His story: Pvt Harold L Lytle
In 2010 I adopted a few graves at Henri-Chapelle war cemetery. One of
them belonged to Harold Lytle. Harold L Lytle, born in 1924 in Barberton
in the great state of Ohio, was a private in Company E of the 104th Infantry
Division, the Timberwolves. Harold joined the service on June 23th, 1943. After
basic training he was sent of to Europe. The 104th Infantry Division landed, directly from the United
States, on Omaha beach on September 7th, 1944.
What happened with Harold after that, I am not sure yet. But we can assume that Harold fought in
the Netherlands and later in Germany. The 104th Infantry Division was put in between the Canadian
and the Polish forces in the south-west of the Netherlands, to fill a gap in the frontline and relieve
the British 49th Division. This making the 104th Infantry Division the first American division to
relieve a division on the western front. The 104th Infantry Division was attached to the first British
Corps - first Canadian army. The division fought in the Netherlands from the 25th of September till
the 7th of November, liberating towns from Zundert towards the Moerdijk bridgehead.
The Division was then rerouted to Aachen. The allies had just taken control of the city and were
preparing offensive actions to gain territory in the German mainland. These actions started on
16 November, just a few days later on the 21st, Harold got killed in action near Stolberg, Germany.
Currently, I am still looking for information about Private Harold L Lytle. If you are able to help,
please contact me.
I would like to thank R. Van Beek and P. Van Oers for the help with my research, S. Eberhard from the
104th Infantry Division foundation. And J. Ray and G.D. Nichols of VFW Barberton Ohio for providing
the pictures of Harold L Lytle. Thank you all, for giving this soldier a face, so he may never be
forgotten.
If you want to visit Harold’s grave, he is burried in Plot F, Row 3, Grave 44 on Henri-Chapelle war
Cemetery, Belgium. Be sure to pay tribute to the men, who earned our freedom.
in the great state of Ohio, was a private in Company E of the 104th Infantry
Division, the Timberwolves. Harold joined the service on June 23th, 1943. After
basic training he was sent of to Europe. The 104th Infantry Division landed, directly from the United
States, on Omaha beach on September 7th, 1944.
What happened with Harold after that, I am not sure yet. But we can assume that Harold fought in
the Netherlands and later in Germany. The 104th Infantry Division was put in between the Canadian
and the Polish forces in the south-
relieve a division on the western front. The 104th Infantry Division was attached to the first British
Corps -
The Division was then rerouted to Aachen. The allies had just taken control of the city and were
preparing offensive actions to gain territory in the German mainland. These actions started on
16 November, just a few days later on the 21st, Harold got killed in action near Stolberg, Germany.
Currently, I am still looking for information about Private Harold L Lytle. If you are able to help,
please contact me.
I would like to thank R. Van Beek and P. Van Oers for the help with my research, S. Eberhard from the
104th Infantry Division foundation. And J. Ray and G.D. Nichols of VFW Barberton Ohio for providing
the pictures of Harold L Lytle. Thank you all, for giving this soldier a face, so he may never be
forgotten.
If you want to visit Harold’s grave, he is burried in Plot F, Row 3, Grave 44 on Henri-
Photo: Private Harold L Lytle (VFW Barberton, Ohio)
Photo: Company E, 415 Infantry Regiment, 104th Infantry Division. ‘The Timberwolves’. Harold is circled bottom left. (VFW Barberton, Ohio)
Photo: Harold L Lytle’s grave at Henri-Chapelle war cemetery.
