Three employees of Barre's Allen Co. Foundry paid the ultimate sacrifice in World War II
BARRE – According to their company website, the Charles G. Allen Co. was founded in Barre in 1874, the year of town’s centennial, established shortly after the Civil War by Dr. Charles G. Allen.
Among the first items manufactured at Allen Co. was the “Yankee” hay rake, as well as other horse drawn farm equipment. By 1904, the Charles G. Allen Co. manufactured its first Upright Sensitive Drilling Machine, eventually producing over 36,000 such machines.
During that span, the company was awarded the Army/Navy Blue Gold Production Award for manufacturing excellence in support of the war effort.
In addition to its equipment production, the Allen Foundry also saw several of its employees enter the service. Unfortunately, a trio of them never made it home, paying the ultimate price with their lives.
This is the continuation of the series Remembering Local World War 2 Heroes.
Pvt. William M. Harty (1916-1944)
William Martin Harty was born on Sept. 2, 1916 in Barre, the son of John F. and Mary E. (Amsden) Harty. He lived on Williamsville Road with four sisters, Evelyn, Alberta, Marion and Ruth, and six brothers, John Jr., Roger, Richard, Thomas, Gerald and Daniel.
William was employed by the Charles G. Allen Co. He was married to the former Genevieve V. Andrukonis and inducted into the Army in March of 1944.
On Oct. 26, 1944, his wife, Genevieve, was notified that her 28-year-old husband had been missing in action since Sept. 20. Two months later, on Dec. 19, 1944, she received official word from a War Department telegram that Private Harty lost his life in action in France on Sept. 20.
At the time of her husband’s death Mrs. Harty had a 4-year old son, Joseph M. Harty, and a daughter Joyce, 1½.
He was buried in the American Cemetery in Lorraine, France.
Pvt. Edwin A. Sundberg (1919-1944)
Edwin Armas Sundberg was born on Sept. 27, 1919 in Worcester to August and Matilda Saima (Nurmi) Sundberg. His parents were both born in Finland. He lived on Old Petersham Road in Barre with brothers Allen and Leslie, and his sister Lillian.
He attended Barre High School for two years and was later employed at Charles G. Allen Co. He was married to the former Sylvia M. Marron.
Private Sundberg joined the military on July 15, 1942 and had been out of the country since early 1944 with the 349th Infantry.
On Aug. 20, 1944, his parents received a telegram from the War Department that Sundberg was missing in action in Italy on July 24, 1944. However, two weeks later they received letters from their son – one written on Aug. 13 and the other on Aug. 14 – which proved otherwise. The letters reported that he had been in good health but had been unable to write home because he had been on the move.
Two months later, another telegram was sent to Mr. and Mrs. Sundberg and this time the news was a bit more dire. It noted that their 23-year-old son, Pvt. Sundberg had been missing in action in Italy, since Sept. 24.
It was later learned that Pvt. Sundberg died of his wounds on Oct. 21, 1944.
He was buried in Glen Valley Cemetery in Barre.
Pfc Albert E. Taylor (1918-1945)
Albert Edward Taylor was born on April 10, 1918 in Lynn. He attended high school for four years and later worked in Barre at the Charles G. Allen Foundry. He married the former Helen T. Jokela and they had twin sons, Burt and Robert, born in 1943. The family lived on Exchange Street in Barre.
Taylor entered the Army in September 1943, eventually serving with the Medical Corps in France, Belgium, Holland and Germany. He was a member of the 38th Infantry, 7th Battalion Armored Division of the Army.
On July 23, 1945, Private Taylor was killed in a motor vehicle accident in Belgium at the age of 27. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Leaf with Oak Clusters, three battle stars and the Bronze Star medal.
Comments and suggestions for Remembering Local World War II Heroes can be sent to Mike Richard at mikerichard0725@gmail.com or in writing Mike Richard, 92 Boardley Road, Sandwich, MA 02563.
This article originally appeared on Gardner News: Charles G. Allen Co. employees died during World War II
