Pvt. Herbert William Butterfield was born in Herriman, Utah to William Henry and Bettie Hannah Blake Butterfield on December 7, 1921. He was the third child in a family of nine children. According to the 1930 and 1940 census records, Herbert’s father worked as a miner in a quartz mine and then as a farmer.

Herbert graduated from Jordan High School in Salt Lake City and then attended the University of Utah, also in Salt Lake City.

On June 25, 1942, Herbert joined the Army, enlisting at Ft. Douglas, Utah. At the time he was working for United States Smelting, Refining and Mining Co. in Lark, Utah.

He was a private in the 2nd Infantry Regiment, 5th Infantry Division serving in the European Theater. He was a medical aid serving with the ground forces.

Following is a description of the 2nd Infantry Regiment’s involvement in the war:

_“In 1939 prior to World War II, the 2nd Infantry Regiment was assigned to the _5th Infantry Division_. In February 1942 the regiment was sent to Iceland for training, to provide security for U.S. bases located there, and to load and unload supply ships. It was then sent to England and then Ireland for training. In July 1944 the 2nd Infantry Regiment along with the 5th Infantry Division landed in Normandy, France. It became part of General _George Patton_'s _Third United States Army_, leading the way in the breakout from the beaches of _Normandy_ in Operation Cobra, capturing Rheims and then seized Metz after a major battle at Fort Driant.”_ 1

On July 27, 1944, Pvt. Butterfield was involved in a battle near Cormolain, France and was taken by the Germans to help the wounded prisoners.

The following information gives a few details of that day. These letters can be found on https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/memories/KWJ8-WN1

“Mr. Robert Bovard from Aurora, Indiana wrote [to the Butterfield Family] on Dec, 1, 1944:

“Your son, Herbert was a very good friend of mine. Herbert made friends wherever he went, he had such a pleasing personality and was always ready to lend a hand to anyone in need. I was wounded before Herbert was gone, the last day I saw him was on the 17th day of July 1944. He was in good health and full of fun. I can’t see why a fellow so good had to go, where there were others that could never reach his standards . . ..”

“On Dec 4, 1945 a letter was written to Bettie Butterfield [Herbert’s Mother] from Major General Edward F. Witsell, acting Adjutant General of the Army:

“Since your son, Pvt Herbert W. Butterfield, 39, 027,974 Infantry, was officially reported captured by the German government, the War Dept has entertained the hope that he survived his imprisonment and that information would be forthcoming regarding his liberation and return to Allied control. The conditions of warfare, however, have denied us such information. The record concerning your son shows that he was a medical aid man to an Infantry company which attacked the enemy near Cormolain, France on July 27, 1944. During the engagement the platoon suffered severe causalities and was forced to withdraw. Private Butterfield chose to remain with the wounded and was reported to have been taken by the enemy to treat wounded prisoners. Careful investigation has revealed no further information regarding his whereabouts since that day . . . I regret the necessity for this message, but trust that the ending of a long period of uncertainty may give at least some small measure of consolation. I hope you may find sustaining comfort in the thought that the uncertainty with which war has surrounded the absence of your son has enhanced the honor of his service and his sacrifice.”

I was unable to determine if or where Pvt. Butterfield was buried in Europe, but his body was returned to Utah in July of 1949 through the Repatriation Program and is buried in the Herriman City Cemetery, Herriman, Utah.

Pvt. Butterfield posthumously received the Purple Heart.

Pvt. Butterfield served faithfully and honorably and gave his life to protect our freedom. Thank you, Pvt. Herbert William Butterfield for your ultimate sacrifice.

1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2nd_Infantry_Regiment_(United_States)

www.https:/findagrave.com

www.https://ancestry.com

www.https:/familysearch.org

www.https://www.honorstates.org/index.php?id=387784

This story is part of the Stories Behind the Stars project (see www.storiesbehindthestars.org). This is a national effort of volunteers to write the stories of all 400,000+ of the US WWII fallen here on Fold3. Can you help write these stories? Related to this, there will be a smart phone app that will allow people to visit any war memorial or cemetery, scan the fallen's name and read his/her story.

Herbert W Butterfield