Edward F. Abel was born on July 19, 1920 in the city of Saint Paul, Ramsey County, Minnesota to Fred C. Abel and Josephine S. Abel, nee Pasket. Edward had five older sisters: Alice, Marie, Florence, Dorothy, and Henrietta Abel. The family lived in St. Paul, Minnesota, where Fred worked as a riveter for an iron foundry.

Edward Fred Abel registered for the draft on February 16, 1942. He was 21 years old, 5’8” tall, and weighed 155 pounds. He had brown hair, blue eyes, and a ruddy complexion. He was unemployed at the time of registration.

It is not known when Edward Abel was inducted into the United States Army, but he served in the 162nd Infantry Regiment, 41st Infantry Division. He was stationed in Hawaii and Australia, before being deployed to New Guinea in March 1943. In 1944, the U.S. Army decided to invade Biak, a small island north of Western New Guinea. The objective was to build airfields in support of operations in the southwest Pacific. The Battle of Biak raged from May 27 to August 17, 1944. Although the U.S. troops landed unopposed on the beaches of Biak, they soon learned that there were over 10,000 Japanese soldiers entrenched in the large caves that riddled the mountainous interior of the island.

Pfc. Edward F. Abel was killed in action on June 8, 1944 on the island of Biak after being hit in the chest by artillery shell fragments. He is buried in the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, Manila, Philippines (Plot D, Row 11, Grave 166). He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart.

Note: Although Edward F. Abel is listed on the WWII Army and Army Air Force Casualty List as entering the U.S. Army from King County, Washington, this researcher was unable to find any records linking him to this county or state.

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 421,000+ of the US WWII fallen saved on Together We

Served and Fold3. Can you help write these stories? These stories will be

accessible via smartphone app at any war memorial or cemetery.

If you noticed anything erroneous in this profile or have additional information to contribute to it, please contact me at clock902@aol.com.

SBTSProject/Washington/King County

Sources:

WWII Hospital Admission Card Files, 1942-1954, https://www.fold3.com/record/706312229/blank-us-wwii-hospital-admission-card-files-1942-1954

WWII Army and Army Air Force Casualty List, https://www.fold3.com/image/310763494?rec=299419135

Findagrave, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56780801/edward-fred-abel

1930 United States Federal Census, https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/78733879:6224

1940 United States Federal Census, https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/98121086:2442

Headstone and Interment Records for U.S., Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil, 1942-1949, https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/75076:9170

Minnesota, U.S., Birth Index, 1900-1934, https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/1300016:9196

World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947, https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/16440503:2238?tid=&pid=&queryId=f380192e0ffddb6ace4e4a6a9d2a537b&_phsrc=xOR60973&_phstart=successSource

Edward F Abel