Daniel Splann was born on 18 November 1925 to Daniel F. Splann and Katherine Farrell Splann in Frankfort, New York. He was the youngest of four children, with two older sisters and an older brother. His father was a veteran of the Spanish-American War and worked as a lineman for the New York Power Company. The family relocated to Schenectady, New York in the early 1930s. In 1937, tragedy struck when their father Daniel died unexpectedly, leaving Katherine as the head of the family.

Daniel attended Mont Pleasant High School in Schenectady, but left ten days after his 17th birthday to enlist in the US Marine Corps on 28 November 1942. His older brother Lawrence J. Splann had entered the US Army Air Forces in April of 1941. He would go on to become the co-pilot of a B-17 Flying Fortress in the 334th Bombardment Squadron, 95th Bomb Group, 8th Air Force.

Amsterdam Evening Recorder, 5 Dec 1942

After training at Parris Island, South Carolina and Camp Lejeune in New River, North Carolina, Pvt. Splann was assigned to the 19th Replacement Battalion and went overseas in May of 1943, arriving in Tutuila, American Samoa on 21 May 1943 to join the 2nd Defense Battalion. In August 1943, he was promoted to Private First Class and assigned to Company D, 1st Battalion of the 22nd Marine Regiment. The regiment left Samoa for additional training in Hawaii before departing at the end of January 1944 for Kwajalein in the Marshall Islands aboard the USS Arthur Middleton (APA-25).

On 17 February 1944, PFC Splann participated in the assault and capture of Eniwetok Atoll in the Marshall Islands. On 19 February 1944, he was seriously wounded in action on Engebi Island and evacuated to the USS Arthur Middleton for medical treatment. Unfortunately, his wounds proved to be fatal, and he died on 21 February 1944. On the following day, PFC Splann was buried in the cemetery at Eniwetok. His body was later moved to Hawaii.

USMC Muster Roll, Co. D, 22nd Marines, Feb. 1944

USS Arthur Middleton, Eniwetok Action Report, 22 Feb 1944

Schenectady Gazette, 30 Mar 1944

Schenectady Gazette, 10 April 1944

PFC Splann was memorialized in the 1945 Mont Pleasant High School yearbook along with other former students and alumni who had made the ultimate sacrifice under the heading “These Men Had That Courage.” In 1946, four American flags were presented to the Marine Corps League in memory of PFC Splann by the United Spanish War Veterans, of which his father had been a member.

PFC Daniel Splann, from the 1945 Mont Pleasant High School (Schenectady, NY) yearbook memorial of students and alumni killed in World War II

Schenectady Gazette, 25 Jan 1946

In October 1947, PFC Splann was among the first of the war dead returned home for burial. He was one of three Marines from Schenectady to arrive by train on 17 October 1947. He was buried with his father in the Most Holy Redeemer Cemetery in Niskayuna, New York. Just two years later in 1949 his mother Katherine died and was buried next to her son and husband.

Albany Times Union, 11 Oct. 1947

Albany Times Union, 11 Oct. 1947

Albany Times Union, 11 Oct. 1947

Daniel’s brother Lawrence survived the war, earning a Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters for his bombing missions over Germany and occupied Europe. He remained in the Air Force, retiring in 1967 as a Lieutenant Colonel.

Daniel Splann was remembered long after his passing by his boyhood friend Walter Shults, who served in the US Navy aboard LCI(M)-807. Walter never forgot his friend and shared his story with younger generations until he passed away in 2020.

PFC Daniel Splann grave, Most Holy Redeemer Cemetery, Niskayuna, NY

Story by Donna Esposito

https://www.donnaesposito.com/

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 smartphone app that will allow people to visit any war memorial or cemetery, scan the fallen's name and read his/her story.

If you noticed anything missing in this profile, you may contact the author. Click on the author’s name located at the bottom of the story page next to the words “added by.”

References:

1930 Federal Census

1940 Federal Census

1945 Mont Pleasant High School Yearbook

1947 Headstone Application for Daniel Splann

Find-A-Grave memorial for Daniel Splann

Amsterdam Evening Recorder, Schenectady Gazette, and Albany Times Union articles via https://fultonhistory.com/

Together We Served profile for Daniel Splann

USMC Muster Rolls at Ancestry.com

Daniel Splann (1925-1944)