Gallagher Francis Xavier

Name:

Francis Xavier Gallagher

Rank:

Technician 5th Grade

Serial Number:

Unit:

294th Engineer Combat Battalion

Date of Death:

1944-03-20

State:

New Jersey

Cemetery:

Holy Name Cemetery, Jersey City, New Jersey

Plot:

C

Row:

Grave:

1292

Decoration:

Comments:

Francis Xavier Gallagher was born on June 6, 1925, in New Jersey. He enlisted in the Army on March 17, 1943 and served in the C Company, 294th Engineer Combat Battalion as a Technician 5th Grade during World War II.

In the grounds of 228th Station Hospital, Haydon Park, Sherborne, England, recovering mines after mine-laying exercise on March 20, 1944, a truck rolled back over a live mine killing 29 members of C Company, 294th Engineer Combat Battalion. Company "C" had just finished an exercise with mine laying and then picked up the anti-tank mines and placed them alongside a truck to be taken to a safe area until the next exercise. The truck accidentally backed up over some mines and about 90 mines exploded.

T5 Gallagher was one of the soldiers killed in the accident. He is now buried in the Holy Name Cemetery, Jersey City, Hudson County, New Jersey, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com