About
World War II (1939-1945)
Charles Walton Cole was born in Schenectady, New York, on July 12, 1925. He was a student at Lincoln Elementary and Central Park Junior High and graduated from Mont Pleasant High School in June 1943 while growing up on Frank Street in the city of Schenectady. Before entering the military, he worked for the Maqua Printing Company.
On September 9, 1943, Charles enlisted in the United States Army. He underwent his military training at Camp Blanding in Florida and Fort Ord in California. He was a private first class serving with Company G, 21st Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. Charles was sent overseas in March 1944, where he took part in three major battles in the Philippine Islands. It was during the Battle of Mindanao (Min-duh-nau), on May 6, 1945, that he was killed in action. He is buried in the Evergreen Memorial Park in Colonie, New York.
Sources: The Schenectady Gazette, Find A Grave, Ancestry
