Allen Brasel was born on February 29, 1924 in Whiteside County, Illinois to Paul Bently Brasel and Sylvia Fern Neal.  He was the great grandson of Mary Jane Justice, the daughter of Michael Justice, son of Abraham and Mahattie.  As a young boy he lived with his parents and siblings on the family farm in rural Whiteside County.  By the time he was 16, the family was living in the town of Meacham in Marion County, Illinois.

At age 19, on December 8, 1943, two years and a day after the Day of Infamy, Allen L. Brasel enlisted in the United States Army.  He was assigned to Company E, 120th Regiment, 30th Infantry Division.  His unit spent the next two months in combat training.  The entire regiment was then transported to Boston, Massachusetts from which they departed the United States on February 12, 1944, bound for Scotland.  His regiment and others arrived in Scotland on February 22, 1944.  The entire division, under the command of Major General Leland S. Hobbs, was involved in amphibious training in the UK until early June.

On June 15, 1944 his unit landed on Omaha Beach, Normandy, France, the product of all the amphibious training they had received.  From the point of landing they were involved in fighting against the Germans.  From July of 1944 to September of 1944, the unit fought its way across the entirety of Belgium.  By September 10, they had fought to Brussels and Tournai, taking out many German companies along the way.  By this time Allen had been promoted to PFC.  Company E and all of the 120th Regiment took objectives near Horbach, Germany by mid September.  And still their progress was not halted, as they began an assault on the Siegfried Line on October 2, 1944.  The Siegfried Line was breached on October 3.  The assault continued and the unit fought valiantly.  On October 5, 1944, as his unit fought forward, PFC Allen L. Brasel gave up his life in defense of his county, his state, his country, and everyone who values the freedoms cherished in this great country.

Application for a Military Headstone for PFC Allen L. Brasel

Military Headstone for Allen Brasel in Alma Cemetery, Alma, Marion County, Illinois

To PFC Allen L. Brasel I give a much deserved salute for his sacrifice in reclaiming the world from the tyranny and brutality of Hitler’s regime.

I’ll see just down the road aways.

Uncle Thereisno Justice