Private James William DeGraff of Fox Battery, 81st Airborne Anti-Aircraft Battalion (AAA), 101st Airborne Division, was born in Gainesville, Alachua County, Florida, on August 10, 1920. He was killed in action on D-Day, June 6, 1944.
Before entering the service on November 2, 1942, James probably worked on his father’s farm as rural northern Florida continued to suffer economic stress. A steady income while serving his country may therefore have been one reason James enlisted in the Army. Before his airborne training and subsequent assignment to the 81st AAA, he trained with Battery D at the 2nd Anti-Aircraft Replacement Training Center, Fort Eustis, Virginia. Private DeGraff sailed with his battalion to England on the SS Samaria, leaving New York Harbor on September 5, 1943.
While in England with the 81st AAA, the physical, weapon, and glider training intensified to prepare the men for the invasion of Europe. However, in April 1944, the men of the 81st AAA learned that several batteries would be part of the seaborne forces instead of the glider assault. It meant they had to train and prepare themselves for a seaborne landing.
On D-Day, at H plus 15 minutes, Dog, Easy, and Fox Battery were assigned to land with the initial assault wave of infantry at Utah Beach, alongside the men of the 8th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division. After jumping over the side of the LCT, the men had to wade or swim the final distance to the shore in water from 3 to 10 feet deep, under intense enemy artillery and machine gun fire. Apparently, Private DeGraff helped a wounded comrade back into the transport, and was killed when he attempted to catch up to his mates (Source: Don Alfonso, The Gainesville Sun).
On June 9, Private DeGraff was first buried at the 607 Macon temporary American Military Cemetery, also known as the “Utah Red” Cemetery. On June 25, he was reburied for the first time at Block D, Row 3, Grave 54, of the temporary American Military Cemetery Sainte-Mère-Église #2. In 1949, his remains made one final move when James was reburied at the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial at Colleville-sur-Mer, Normandy, France. He rests eternally at Block A, Row 9, Grave 26 at this cemetery.
Besides his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Lewis B. DeGraff, he left behind five brothers.
Private DeGraff was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart Medal.
May he rest in peace. 🇺🇸
God Speed James W.DeGraff 🫡🇺🇸🫡