Edward Astour was born March 1, 1922 in Utica, NY to Kalil (Kalel)(Charles) Astour (1882-1958) and Jameelah (Gamela) (Rose) Rose (1893-1991). His parents were married in 1909 in Aleppo, Syria. His parents were originally from Syria and the family came to Utica in 1913. His dad was a self employed tailor and communicant of St. Basil Church. His mom was a dressmaker. He had older sisters Mary (1912-1982) (who was also born in Syria) , Alice (1915-1944) and Margaret (1918-?). He also had an older brother Andrew (1919-2002). The family lived on Lansing St. in Utica, NY. Edward completed one year of high school at Utica Free Academy before going to work at the Rome Air Depot.

Edward registered for the draft on June 30, 1942 in Utica, NY. He was 5'-6" tall and weighed 135 pounds. He had brown eyes and brown hair. He was drafted into the U.S. Army on October 26, 1942 through Utica, NY and issued service number 32578683. He did his training at Camp Campbell, Kentucky and Camp Barkeley, Texas. According to Army records, in August 1944 he was given an emergency furlough while at Camp Barkeley. Not sure what the emergency was that got him leave. In November 1944 he landed in France and saw his first combat when the division smashed against the enemy defenses along the Rhine River near Strasbourg. Soon after he was awarded the combat infantryman's badge for his performance in ground combat. On February 5, 1945 he is killed in action. According to After Action Reports for the 56th AIB, fighting was taking place all along the line from the vicinity of Strasbourg and south to Gueberschwihr. Sgt. Astour is killed sometime during this fighting. A buddy of his, Charles Reibeling wrote in a July 1980 Hellcat News, "... that Edward Astour was K.I.A. at Colmar."

Sgt. Astour was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously. In April, 1948, during to government's body recovery program, Sgt. Astour's remains are returned home and members of Fort Schuyler Post 1290 conducted a service with full military honors at his funeral. He was laid to rest in the Calvary Cemetery, Utica, NY . His parents post an "In Memoiram" in the local papers in May 1949 in memory of him.

This story is part of the Stories Behind the Stars project. This is a national effort of volunteers to write the stories of all 421,000+ of the US WWII fallen on Together We Served and Fold3.

(Please see - http://www.storiesbehindthestars.org).

Can you help us write these stories? Together We Served and Fold3/Find A Grave have smartphone apps that will allow people to visit any war memorial or cemetery and read these stories of WWII fallen.

If you noticed anything erroneous in this profile or have additional information to contribute, please contact Jim Greenberg at jim.greenberg@oneonta.edu.

SBTSProject/New York/Oneida

Sources

"2 Uticans Die in Action; 4 Wounded, 1 a Prisoner", Utica Daily Press, Utica, NY, March 5, 1945, pg. 7.

National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; Wwii Draft Registration Cards For New York State, 10/16/1940 - 03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147

National Archives at College Park; College Park, Maryland, USA; Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, 1938-1946; NAID: 1263923; Record Group Title: Records of the National Archives and Records Administration, 1789-ca. 2007; Record Group: 64; Box Number: 05342; Reel: 198

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/109029016/edward-astour: accessed September 22, 2025), memorial page for Sgt Edward Astour (1 Mar 1922–5 Feb 1945), Find a Grave Memorial ID 109029016, citing Calvary Cemetery, Utica, Oneida County, New York, USA; Maintained by Geanygal (contributor 48091759).

National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; Wwii Draft Registration Cards For New York State, 10/16/1940 - 03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147

New York State Archives; Albany, New York; State Population Census Schedules, 1925; Election District: 01; Assembly District: 01; City: Utica Ward 10; County: Oneida; Page: 1

[Soldiers in Overcoats], photograph, [1942..1943]; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth396265/: accessed September 23, 2025), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting The 12th Armored Division Memorial Museum.

Twelfth Armored Division Association (U.S.). Hellcat News, (Godfrey, Ill.), Vol. 41, No. 5, Ed. 1, February 1988, newspaper, February 1988; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth410270/: accessed September 23, 2025), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting The 12th Armored Division Memorial Museum.

Year: 1930; Census Place: Utica, Oneida, New York; Page: 5B; Enumeration District: 0117; FHL microfilm: 2341356

Year: 1940; Census Place: Utica, Oneida, New York; Roll: m-t0627-02861; Page: 62A; Enumeration District: 67-51

Supporting Documents