Rome, NY WWII Fallen

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Sgt. Francis X. Haggerty

U.S. Army #32026444

45th Infantry Division, 157th Infantry Regiment, HQ Company

Francis Xavier Haggerty was born February 25, 1916, in Rome, Oneida County, New York, to Michael Francis Jr. (1881-1917) and Rose Hatzinger (1882-1970) Haggerty. Michael Haggerty Jr., was born in Rome, New York, October 15, 1881, to Chief of Police Michael Haggerty and his wife, Julia. Michael Jr. worked at the New York Central Railroad as a car sealer and yard clerk. He married Rose Hatzinger on May 28, 1903, in Rome, New York. Francis was the fifth of five children born to Michael and Rose: Lila Wells, Bernice Traxell, Loretta Howe, Michael K, and Francis X.

Michael, Jr. died suddenly at age 36 of uremic convulsions on August 16, 1917. Rose Haggerty later married Andrew J. Savoy on June 8, 1926, also in Rome, New York.

Francis attended St. Mary’s School and graduated from St. Aloysius Academy in 1935. He attended New York University for one year. Francis was a communicant of St. Mary’s Church, and employed by General Cable Corporation of Rome, New York, in the reel and case department.

Francis registered for the draft on October 16, 1940, in Rome, New York. He was 5’ 8 ½” tall, weighed 135 pounds, and had hazel eyes and brown hair. Francis lived with his mother and stepfather at 126 East Bloomfield Street in Rome.

Francis enlisted in the U.S. Army on January 31, 1941, in Syracuse, New York, as a private. On January 30, friends and co-workers from General Cable gave him a farewell party at the men’s club there.

He was with the fourth contingent to leave from Rome for Fort Niagara. Francis received basic training at Fort McClellan, Alabama, and advanced training at Fort Ord, California. He served in Hawaii for the next 13 months followed by service at Camp Beale, California, and Camp George Meade, Maryland. In February, 1944, his mother received word from Francis that he had arrived safely in Africa. He was with a headquarters company on the Anzio, Italy, beachhead. His mother received a letter from him dated May 26, 1944. She also received a letter from his chaplain, Rev. Joseph D. Barry, praising the sergeant.

Mrs. Rose Haggerty Savoy received a telegram in late May 1944, reporting Sgt. Francis Haggerty was missing in action. She later received a telegram from the War Department reporting Sgt. Haggerty was killed in action on May 31, 1944, at Lazio, Italy. He was 29 years old and the 18th Roman killed in World War II.

Sgt. Haggerty is buried at the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery and Memorial, Lazio, Italy, in Plot G, Row 13, Grave 29.

Sgt. Francis Haggerty was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and the Rome Medal of Honor. He is listed on the World War II Honor List of Dead from New York and the Rosters of World War II Fallen.

In July 1944, the Skillin Relief Corps provided two American flags to flank the Honor Roll of Servicemen and Servicewomen in Bellamy Park, Rome, New York. The Corps placed a gold star on its service flag in honor of Sgt. Francis Haggerty, son of one of its members, Mrs. Rose Haggerty Savoy.

On Memorial Day, May 31, 1947, a bronze plaque was dedicated in memory of ten parishioners of St. Peter’s Church who died in military service in World War I and World War II. Sponsored by the Holy Name Society, the plaque will be placed in the vestibule of St. Peter’s Church, Rome, New York. Sgt. Francis X. Haggerty was among the ten so honored.

Mrs. Rose Haggerty Savoy, age 87, was killed in an auto accident on May 1, 1970. She was a Gold Star Mother, and a member of both the American Legion and VFW Auxiliaries of Rome, New York, as well as St. Mary’s Church.

Endnotes: This story is part of the Stories Behind the Stars Project, 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 web sites. 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 hillerson@beyondbb.com.

Resources:

FindAGrave:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56309629/francis-x-haggerty

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/20365633/michael_francis_hagerty

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/20365634/rose_savoy

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/98616866/bernice-traxell

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/110591166/loretta-j-howe

Fold3.com:

https://www.fold3.com/record/529928924/francis-x-haggerty-us-american-battle-monuments-commission-1914-1950

https://www.fold3.com/record/704677008/haggertyfrancis-x-us-wwii-hospital-admission-card-files-1942-1954

https://www.fold3.com/image/310770917/new-york-page-109-us-wwii-army-and-army-air-force-casualty-list-1946

https://www.fold3.com/sub-image/641644035/haggerty-francis-x-us-rosters-of-world-war-ii-dead-1939-1945