Alex M. Basmajian was born on January 6, 1906 in Turkey. At the time of this writing I was unable to determine who his parents were. I do know his mother's name was recorded as Mrs. Agrini Basmajian. He had four sisters, two that lived in Turkey, one in Paris, France and one, Victoria, that lived in Oneonta. Victoria married Martin Bedrossian and lived on Richards Ave. in Oneonta. Alex also had two brothers, Father Alphonse who lived in Italy and Arthur who was a Cpl. who also served with the U.S. in WWII.

The 1925 Alex lived in Schenectady, New York, boarding at 334 Paige St. (his uncle Joseph Jizmejian's residence) and was an upholsterer. He was single. In September 1928 Joseph Wartinger announced that he sold the Automobile Trimming Department of his business to Alex Basmajian. Soon advertisements for his new business appeared in the classified papers. In July 1929 Alex sells his business to Jasheway and Duemler. In 1932 he worked in Albany, NY doing auto repair and living on Jay St.. In 1934 Alex lived at 8 Richards Ave. in Oneonta, NY and worked as a cleaner for Ballard and Ballard a dry cleaner. How and why he moved to Oneonta is not clear. The 1940 U.S. Census recorded him back in Albany and lodging at the home of a Sue Stone on Elberon Place. That same Census recorded he worked for an Auto Body Shop. He was 34 years old at the time, single and reported having 8 years of education.

He registered for the draft October 16, 1940 in Albany, NY. He was 5'-5" tall and weighed 128 pounds. He had brown eyes and black hair. He wore glasses. Pvt. Basmajian was drafted in May 1942 and was employed at the American Locomotive Co. in Albany at the time. He received his basic and advanced training at Camp Campell, Kentucky and was sent overseas in June of 1944.

The 22nd Infantry Regiment of the 4th Infantry Division landed on Utah Beach on D-Day about an hour after the main landing. The fought their way through northern France and had reached the Villebaudon, Tessy-sur-Viure region in France by early August 1944. Pvt. Basmajian is killed August 1, 1944 by an artillery shell and buried in the Normandy American Cemetery, Colleville-sur-Mer, France, Plot J, Row 15, Grave 6.  Of  the 20,000 American fatalities during D-Day, 9,385 would eventually lie in just one graveyard, near the village of Collevill-sur-Mer, overlooking Omaha Beach.  In a chapel at the center of the cemetery, the foll9owing words would be enscribed: "Think not only upon their passing.  Remember the glory of their spirit."  He was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously.

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Sources

22nd Infantry Regiment History World War II, accessed at http://1-22infantry.org/history2/regthistory.htm, February 19, 2023.

Albany, New York, City Directory, 1932, pg. 290.

"Basmajian Dies in Action", Schenectady Gazette, October 28, 1944, pg. 1

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56642147/alex-m-basmajian: accessed 02 March 2023), memorial page for PVT Alex M Basmajian (6 Jan 1906–1 Aug 1944), Find a Grave Memorial ID 56642147, citing Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, Colleville-sur-Mer, Departement du Calvados, Basse-Normandie, France; Maintained by Frogman (contributor 47380828).

Headstone Inscription and Interment Records for U.S. Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil, 1942–1949.Microfilm Series A1 43, NAID:7408555. Records of the American Battle Monuments Commission, 1918–ca. 1995. Record Group 117. The National Archives in Washington, D.C.

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

Oneonta, New York, City Directory, 1934, pg. 42

Schenectady, New York, City Directory, 1925, pg. 53.

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.

U.S. WWII Hospital Admission Card Files, 1942-1954 for Service Number 32858311.Record Group 112: Records of the Office of the Surgeon General (Army), 1775 - 1994

Supporting Documents