Constantine "Gus" Kokas
ASN: 36881418
PVT Kokas - July 1944
Constantine “Gus” Kokas registered for the service on June 14, 1943.
A student at Wayne University located in Dearborn, Michigan, he was described as 5'-11", 155 pounds, hazel eyes, brown hair and a light complexion, born June 6, 1925.
Inducted into the US Army on September 15, 1943, PVT Kokas became a member of the 319th Glider Field Artillery, A-Battery of the 82nd Airborne Division, and trained at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina.
Upon completion of his training PVT Kokas shipped out to the European Theater of Operations, arriving in England in May 1944.
The Army produced Company Morning Reports (CMR) every morning in all units relating to personnel matters.
PVT Kokas first appears in the CMR of June 2, 1944, as a replacement soldier for A-Battery, 319th Glider Field Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division. At least 100 other replacement soldiers (see below) were assigned for duty that day.
A-Battery was stationed at Papillon Hall near Market Harborough, England. The A-Battery (CMR) lists PVT Kokas as an anti-tank gun crewman (MOS 531). His son, Andrew Kokas, said his dad was not assigned to the Normandy D-Day operation. More than 40 soldiers of A-Battery remained as rear echelon on June 6, 1944, to replace the wounded or killed in Normandy.
Company Morning Reports
June 2, 1944, Replacement Depot soldiers assigned to the 319th Glider FA BN
After 38 days of combat in France the 319th returned to England (Papillon Hall) on July 14, 1944. The battalion trained for the upcoming Holland campaign. CMR reports of July 24 - 29, 1944 noted PVT Kokas on a 5-day furlough (see below) to London with enlisted men John Girardin, Thurman King, and others.
PVT Kokas on furlough standing center, London, England July 1944
Andrew Kokas said his dad spoke very little about his time in the service or the war. He did not know his dad was a glidermen. His comment about D-Day made him reflect on his dad’s 21st birthday, June 6th, 1944, the largest amphibious and airborne invasion in the history of warfare took place. Over 5,000 ships and more than 150,000 troops on five beaches invaded the coast of Normandy.
The first week of September 1944, the 319th was on alert for an upcoming combat mission. In the photo (below) is a picture of seven A-Battery soldiers standing in the mud and water posing for a photograph. It was taken on September 3rd at the Barkston Heath Airdome near Grantham, England, prior to the invasion of Holland. All were enlisted men from Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, and New York. The weather was not cooperating, rain and overcast skies delayed the operation.
PVT Kokas (L-R), Roland Gruebling, Tom Ludwick, Ted Covais and Harold Mell. Kneeling Felix Ferrante and Milton Lessler. (L-R)
Pre-invasion Holland photos taken at the Airdome.
With the upcoming combat mission cancelled twice the men continued training but also given evening passes and movie entertainment featuring “This is the Army.” Then, cleared for departure on September 18, 1944, PVT Kokas glided into Holland with A-Battery of the 319th Glider Field Artillery. The battery was in combat position with the enemy near Nijmegen, Holland.
PVT Kokas (standing left) with fellow soldier - Note M1A1 .30 Airborne carbine with collapsible stock
With over 40 days of fighting on Saturday, November 4, 1944, the 319th was engaged in a fierce battle with the enemy two miles north of Nijmegen, Holland.
A ‘letter to home’ from A-Battery forward observer Lt. Rodney Renfrew (November 5, 1944), said the enemy had the 319th “zeroed in with mortars, machine guns and howitzers.” Wounded by enemy mortar fire and the loss of a kidney the war was suddenly over for PVT Kokas.
The CMR of November 17, 1944 (see below) reports PVT Kokas as slightly wounded in action on November 4, 1944, and a battle casualty.
On November 11, 1944, A-Battery was relieved from combat at 0800 and prepared to move to a new bivouac area southeast of Grave, Holland.
The CMR of February 4, 1945, (see below) reported PVT Kokas as a battle casualty and dropped from the rolls per CIR 69 ETO USA 1944, MOS 531.
PVT Kokas was awarded 2 Bronze Battle Stars, Bronze Arrowhead, Good Conduct Medal, Presidential Unit Citation Badge with Oak Leaf Cluster, Victory Ribbon, Purple Heart, and the European-African-Middle Eastern Theatre Ribbon. He was honorably discharged from the US Army on April 22, 1946.
Andrew Kokas said his dad’s war wound affected him the rest of his life. His obituary stated, “he was the kindly employer to hundreds of Dearborn waitresses, waiters, bartenders, cooks, dishwashers and busboys, many of whom landed their first jobs at the former Chambertin Restaurant of Dearborn, Michigan, where Mr. Kokas was proprietor.”
Constantine “Gus” Kokas, 83, died May 21, 2009.
God Bless this hero.