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World War II


World War II (1939-1945) was a global conflict involving most of the world's nations. It was characterized by widespread military engagements across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Pacific. The war can be traced back to the rise of aggressive expansionist powers, including Nazi Germany led by Adolf Hitler, fascist Italy led by Benito Mussolini, and militarist Japan under Emperor Hirohito.

The war officially began on September 1, 1939, when Germany invaded Poland, prompting Britain and France to declare war on Germany. The conflict quickly escalated as Germany conquered much of Western Europe and Japan expanded in the Pacific. The Axis Powers, led by Germany, Italy, and Japan, fought against the Allied Powers, including the United Kingdom, Soviet Union, United States, and others.

Key events and theaters of the war included the Holocaust, in which millions of Jews and others were systematically murdered by the Nazis, the Battle of Stalingrad, a turning point on the Eastern Front, and the D-Day landings in Normandy, which marked the beginning of the liberation of Western Europe from Nazi occupation.

The war concluded in 1945 with the unconditional surrender of Germany and Japan. The conflict had devastating consequences, resulting in an estimated 50 million fatalities, widespread destruction, and significant social, political, and economic changes worldwide. The war also led to the establishment of the United Nations, an international organization aimed at promoting peace and cooperation among nations to prevent such a global conflict from happening again.

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World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Clifford Carver REED (04/06/1913, Jersey City, New Jersey, USA - 05/24/1998, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA)
(Clifford Raymond REED & Florence CARVER)

World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Victor Germain REINHARDT (1 September 1899, Lewiston, Maine, USA - 24 May 1947, Lewiston, Maine, USA)
(Edward Carl REINHARDT & Marie Marienne Rosina "Rose" GERMAIN)

World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Eugene Joseph RENESON (5 November 1914, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA (North Amherst) (South Amherst) - 22 July 1995, , New Hampshire, USA)
(Stanislaw "Stanley" RENESON & Franceska "Frances" MIGDAL)

World War II Soldier  male ancestor  George Theoador RESCHKE (13 March 1918, St Joseph, Michigan, USA - 14 November 1995, Jacksonville, Florida, USA)
(Emil RESCHKE & Ida Teresa JESCHKE)

World War II Soldier  male ancestor  William F REUDGEN (29 October 1922, Rockville, Connecticut, USA - 1 November 2007, Vernon, Connecticut, USA)
(Ernest Henry REUDGEN & Minnie Adeline EDWARDS)

World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Joseph Francis RICHARDS (27 June 1910, Winchendon, Massachusetts, USA - 19 November 1959, Augusta, Maine, USA)
(Henry Adelbert RICHARDS & Alma Victoria DUVAL)

World War II Soldier  male ancestor  James Edward RICKARD (March 2, 1924, Chicago, Illinois, USA - 1990, Chicago, Illinois, USA)
(Harvey Joe RICKARD & Mary Ann BRENNAN)

World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Charles Dunklee ROBB (20 November 1907, Brattleboro, Vermont, USA (West Brattleboro) - 26 June 1990, Massena, New York, USA)
(Isaac Martin ROBB & Christine Emma BETTERLEY)

World War II Soldier  photo of ancestor   Wallace Addison ROBERTS (31 August 1911, Woodstown, New Jersey, USA - June 1996, Albany, New York, USA (Fort Orange))
(Wallace Stewart ROBERTS & Bessie May BRIDGES)

World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Verne Leroy Sr ROBIN (29 August 1924, Shreveport, Louisiana, USA - 2 January 1992, Big Spring, Texas, USA )
(Sydney ROBIN & Amelia Marie GUILLORY)

World War II Soldier  photo of ancestor   Dana Increase ROBINSON (13 November 1922, Tientsin, China - 17 September 2011, Portland, Maine, USA (Deering))
(Arthur Greenwood ROBINSON & Marian RIDER)

World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Herbert Leroy ROBINSON (13 August 1916, Andover, Maine, USA - 30 July 2006, West Paris, Maine, USA)
(Walter Asa ROBINSON & Nina Augusta PHILBRICK)

World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Roland Martin ROBINSON (14 January 1906, Poland, Maine, USA (Poland Spring) (East Poland) (Hackett Mills) - 15 March 1974, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, USA (Strawbery Banke))
(James Hosea ROBINSON & Grace Agnus COBB)

World War II Soldier  photo of ancestor   Henry Dunn ROBISON (9 February 1925, Evergreen, Conecuh Co, Alabama, USA - 24 November 2003, Wilbraham, Massachusetts, USA)
(Cecil Lee ROBISON & Mary Virginia DUNN)

World War II Soldier  photo of ancestor   Charles Fred ROEDERER (4 March 1928, Jefferson, Kentucky, USA - 10 February 2020, Wiamuma, Florida, USA)
(Charles Frederick ROEDERER & Marie Ernestine RUPP)

World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Earl James ROELOFSON (7 June 1915, Millbrook, Mecosta, Michigan, USA - 29 December 1958, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA)
(George Theodore ROELOFSON & Clara Elizabeth CLARK)

World War II Soldier  male ancestor  John Aspinwall ROOSEVELT (13 March 1916, Washington, DC, USA - 27 April 1981, Manhattan, New York, USA (New York City) (New Amsterdam) (Washington Heights))
(Franklin Delano ROOSEVELT & Anna Eleanor ROOSEVELT)

World War II Soldier  photo of ancestor   Victor Martin ROSE (12 April 1920, Reedsburg, Wisconsin, USA - 1 March 2006, Waupaca, Wisconsin, USA (Waupacca))
(Martin William ROSE & Lillian Margaret THEINERT)

World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Oscar Abraham ROSENTHAL (18 November 1913, Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA (Globe) (Lensdale) (Saundersdale) (Shuttleville) - 21 June 1969, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA)
(David Mayer ROSENTHAL & Annie SEIDEL)

World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Charles Thomas "Tot" ROUSAN (21 July 1923, , Missouri, USA - 13 February 1986, , Illinois, USA)
(Thomas Grant ROUSAN & Hattie Elizabeth DUGAN)

World War II Soldier  photo of ancestor   Paul Barclay RUDE (20 June 1925, , Pennsylvania, USA - 11 August 2001, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA)
(Richard Gentry RUDE & Elizabeth A "Betty" BARCLAY)

World War II Soldier  photo of ancestor   Richard RUDE (3/3/1923, , Pennsylvania, USA - 5/9/2005, Bethel, Connecticut, USA)
(Richard Gentry RUDE & Elizabeth A "Betty" BARCLAY)

World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Stanislaus "Stanley" Joseph RYCHLEC (9 October 1919, , Connecticut, USA - 10 August 1973, Meriden, Connecticut, USA)
(Walter Joseph RYCHLEC & Mary STEMPKA)

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World War II Soldier  photo of ancestor   Winfield Owen SALTER (12 March 1928, Medford, Massachusetts, USA - 7 September 2018, , Texas, USA)
(Grady Hugh SALTER & Muriel Joy MOODY)

World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Robert Louis SAVAGE (23 September 1915, Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA (Globe) (Lensdale) (Saundersdale) (Shuttleville) - 28 June 1997, Palm Beach, Florida, USA)
(Joseph Herve SAVAGE & Marie Aurore THERIAULT)

World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Victor Alphonse SAVAGE (22 November 1919, Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA (Globe) (Lensdale) (Saundersdale) (Shuttleville) - 17 September 2004, )
(Joseph Herve SAVAGE & Marie Aurore THERIAULT)

World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Rocci SCERRA (8/16/1925, Gardner, Massachusetts, USA - 29 April 1989, Walpole, Massachusetts, USA)
(Louis SCERRA & Sarafeina MANDARANO)

World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Earl Francis SCHENCK (5 December 1925, Smithfield, Rhode Island, USA (Esmond) (Georgiaville) (Stillwater) - 4 August 2012, Providence, Rhode Island, USA)
(Adolphe Edward SCHENCK & Lillian May PLANTE)

World War II Soldier  photo of ancestor   Erdman P SCHWARZE (26 March 1927, Pawtucket, Rhode Island, USA - 23 May 2009, Newtown, Pennsylvania, USA)
(Paul Max SCHWARZE & Rosalie Eleanor THEINERT)

World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Douglas Alexander SCOTT (11 January 1913, Adams, Massachusetts, USA - 17 February 1987, Adams, Massachusetts, USA)
(William Chalmers SCOTT & Mary C CARDUFF)

World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Robert SCOTT (7/28/1917, Niagara Falls, New York, USA - 2/10/1945, , Italy)
World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Robert Drake SCULL (22 May 1924, Norfolk, Virginia, USA - 3 November 1968, Norfolk, Virginia, USA)
(Drake Von Moltke SCULL & Henrietta May ADAMS)

World War II Soldier  photo of ancestor   Andrew Henry SEMENUK (October 30 1918, Chelsea, Massachusetts, USA (Romney's Marsh) - January 5 1970, Everett, Massachusetts, USA)
(Phillip Nicolas SEMENUK & Sophia SLUSARCZUK)

World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Leo J SENECAL (27 December 1910 , Ware, Massachusetts, USA - 5 May 2007, Yucca Valley San Bernardino County California, USA)
(Joseph Antoine Egbert SENECAL & Marie-Lea CHAUVIN)

World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Edgar Lawrence SERVAIS (September 4, 1917, Temiskaming Shores, Ontario, Canada (Haileybury) (New Liskeard) (Dymond) - December 18, 1982, Youngstown, Ohio, USA)
World War II Soldier  photo of ancestor   Gerard Arthur SERVANT (29 June 1923, Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA (Globe) (Lensdale) (Saundersdale) (Shuttleville) - 31 May 1990, Sturbridge, Massachusetts, USA (Fiskdale))
(Albert SERVANT & Agnes RHEIMS)

World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Leon SERVANT (13 December 1917, , Québec Province, Canada (Quebec) - 2 February 1983, Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA (Globe) (Lensdale) (Saundersdale) (Shuttleville))
(Albert SERVANT & Agnes RHEIMS)

World War II Soldier  photo of ancestor   Richard Hewitt SEYMER (27 June 1917, San Francisco, California, USA - 21 May 1986, Stamford, Connecticut, USA (Springdale))
(Ernest P SEYMER & Jean Allison "Alice" HUMPHREYS)

World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Louis Andrew SHAMBO (30 March 1913, Racine, Wisconsin, USA - 26 December 1944, Kehmen, Diekirch, Diekirch, Luxembourg)
(Louis Andrew SHAMBO-ARCHAMBEAU & Marie Violet Ann COOPER)

World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Harold E SHAW ( August 8, 1918, New Haven, Connecticut, USA (Westville) - July 2, 2012, New Haven, Connecticut, USA (Westville))
(Harold I SHAW & Lilian M. FOWLER)

World War II Soldier  male ancestor  John Pershing SHAW (March 7, 1921, Weir City, Cherokee Co., Kansas, USA - October 6, 2008, Muskogee, Oklahoma, USA)
World War II Soldier  photo of ancestor   George Henry SHEPERD (29 September 1919, Mount Vernon, New York, USA - 27 May 1991, St Albans, Vermont, USA)
(Raymond Joseph Ruben SHEPERD & Catherine Ann SPOONER)

World War II Soldier  photo of ancestor   Kenneth Frederick SHIPPEE (August 17, 1922, Day, New York, USA - May 5, 1998, Northville, New York, USA)
(Earl Chester SHIPPEE & Grace M FLANSBURG)

World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Robert Earl SHORT (5 May 1921, Kane, McKean, Pennsylvania, USA - 25 July 2016, Sarasota, Florida, USA)
World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Charles SIMMONS (April 6, 1918, Andalusia, Rock Island, Illinois, USA - May 10, 2010, Mercer County, Illinois, USA )
(Charles Silas SIMMONS & Emma Nellie BACON)

World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Charles Joseph SIMONELLI (11 January 1918, North Adams, Massachusetts, USA - 31 October 1996, Pittsfield, Massachusetts, USA (Coltsville))
(Ercoli "Tony" SIMONELLI & Lucia "Lucy" MARINO)

World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Mabery (Mabry) Gus SIMONS (21 December 1927, Cross Plains, Callahan, Texas, USA - 30 March 2005, Hartford, Connecticut, USA)
(Gus Mabry SIMONS & Lula Mae SMART)

World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Gustaf William SKARP (21 December 1901, Millis, Massachusetts, USA - 13 June 1976, Millis, Massachusetts, USA)
(John William SKARP & Anna Matilda Sophia GUSTAFSON)

World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Franklin Richard SLEEPER (22 June 1910, East Brookfield, Massachusetts, USA - 14 November 1968, , Virginia, USA)
(Arthur Monroe SLEEPER & Celia Helen NICHOLS)

World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Herbert Arthur SMITH (05/01/1920, Oswego, New York, USA - 10/18/1984, Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA)
(William Gardner SMITH & Minnie Ella DOVE)

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