World War II (often abbreviated to WWII or WW2), also known as the Second World War, was a global war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. The vast majority of the world’s countries – including all the great powers – eventually formed two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis. A state of total war emerged, directly involving more than 100 million people from more than 30 countries. The major participants threw their entire economic, industrial, and scientific capabilities behind the war effort, blurring the distinction between civilian and military resources. World War II was the deadliest conflict in human history, marked by 70 to 85 million fatalities, most of whom were civilians in the Soviet Union and China. It included massacres, the genocide of the Holocaust, strategic bombing, premeditated death from starvation and disease, and the only use of nuclear weapons in war.
William Epperson Close (1909) was born in Livingston, Texas, the son of William Spence Close (1877) and Lucy Patillo Epperson. He enlisted into the Army Air Corps in 1943 in Harris County, Texas. He was a prisoner of war in…
Burton Edgar Close (1915) was born in Kane County, Illinois, the son of Clayton Knowles Close (1886) and Hannah Strack. He enlisted into the US Air Corps in 1942 at Los Angeles, California.
Joseph Cephas Close (1894) was born in Austin, Texas, the son of Cephas B Close (1841) and Charlotte Major. He was drafted into the US forces at Dallas County, Texas in 1917. In 1942 he was drafted into the US…
William Edgar Close (1901) was born in San Francisco, California, the son of Benjamin Franklin Close (1853) and Elise Marie Mathilde Luckow. He was drafted into the US Armed Forces in 1942 at Los Angeles County, California.
Charles Richard Close (1898) was born in San Francisco, California, the son of Benjamin Franklin Close (1853) and Elise Marie Mathilde Luckow. He enlisted into the US Army in 1942 at Newport, Kentucky.
Franklin Sayre Close (1921) was born in Puerto Limon, Costa Rica, the son of Benjamin Franklin Close (1895) and Helen Caroline Sayre. He enlisted into the US Army in 1943 at Fort Hayes, Columbus, Ohio.
Benjamin Franklin Close (1895) was born in San Francisco, California, the son of Benjamin Franklin Close (1853) and Elise Marie Mathilde Lucklow. He was drafted into the US Armed Forces in 1942 at Cincinnati, Ohio.
Ivan F Close (1887) was born in Norwich, New York, the son of Edgar Lewis Close (1852) and Catherine A Tracy. He was drafted into the US Armed Forces in 1942 at Norwich, New York.
Phillip Cashman Close (1914) was born in Smyrna, New York, the son of Merle E Close (1883) and Mabel Muriel Cashman. He enlisted into the US Army in 1941 at Chenango County, New York, and was released in 1946.
Merle E Close (1883) was born in Smyrna, New York, the son of Edgar Lewis Close (1852) and Catherine A Tracy. He was drafted into the US Armed Forces in 1942 at Chenango County, New York.
Howard Walter Close (1887) was born in Norwich, New York, the son of John G Close (1860) and Annette Parmelia Cash. He was drafted into the US Armed Forces in 1942 at Syracuse, New York.
John R Close (1926) was born in Lebanon, New York, the son of James Harvey Close (1886) and Bessie M Anderson. He enlisted into the US Army in 1945 at Fort Dix, New Jersey.
Nellie May Close (1922) was born in Lebanon, New York, the daughter of James Harvey Close (1886) and Bessie M Anderson. She enlisted into the Womens Army Corps as an Aviation Cadet in 1943 at Albany, New York.
James Harvey Close (1886) was born in Lebanon, New York, the son of Horace James Close (1851) and Cordelia A Dye. He was drafted into the US Armed Forces in 1942 at Morrisville, New York.
Dwight Lyman Close (1885) was born in Warren County, Iowa, the son of Harrison Mead Close (1837) and Minerva J Black. He was drafted into the US Armed Forces in 1942 at Des Moines, Iowa.
Gordon Hugh Close (1917) was born in Austinburg, Ohio, the son of Holland Brown Close (1876) and Jennie Maud Prentice. He enlisted into the US Armed Forces in 1945 at Cleveland, Ohio.
Kenneth Richard Close (Holmes) (1897) was born in Austinburg, Ohio, the son of Frank Grant Close (Holmes) (1869) and Alma Sloat. Technically he's not a Close because his father was the son of William Holmes, and his grandmother later remarried…
Claude Claxton Close (1890) was born in Madison, Ohio, the son of Judson Oliver Close (1857) and Rosalia Darrow. He was drafted into the US Armed Forces in 1942 at Baltimore, Maryland.
Frank Lohrer Close (1903) was born in Fairview, Pennsylvania, the son of Lucien Scipio Close (1872) and Harriet Lohrer. He was drafted into the US Armed Forces in 1942 at Fairview, Pennsylvania.
Remembrance Day (also known as Poppy Day or Armistice Day) is a memorial day observed in Commonwealth countries since the end of World War I to remember the members of their armed forces who have died in the line of…
Remembrance Day (also known as Poppy Day or Armistice Day) is a memorial day observed in Commonwealth countries since the end of World War I to remember the members of their armed forces who have died in the line of…
Arthur Leeland Close (1882) was born in Queensbury, New Brunswick, Canada, the son of Henry Benjamin Close and Abigail Harriet Tupper. He emigrated to America in early 1900's. He was drafted into the US Armed Forces at Youngstown, Ohio in…
Henry Joseph Close (1884) was born in New Haven, Connecticut, America, the son of George Brown Close and Sarah Kettendorf. He spent most of his life as a shipyard electrician in Quincy, Massachusetts. In 1942 he was drafted into the…
David Palmer Close (1915) was born in Manhattan, New York, America, the son of Walter Harvey Close (1857) and Louise Palmer. He was called into active service in 1943 in New York, serving in the Naval Reserves.
William Marshall Close (1904) was born in Cayuga County, New York, the son of Charles Elon Close (1874) and Minerva Unknown. He enlisted into the US Armed Forces at Rochester, New York in 1942.
Robert Stokley Close (1920) was born in Wanamassa, New Jersey, the son of Egbert W Close (1891) and Ruth Ester Bunnell. He was inducted into the US Air Cadets in 1943 at Asbury Park, New Jersey, and was posted overseas…
Egbert Bunnell Close (1916) was born in Asbury Park, New Jersey, the son of Egbert W Close (1891) and Ruth Ester Bunnell. He enlisted into the US Army in 1942 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and was posted overseas in 1945 as…
Lewis Samuel Close (1897) was born in Nunda, New York, the son of Morrell Eugene Close (1867) and Lillian May Wildey. In 1942 he enlisted into the US Armed Forces at Chicago, Illinois.
John Manley Close (1881) was born in Genoa, New York, the son of Franklin Ferris Close (1847) and Lydia Ann Whipple. In 1942 he was drafted into the US Armed Forces at Los Angela, California.
Donald Clayton Close (1924) was born in Minnesota, America, the son of Claude Clayton Close (1893) and Doris Ruth Morrison. He enlisted into the US Army in 1946 at Fort Snelling, Minnesota.
