By Charles Teter
In World War II, T/5 Ralph Hansel Wimer, 101st Airborne Division, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 2nd Battalion, Company E, gave his life in service to his country on D-Day, June 6, 1944, over Normandy, France.
Wimer was a “Currahee” who trained at Camp Grant in Toccoa, Ga., Fort Benning, Ga., Camp Mackall, N.C., Fort Bragg, N.C., and Camp Shanks, N.Y., before being shipped to England aboard the ship Samaria in the fall of 1943.
He was a member of Easy Company, which was made famous in Stephen Ambrose’s book, “Band of Brothers,” and in the HBO series of the same name.
Wimer was a radio operator and was aboard “Stick 66” with 16 other members of Easy Company, including the company commander and the first sergeant, when their aircraft was shot out of the sky before they were able to jump.
Wimer was from Riverton and was a 1939 graduate of Circleville High School. He was the son of the late Pinckney Brady Wimer and Lillie Mae Wimer.
He is buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, St. Louis, Mo., along with the other members of Company E who were aboard.
