Patrick T. Loughin was born on February 9, 1916 in the town of Mackinaw City, Michigan to George Edwin Loughin and Martha Malinda Loughin, nee Laduke. Patrick’s siblings were Marianne, Marcellus, Isadore, Margaret, Benedict, Gertrude, Jerome, and Leona Loughin. By 1920, George and Martha had eight children under the age of 8. The family lived with Martha’s sister and her husband, Cora and Roy Huffman, in the town of Clark, Lewis County, Washington in 1920. George worked as a teamster for a logging camp and as a machinist’s helper for the Northern Pacific Railway Company.

In April 1940, Patrick Loughin lived in Hampden, Springfield County, Massachusetts, where he was a truck driver for a secondhand furniture store. He registered for the draft on October 30, 1940. His residence was Centralia, Lewis County, Washington. He was 24 years old, 5’8” tall, and weighed 175 pounds. He had brown hair, brown eyes, and a dark complexion. He was unemployed at the time of registration. Patrick Loughin was drafted into the army on February 25, 1942 at Ft. Lewis, Washington. He was single, without dependents, and had completed three years of high school.

Patrick T. Loughin, age 26, of the U.S. Army married Olive M. Thomas, age 16, of Centralia, Washington in Los Angeles County, California on July 11, 1942. Patrick’s sister, Margaret Loughin, of Burbank, California, was one of the witnesses.

Private Patrick Loughin served in the 351st Infantry Regiment, 88th Infantry Division. The 351st Infantry Regiment was activated in July 1942 at Camp Gruber, Oklahoma. It was sent to Italy where it fought from February 1944 through May 1945. According to the Official Regimental history:

“At the completion of our combat operations we had advanced from Naples to within 70 miles of the Brenner Pass, covering approximately 585 miles of some of the most rugged terrain in Europe. During our 344 combat days, we had accounted for over 40,000 enemy casualties, and had destroyed great amounts of stores and equipment. Eighteen members of the Regiment received the Distinguished Service Cross, and there were 650 lesser awards for valor. Over two-thirds of the Regiment wore the Purple Heart."

Private Patrick Loughin was killed in action on October 5, 1944. His remains were returned to the States in 1949 and reinterred in the Mountain View Cemetery, Centralia, Lewis County, Washington. He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart.

This story is part of the Stories Behind the Stars project

(see www.storiesbehindthestars.org). This is a national effort of volunteers to

write the stories of all 421,000+ of the US WWII fallen saved on Together We

Served and Fold3. Can you help write these stories? These stories will be

accessible via smartphone app at any war memorial or cemetery.

If you noticed anything erroneous in this profile or have additional information to contribute to it, please contact me at clock902@aol.com.

SBTSProject/Washington/Lewis County

Sources:

WWII Hospital Admission Card Files, 1942-1954, https://www.fold3.com/record/706685961/loughin-patrick-t-us-wwii-hospital-admission-card-files-1942-1954

WWII Army Enlistment Records, https://www.fold3.com/record/90963601/patrick-t-loughin-wwii-army-enlistment-records

1920 United States Federal Census, https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/63363948:6061?tid=&pid=&queryId=39cc97d29ceb916c0c8b62bb2171a35f&_phsrc=xOR60534&_phstart=successSource

1940 United States Federal Census, https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/90903070:2442

Headstone Applications for Military Veterans, 1925-1970, https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/167194:2375?tid=&pid=&queryId=39cc97d29ceb916c0c8b62bb2171a35f&_phsrc=xOR60533&_phstart=successSource

History of the 351st Infantry Regiment, https://www.351inf.com/post/history-of-the-351st-infantry-regiment

Marriage records, 1871-1950 ; indexes, 1856-1950 (Los Angeles County, California), https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-893H-HSH4-7?i=1872&cc=1804002&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AK8VR-8R4

World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947, https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/37030421:2238

Patrick T Loughin