William J. Giggenbach

FIRST LIEUTENANT WILLIAM J. GIGGENBACH was born in July 19, 1917 in Pennsylvania to Bartholomew and Margaret L. Giggenbach. His parents had emigrated to America from Germany in 1914. In 1929 his half-brother Frank, a cabinetmaker, joined the family from Germany. In 1930 his father worked as a butcher in a hotel, and the family had bought  house at 311 Evergreen Avenue in Woodlynne NJ.

    William Giggenbach was a 1935 graduate of Collingswood (NJ) High School. Upon graduation from High School he attended Drexel University, and worked in the Purchasing department of the New York Shipbuilding Company. On September 8, 1941, he married Jean Roberts.

     William Giggenbach entered the Army on February 27, 1942. He served at Fort Dix, and was sent to Officers Candidate School at Fort Benning GA, where he was commissioned in December of 1942. He was then sent to Camp Ritchie and was promoted to First Lieutenant. He was assigned to to the Army's Military Intelligence Service, and was sent to England in April of 1943 to train British officers. During his time in this assignment he had done missions to Casablanca, Rome, & London, and was with the British when they entered Rome.

     First Lieutenant William J. Giggenbach was killed near Paris, France on December 27, 1944 while serving our nation. He was survived by his wife, Jean Roberts Giggenbach, of 6 East Park Avenue, Oaklyn NJ, and his parents, R. William and Margaret Giggenbach, of 311 Evergreen Avenue, Woodlynne NJ, and a brother, Frank Giggenbach, of New York. He was 27 years old.