Mann, Forrest F.

FORREST FREDERICK MANN

PRIVATE FIRST CLASS 

Forrest Frederick Mann was born to parents Charles and Emma (Triplett) on August 20, 1910 in Ceylon, Indiana, a small community between Berne and Geneva. He was one of ten siblings, and one of three to serve in World War II (the others being Cpl. Clarence Mann and Pfc. Harvey Mann). His other siblings include sisters; Lena (Carpenter), Edith (Nevil), Grace (McFarland), Florence (Nevil), Dorothy (Devroy), and another brother, Earl.  

Forrest grew up on his family’s farm and only continued his education through the 8th grade in one of the many one-room schoolhouses found throughout the county then. After school, he took on a number of odd jobs including work with the railroad. He married Virginia M. Flaunding on May 14, 1942. His only daughter Karen Kay (Schuh) was born on June 16, 1942. Karen passed away in February, 2024.

Mann enlisted in the Army on May 21, 1942 in Toledo, entered service in August of 1942, and shipped overseas in May of 1943. Mann was a Private First Class in the 2nd Armored Division of the 5th Army serving in the  North African campaign. Initially, Mann was part of a landmine detecting outfit. In September of 1943, he participated in the Western Task Force of Operation Torch. The goal of the 2nd Armored Division was to secure the Vichy territories by advancing through Algeria and Morocco until they could reach Tunisia. Operation Torch was a success, and Mann moved into Italy. The 2nd also saw action at the Gothic Line, Germany’s last major defensive in the north of Italy lasting until December of 1944. On January 13, 1945, Forrest became a member of the 473rd Infantry, a regiment made mostly of former anti-aircraft gunners that became infantrymen after defense against axis aircraft was no longer a priority. Mann specifically was to become a heavy artillery gunner.

Shortly after the reassignment, he wrote home reporting that he was not well, including mentioning that he "had been quite nervous, that he was on the verge of collapse and that he did not see how he could stand it much longer". His ailments most likely due to the particularly stressful nature of his position (clearing landmines). The last letter, which was written to his wife on January 10, 1945, stated that he felt fine; however, just days later, on January 18, he collapsed, dying of a heart ailment later diagnosed as coronary arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). 

After his death, the 473rd advanced to liberate Genoa. The men were told that the mission would take four days. In reality, it took only sixty hours, a testament to its success. The regiment fought through heavy gunfire from Germans and sniping between Partisans and Fascists. As they reorganized and entered their second day of fighting, the 473rd faced no opposition; the Germans and Italians surrendered, and Genoa was taken with ease. The only holdout was the Monte Moro garrison, but they surrendered as well when they heard an air, land, and sea assault was planned. Within a month of the initial attack of Genoa, there were 500 Allied casualties, but almost three times more were suffered by the Axis. As Germany’s official surrender of Italy was announced on May 2nd, they watched with joy as Italian citizens celebrated with leftover German flares. Their work was complete, and they were deactivated and sent home in July.

Private Mann's remains were returned home and were laid to rest in Gravel Hill Cemetery in Bryant, Indiana.

Forrest was one of the more than 400,000 Americans to give their lives in the war, and his service earned him the World War II Victory Medal, the American Campaign Medal, and the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal. 

Information collected and researched by Hannah Morgan, 2018. 

SOURCES

            United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1940. T627, 4,643 rolls.

"Death of Pfc. Mann Due to Heart Ailment." The Berne Witness, 14 Feb. 1945.

           “Decatur Daily Democrat 18 June 1940 — Hoosier State Chronicles: Indiana’s Digital Historic Newspaper Program.” Newspapers.library.in.gov, newspapers.library.in.gov/?a=d&d=DCDD19400618.1.3&srpos=15&e=------194-en-20-DCDD-1--txt-txIN-forest+mann------. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.

"Forest Mann of Ceylon Serving in Italy Dies." The Berne Witness, 12 Feb. 1945.

Gold Star Honor Roll: Adams County. Indiana War History Commission. Indiana in World War II.

Haskew, Michael E. "Breaching the Gothic Line." Warfare History Network, Sovereign Media, 14 Apr. 2017, warfarehistorynetwork.com/daily/wwii/breaching-the-gothic-line/. Accessed 18 Dec. 2018.

Headstone Application, Mann, Forrest F. 12 Mar. 1949. Fold3, www.fold3.com/image/320853182?terms=forrest%20mann. Accessed 21 Nov. 2018.

Indiana Archives and Records Administration; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Series Number: 89-204; Year: 1963 May; Certificate Range: 031012 – 033006

           "PVT Forrest F Mann (1910-1945) - Find a Grave...” Www.findagrave.com, www.findagrave.com/memorial/17446408/forrest-f-mann. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.

Ramsberger, Jack F., editor. Battle History of the 473rd United States Infantry. WorldCat, babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015027335044;view=1up;seq=11. Accessed 17 Dec. 2018

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