George Henry Alder, Jr, was born in Rome, Oneida County, New York, on July 18, 1923, to George Henry Sr. (1890-1946) and Mary Smith (1901-1987) Alder. According to U.S. Census Records, both parents were also born in New York. In the 1930 U.S. Census, George Sr. was working as a repairman in a garage, and Mary was a housewife. George Jr. was the third of nine children born to the Alders: Ida (1920-2008), Bertha (1922-2007), Sarah (1925-2021), Marie, Julia, and Grace were his sisters, and Howard (1930-1988) and Thomas (1934-?) were his brothers.

George Sr. served in the U.S. Army in World War I. Howard was a gunnery sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps in Korea and Vietnam.

George Jr attended school in Rome and Lee Center, New York. He served in the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in 1931 at Bolton Landing, New York, but was able to spend some weekends with his parents.

Daily Sentinel, Rome, NY, March 3, 1941, page 11

George Jr. enlisted in the U.S. Army Field Artillery on December 3, 1941, at age 18. From December 1941 to April 1942, he received training at Fort Dix, New Jersey, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Fort Meade, Maryland, and was able to return home on furlough in February 1942.

In April 1942, Pvt Alder reported to Fort A.P. Hill in Virginia and was promoted to Private First Class. He returned home on furlough in May 1942 before reporting to Camp Hood, Texas.

Daily Sentinel, Rome, NY, April 22, 1942, page 14

In February 1943, PFC Alder reported to Camp Young, California (now decommissioned). By November 1943, PFC Alder was a Corporal and posted to Camp Maxey, Texas.

The 629 Tank Destroyer Battalion shipped to England, arriving in Liverpool on January 9, 1944. Cpl. Alder received a promotion to Sergeant (Tec 4) while in England. The battalion disembarked on Omaha Beach in France on July 2, 1944, with M10 tank destroyers (3 inch naval guns mounted on Sherman tank chassis). The 629th performed artillery missions in the Caumont sector before joining the 30th Infantry Division at Mortain in early August. They supported the reduction of the Falaise Pocket and participated in V Corps parade through Paris on August 29, 1944.

The 629th advanced to Luxembourg by early September and provided support in the Hurtgen Forest and against the Siegfried Line.

Tec 4 George Henry Alder, Jr, was killed in action in France on September 3, 1944. According to the WWII Hospital Admission Card Files, he was killed in the line of duty by artillery shell fragments. He was awarded the Purple Heart, and the Rome, NY, Medal of Honor.

George is buried in Saint Mary’s Cemetery in Rome, Oneida County, New York.

Sources:

FindAGrave: (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/132862515/george_h-alder: , memorial page for George H Alder Jr. (18 Jul 1923–3 Sep 1944), Find a Grave Memorial ID 132862515, citing Saint Mary's Cemetery, Rome, Oneida County, New York, USA; Maintained by ShaneO (contributor 47009366).

Honorstates.org: https://www.honorstates.org/profiles/393794/

Fold3 U.S. Rosters of the Dead WWII https://www.fold3.com/image/712937049?rec=641521513

Fold3 World War II Honor List of Dead and Missing Army and Army Air Forces Personnel from New York, 1946, Page 104 https://www.fold3.com/image/310770916?rec=299531993

CCC Legacy in New York: https://ccclegacy.org/ccc-camp-lists/ccc-camps-new-york/

Fort Dix, NJ: https://www.fortdixhousing.com/history

Fort Bragg, NC: https://northcarolinahistory.org/encyclopedia/fort-bragg/

Fort Meade, MD: https://home.army.mil/meade/

Fort A.P. Hill, VA: https://tankdestroyer.net/units/battalions600s/214-629th-tank-destroyer-battalion/

Camp Hood, TX: https://tankdestroyer.net/places/camphoodtexas/

Camp Young, CA: https://www.deserttrainingcenter.com/campyoung.html

Camp Maxey, TX: https://easttexashistory.org/items/show/56

TankDestroyer.net: https://tankdestroyer.net/units/battalions600s/214-629th-tank-destroyer-battalion/

End notes: 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.           

Date: 2/21/2024

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