Identified Envelope
Envelope identified to Richard C. Cranch - B Company, 331st Infantry Regiment
Original censored WWII Army envelope with bicolored border dated May 22, 1944. The envelop was sent by Lt. R. C. Cranch to The National Bank of Norwalk, Norwalk, Connecticut. The address the envelope was sent from was APO #83 which was in Keele Hall, England on this date.
1st Lt. Richard C. Cranch
1st Lieutenant
Richard C. Cranch
1st Lieutenant Richard C. Cranch
Richard Christopher Cranch was born on June 13, 1920, in Lakewood, Ohio, to Bessie Agnes Riblet and Dr. Arthur Girard Cranch. His father Arthur Cranch was a medical doctor from Erie, PA and the family lived in Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York and Conecticut. The 1940 census shows Richard in his first year of college meaning he possibly went trough the ROTC program to become an officer, the other possibility is he went through Officer Candidate School (OCS).
Richard C. Cranch (#O-449345) was stationed at Camp Shanks from where the 83rd left the US. At that time he was the Company Commander of B Company, 331st Infantry Regiment. The Morning Reports from June 2, 1944 listed him as Transferred to HQ Company, 1st Battalion, 331st Infantry Regiment from B Company, 331st Infantry Regiment. For his service he was awarded, among other decorations, the Combat Infantryman's Badge, the Purple Heart Medal awarded for wounds received in action on July 11, 1944 in France and the Bronze Star Medal awarded for meritorious service on January 14, 1945.
Richard Christopher Cranch married Marion Katherine Hession in West Haven, Connecticut, on September 17, 1949 and they had one child. He died on July 25, 1996. He was survived by his wife Marion (1917-2002) and they were buried at the Mulkey Cemetery, Eugene, Lane County, Oregon.
Stan Bielen served with Lt. Richard Cranch in Hq Company 1st Btn, 331st Infantry Regiment:
The Lt. Cranch that I know of was in the same company as I was, Hq. Co. 1st Bn. 331st. He was not assigned to a platoon as I remember. He just helped as an extra officer. I don't remember when he joined my company as they moved them often. Lt. Cranch is not in the company picture that was taken just before we left for England He was with my company in England and in Normandy. He was still with us at the end of the war. It was Lt. Cranch that sent me on the mission July 4th to find Company C, 331st as we had lost all contact with them. He was a good officer as I remember.
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