U.S. Army Captain Wallace “Wally” Masteller

My research in the UK into an incident involving the US military in Setif, Algeria on VE-Day identified a possible participant, U.S. Army Captain Wallace “Wally” Masteller (Army Number 20506050) I need help to get more details.

His wife's obituary identified their wedding in Setif in July 1945, with her emigration to Sidney, Ohio till she passed. See: Obituary for Jeanne M. Masteller | Cromes-Edwards Funeral Home & Crematory, Inc., Sidney, OH

My research, not being familiar with US Army records etc, found he was born in 1917, on 14/10/1940 he enlisted as a Private in the Ohio National Guard and by occupation was a draftsman. From: http://wwii-enlistment.com/record/20506050/

The Ohio National Guard formed the 37th Ohio National Guard Infantry Division and at Sidney, Ohio his unit was Company I, 148th Infantry; the division was deployed to the Pacific theatre, so Wallace Masteller must have left to join another unit. From: Local division fought WWII battles - Sidney Daily News

Can anyone identify which unit he was with in 1945 and probably posted to a rear area base in Setif? Thanks.

the Other related thread is: http://www.ww2f.com/threads/what-happened-in-setif-why-did-us-troops-respond.75415/

 

Digging away I have found the Captain's full name is Wallace William Junior Masteller and from his home town's newspaper:

From: Out of the past - Sidney Daily News

I have not been able to identify the observer mission, nor why three years later in WW2 he was in Algeria.

His grave shows he was born 18th August 1918

 

I checked the Pictorial History of the 37th Division, but he is not mentioned in it. If he was in the 37th Division, he must have left sometime before it was published in 1941.

 

Tommy thank you.
I now have found this:

From Dayton Daily News from Dayton, Ohio on 28/12/1941 (behind a paywall and not accessed) Dayton Daily News from Dayton, Ohio on December 28, 1941 · 23

 

No response from the local history society in his home town, after two months now. Next option is to try his family via the undertakers / church; which is not a priority action. I was hoping that his wife's book referred to the events in May 1945 and possibly that "Wally" had been present in Setif.

 

Alas no response from the family, so I have closed this part of the research into what happened at Setif on VE-Day (another thread).