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Christian Marino Gronwall

603rd Engineer Camouflage Bn : Co D

ASN#32376198

Born 1913 in Norway, Died 1966

County of residence at enlistment: Erie County, NY
Other residence(s): Tonawanda, NY in 1942
United States Army, did not accompany the unit to Europe
Occupation before the war: skilled mechanics and repairmen, n.e.c.
Source: Company D Names Only Roster; Bernie Mason Company D Roster

Christian Gronwall was born on October 16, 1913 in Arendal, Norway, the fifth of six children. His father, who was Swedish, worked as a laborer and in manufacturing. The father had emigrated to the US in 1905, and the whole family eventually joined him in 1916-1917.

Christian (who went by his middle name, Marino, through at least 1940) graduated from high school, and got a job making awnings in an awning shop. In 1934, he and his father and brother were all working at RR Inc. By the time he registered for the draft, on October 16, 1940, he was working at Niagara Savings & Loan. He enlisted on June 22, 1942; his occupation was listed in the category of "skilled mechanics and repairmen." He was assigned to the 603rd Engineer Camouflage Battalion, but he did not go to Europe with the unit; he received a disability discharge on December 2, 1943 in Delaware. His father died three weeks later.

Little is known about the rest of his life. His obituary says that he had worked at Columbus-McKinnon Corp., a manufacturer of chains and hoists. He was a member of the International Association of Machinists union (part of the AFL-CIO).

Christian died on February 22, 1966 after a short illness, and is buried at Acacia Park Cemetery in North Tonawanda, NY.

Sources:

1920 census

https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/31487245:6061?ssrc=pt&tid=10529506&pid=-625289159

1930 census

https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/27712223:6224?ssrc=pt&tid=10529506&pid=-625289159

1934 city directory, Tonawanda NY

https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/123787782:2469?ssrc=pt&tid=10529506&pid=-625289159

1940 census

https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/3673877:2442?ssrc=pt&tid=10529506&pid=-625289159

1940 draft card (shows he was discharged in December 1943)

https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/304086697:2238?tid=&pid=&queryId=f23c41b64cf490c2cb6ff7699d14b400&_phsrc=kLu2&_phstart=successSource

1942 enlistment record

https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=8939&h=5569136&tid=&pid=&queryId=f6e30cfdb435e84e39f6859c7b5b7860&usePUB=true&_phsrc=kLu1&_phstart=successSource

1966 Find a Grave record

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/72429149/khristian-marino-gronwall

1966 NY state death index

https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=61668&h=846459&tid=&pid=&queryId=f23c41b64cf490c2cb6ff7699d14b400&usePUB=true&_phsrc=kLu4&_phstart=successSource

1966 obituary from Tonawanda News (on ancestry.com)

https://www.ancestry.com/mediaui-viewer/collection/1030/tree/10529506/person/-625289159/media/efc91901-1332-4a66-b8e5-2625fe41fe44?_phsrc=kiB3&usePUBJs=true

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