In Memory of

U.S. Army Private First Class

Oscar Frederick Stephens

Rapid City, South Dakota

Pennington County

August 24, 1910 – September 8, 1944

Died in England as a Result of Wounds Received in France

Oscar Frederick Stephens was born August 24, 1910, at Jamestown, North Dakota, to Robert and Anna Stephens. Oscar had two brothers, Willard and John, and four sisters, Jessie, Marion, Millie, and Esta. The family at some point moved to Rapid City, South Dakota. Oscar married Ethel Bennett on October 5, 1935, at Rapid City. They had two children, Roberta and Stanley.

Oscar entered the service on March 7, 1943, at Fort Snelling, Minnesota. Pfc. Stephens was trained at Fort Sheridan, Illinois, and in Kentucky, North Carolina, and Tennessee. He was sent overseas in the middle of 1944 and was stationed in the European theater.

Pfc. Oscar Stephens, 777th Anti-Aircraft Arty (Automatic Weapons) Battalion, was gravely wounded in France on August 8, 1944. He was transferred to a hospital in England where he died exactly one month later on September 8, 1944.

Oscar Stephens was buried at Plot D, Row 5, Grave 46, Cambridge American Cemetery in Cambridge, England. He was awarded the Purple Heart.

He was survived by his wife, Ethel, his children, Roberta and Stanley, and his brothers and sisters.

This entry was respectfully submitted by Sheila Hansen, Fallen Sons State Coordinator, Spearfish, SD. Information for this entry was provided by an application for a SD veteran’s bonus payment, the Rapid City Journal, 7/13/44 and 9/23/44 issues, and by Roberta Reichert, Hill City, daughter of Pfc. Stephens.

Oscar F Stephens