469?tid=&pid=&queryId=24dd4e962ff5525b990f982891443c50&_phsrc=LQk14&_phstart=successSource

1954 article in the Janesville Daily Gazette (WI) re his bowling performance

https://www.newspapers.com/image/13123596/?terms=aldred%20birmingham&match=1

1955 article in the Janesville Daily Gazette (WI) re his fishing

https://www.newspapers.com/image/10712941/?terms=aldred%20birmingham&match=1

1976 wife's death record

https://peoplelegacy.com/ruth_evelyn_fredendall_birmingham-3W7e3c1

1976 wife's obituary in the Janesville Daily Gazette (WI)

https://newspaperarchive.com/janesville-gazette-may-11-1976-p-3/

1978 2nd marriage record

https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/92265753:61484?tid=&pid=&queryId=63ff315ae7045926389140db70b4500c&_phsrc=kTK8&_phstart=successSource

1984 obituary in the Janesville Daily Gazette (WI)

https://newspaperarchive.com/janesville-gazette-nov-05-1984-p-12/

1984 Find a Grave record

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/128386791/aldred-j-birmingham?_gl=1*18zs058*_ga*OTIxNjgxNDkuMTY3MDA2OTczMg..*_ga_4QT8FMEX30*MTY3MjMyMTk1MS43LjEuMTY3MjM1MjIzNC4zNC4wLjA.

1984 VA death record

https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/11412542:2441?tid=&pid=&queryId=24dd4e962ff5525b990f982891443c50&_phsrc=LQk4&_phstart=successSource

1984 Social Security death index

https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=3693&h=4887622&tid=&pid=&queryId=24dd4e962ff5525b990f982891443c50&usePUB=true&_phsrc=LQk13&_phstart=successSource&_gl=1*13czi0b*_ga*OTIxNjgxNDkuMTY3MDA2OTczMg..*_ga_4QT8FMEX30*MTY3MjMyMTk1MS43LjEuMTY3MjM1Mjk1OS41OC4wLjA.

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