Allan J. Persons was killed in action during World War II. He served in Company A, 40th Tank Battalion of the 7th Armored Division. While engaging the enemy in his A/40 tank at the battle of Overloon on 1 Oct. 1944, his tank was knocked out. The tank was hit with an armor piercing shell from presumably an 88 mm gun. The shell struck the tank directly in front of the bow gunner who was Allan Persons, pierced the tank itself, tearing thru Persons and exploding in the ammunition under the turret. Persons had caught the round in his left hip causing a fatal wound; he was the only member of the crew who was killed in the incident. Members of the crew attempted to remove Persons from the tank but were unsuccessful. With the battle raging, Persons’ body was not able to be retrieved before the gasoline exploded in the tank. His remains were recovered from the tank in May 1947 and placed at Neuville-en-Condroz, Belgium, US Military Cemetery as Unknown X-5785. After further examination he was initially buried 16 Jul 1947 at Neuville-en-Condroz in Section Y, Row 11, Grave 254. His remains were repatriated, and he was buried Sunrise Memorial Cemetery in Duluth, Minnesota in July 1950.
From Find a grave.