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ALFRED BALLIET
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Alfred BALLIET
PFC, 3d Platoon, 'A' Company
KIA Water Tank Hill,
24 February 1945.
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 In
Guthrie's book, it is stated that on 25 February "C" Company captured Water
Tower Hill. In my opinion it was "A" Company who captuted it. This is where
and when Lt. Sullens
was killed, Harvey Hicks, James
Jordan and Alfred Balliet
were
also killed at this time. None of the abovementioned died immediately but
they were all so badly wounded that they died. Hicks was in a position with
Sullens and had his foot blown off. Sullens was so badly hit that he
couldn't move. He was talking but stated that he was unable to be of any
help. Jordan was hit real bad in the belly but was able to tell us that he
had no further need for his TSMG. Balliet was hit badly in the upper left
arm - I'm sure it got into his chest - and I lighted a cigarette for him. I
later discovered when I was evacuated to Subic Bay that Balliet had died.
Jerry Riseley
letter to Don Abbott 6
Nov 1990
In
the late day assault on Water Tank Hill, on February 24, to the left of our
squad, Balliet was killed. I first heard of it in the hospital after the
Monkey Point explosion. Since then I have tried, particularly at 503d
reunions, to find someone who could tell me about his death but I have had
no success.
Howard Lout
Alfred
Balliet was born June 6, 1919,
in Aberdeen, South Dakota. He was the third oldest of ten children born to
Jacob and Dorothea Balliet. Alfred went to high school in McLaughlin, South
Dakota, from where he graduated in 1936. After that he found work on the
railroads and was also in the Civilian Conservation Corps. He graduated
from Nettleton Business College in Sioux Falls, SD; while there he was a
Golden Glove Boxer.
He joined the Army in 1941, and was with the 503d through Australia, New
Guinea, Noemfoor, Mindoro and on Corregidor. On 25 February, a grenade
hit him in the chest, and he died of wounds within two hours. He is buried
at Trail City Cemetery, South Dakota.
Walter Balliet,
Rapid City, SD.
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