Wesley Raymond Doty was born on June 15, 1918, at Keota, Colorado, the son of Raymond and Eva Doty. Wesley had one brother and five sisters. From 1936 until April of 1944, Wesley worked for the Daily Republic at Mitchell, SD, as a ‘stereotyper.’ Wesley married Louise A. Lucas on June 15, 1940 at Mitchell. The couple had a daughter, Judith Ann, on April 3, 1943, at Mitchell.

Wesley R. Doty was inducted into the military service and entered active duty on April 25, 1944, at Fort Snelling, Minnesota. Pfc. Doty served in the continental U.S. until October 11, 1944, when he was shipped overseas to the European theater.

Army Pfc. Wesley R. Doty, Company L, 334th Infantry Regiment, 84th Infantry Division, was killed in action in Germany on February 27, 1945; he had been overseas only four months.

His widow, Louise, later received the Purple Heart on her husband’s behalf. Wesley Doty is buried at Plot D, Row 7, Grave 27, Netherlands American Cemetery at Margraten, Netherlands.

This entry was respectfully submitted by Sheila Hansen, Fallen Sons State Coordinator, Spearfish, SD and Dana Hanegan, Sioux Falls Roosevelt High School, Sioux Falls, SD. Information for this entry was provided by the Daily Republic, including 3/15/45 issue, and an application for a SD veteran’s bonus payment.

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Wesley R Doty