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Robert Thomas Slick

T/5 in Signal Co, Special : Radio A

Military occupational specialty: 740 (radio operator, intermediate speed)

ASN#13083869

Born 1924 in PA, Died 2004

County of residence at enlistment: Cambria County, PA
Other residence(s): Johnstown, PA
United States Army, European Theatre of Operations
Source: Unit Shipment 10143-D, 23d HQ, from le Havre 23 June 1945; Ghost Army roster by state; militaryyearbookproject.org/references/old-mos-codes/wwii-era/army...

Robert Slick was born on June 23, 1924 in Johnstown, PA, the middle of three sons. His father was a driver for the Traction Company, the streetcar system in Johnstown.

He registered for the draft the week after his 18th birthday, on June 30, 1942, and enlisted a few weeks later on August 10, 1942. At that time, he stated that he had completed three years of high school. He was assigned to the Signal Company Special as a radio operator, and served overseas with the unit.

He was discharged on October 22, 1945 with the rank of T/5 and returned to Johnstown, where he married Ellen Mary; they had two children in the next four years: Mary and Joseph.

Little else is known of his life or work. He died on February 10, 2004 in Johnstown, and is buried at Grandview Cemetery in Johnstown. His gravestone says that he served in the "23rd Special Troops."

NOTE: His Pennsylvania burial card says that he served in the 28th MP Platoon, but his ASN on that record matches the one on his Ghost Army record. So perhaps he started or ended his military career in the Military Police.

Sources:

1930 census

https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/50226085:6224?tid=&pid=&queryId=e36c47493a7a57ce9ce778f3a7b0349c&_phsrc=YHO11&_phstart=successSource

1940 census

https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/28476591:2442?tid=&pid=&queryId=e36c47493a7a57ce9ce778f3a7b0349c&_phsrc=YHO5&_phstart=successSource

1942 draft card

https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/8160600:2238?tid=&pid=&queryId=e36c47493a7a57ce9ce778f3a7b0349c&_phsrc=YHO7&_phstart=successSource

1942 enlistment record

https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=8939&h=1260936&tid=&pid=&queryId=e36c47493a7a57ce9ce778f3a7b0349c&usePUB=true&_phsrc=YHO15&_phstart=successSource

1950 Pennsylvania veteran compensation file WW2

https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=3147&h=1484125&tid=&pid=&queryId=9098190600db6aa965c067b4f1863c33&usePUB=true&_phsrc=YHO1&_phstart=successSource

1993-2002 US phone and address directories, Johnstown PA

https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/1958882:7339?tid=&pid=&queryId=6efdc7ffb37a5e4703f4a14fde2de036&_phsrc=Csm6&_phstart=successSource

2004 Find a Grave record

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/108373710/robert-thomas-slick

2004 Social Security applications and claims index

https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/46324825:60901?tid=&pid=&queryId=e36c47493a7a57ce9ce778f3a7b0349c&_phsrc=YHO9&_phstart=successSource

2004 Pennsylvania US veterans' burial cards

https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/1692651:1967?ssrc=pt&tid=67604581&pid=112042651891

2004 VA death record

https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/12083616:2441?ssrc=pt&tid=67604581&pid=112042651891

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