PFC Owen "Tony" ManvillePfc. Tony Manville from LaValle, was killed in action on March 22, 1944. Pfc. Manville was a member of the First Calvary Division, one of the most famous and most decorated combat divisions of the United States Army.
He entered active duty in May, 1942 and trained stateside in Southern California until deployment to the South Pacific in June of 1943. The division arrived in Queensland, Austrailia for further training before shipping off to New Guinea where they staged for the Admiralty Islands Campaign which was scheduled to commence in February, 1944.
The Admiralty Islands campaign was a series of battles that took place 200 miles to the northeast of New Guinea on a series of islands occupied by the Japanese forces.
On February 29, 1944, the 1st Calvary Division entered into combat for the first time of the war when they landed on Los Negros Island and began to push to the west. After securing Los Negros Island, the division attacked Manus Island on March 15 and were able to secure the town of Lorengau after three days of fighting. However, the main Japanese force on Manus had not yet been located. Advancing inland towards Rossum, the 7th Cavalry found it on March 20. It took another 6 days of fighting around Rossum before the 7th and 8th Cavalry reduced the entrenched Japanese positions. It was during this time frame that Pfc. Manville was killed. He was 35 years, 9 months and 4 days old.
His body was not returned home until February, 1949 at which time services were held in the Holy Family Catholic church in LaValle and he was buried in the Ironton cemetery.
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