Alvin M. Chilson was born May 23, 1916, in Elmira, Chemung County, New York, son of Frank W. Chilson, a World War I veteran and Goldia Mae (Lake) Chilson. Older brother of Llewellyn M. “Al” Chilson, who was the most combat-decorated noncommissioned officer of the entire United States Army, and WWII’s second most decorated soldier, only topped by Audie Murphy.

He enlisted at the age of approximately 26 on October 15, 1940. At enlistment, Alvin M. Chilson was single, without dependents, stood 72 inches tall, weighed 165 pounds, and had an education level of 2 years of high school.

Alvin was killed in action serving with the 37th Infantry Division in the Philippines on 16 February 1945.

Combat Chronicle of the 37th Infantry Division: The 37th Infantry Division arrived in the Fiji Islands in June 1942 to fortify the islands against possible invasion. The Division continued its training on the islands. With the end of ground fighting on Guadalcanal, the Division moved to that island in April 1943, continued training, and staged for the Munda campaign. Two battalions joined the Marines on New Georgia, 5 July 1943, while the remainder of the Division landed, 22 July, and assisted the 43d Infantry Division in taking Munda airfield in heavy fighting. After mopping up on New Georgia, the Division returned to Guadalcanal, 9 September 1943, for rest and rehabilitation. The Division's next assignment was Bougainville. Relieving Marine units, 8-19 November 1943, the 37th took over the perimeter defense of the area, constructed roads and bridges and engaged in extensive patrol activity. In March 1944, two Japanese divisions made eight major attacks, but Division lines held. In April patrols cleared the Laruma Valley area of major enemy units. The Division remained on Bougainville and trained for the Luzon campaign. Landing with the Sixth Army on the beaches of Lingayen Gulf, 9 January 1945, the 37th raced inland against slight resistance to Clark Field and Fort Stotsenburg where fierce resistance delayed capture of those objectives until 31 January. The Division continued to drive to Manila against small delaying forces, and entered the city's outskirts, 4 February.

Alvin Chilson participated in the prior events and was killed during these next actions.

Upon crossing the Pasig River, it ran into bitter Japanese opposition, and it took heavy street fighting to clear the city by 3 March 1945. After garrison duty in Manila, 5-26 March, the Division shifted to the hills of Northwest Luzon, where heavy fighting culminated in the capture of Baguio, 26 April. Rest and rehabilitation during May were followed by action in June in the Cagayan Valley against deteriorating Japanese resistance. With the end of hostilities, 15 August, the Division was concerned with the collection and processing of prisoners of war, leaving November 1945 for the States and demobilization

"A 2-year old boy who never saw his father played happily at his Kenmore home yesterday unaware that tragedy had come to his mother, Mrs. Anne Chilson. Robert was born after his father left, three years ago in May to go with the 37th division to the pacific. Staff Sergeant Chilson was killed in Manila on February 16, the wife learned." Excerpt from the Akron Beacon Journal, March 21, 1945.

Alvin M. Chilson is buried at the Holy Cross Cemetery, Akron, Summit County, Ohio.

References

http://ncoguide.net/robbed-legacy-of-army-ncos/

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/93012915/alvin-m.-chilson

http://www.history.army.mil/html/forcestruc/cbtchron/cc/037id.htm

"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."

Alvin M Chilson