Ava James Gregory Jr. was born on November 4, 1925 in Drew, Laclede, Missouri. Ava Gregory went into the service from Weld County, Colorado. He complted 3 years of High School and worked as a "semiskilled mechanics and repairmen, motor vehicles". Ava Gregory was married and enlisted on January 24, 1944 in Denver, Colorado.

Private First Class Ava Gregory became part of (probably Company E) 311th Infantry Regiment, 78th Infantry Division. On January 31, 1945 the 78th Infantry Division with attached tank unit pushed south through a shattered gap of the Siegfried Line to cross the headwaters of the Roer River 3 miles west of Monschau (Germany). The steady stream of prisoners emerging from overran pillboxes went over the 500. At the beginning of February there was virtually no German artillery fire. The only hard resistance in the sector came from the Kesternich area (to the west). A Newsarticle from February 8, 1945 states that within 3 days the 78th Infantry Division captured 159 Siegfried Line pillboxes and reached to within 500 yards of Schmidt and also entered Kommerscheidt, 1000 yards northwestward. North of Schmidt there was a network of dams controlling headwaters of the Roer River. Not long later Schmidt was captured and the Roer dams secured. Pfc. Ava J. Gregory Jr. was Killed in Action on February 10, 1945 near or in Schmidt, Germany.

Mr. Jim Gregory wrote: "I am looking for any info that is available for E Company. Ava James Gregory Jr was my older brother. His records were lost in the fire in the late 40s, or so I have been informed by the NPRC. He is not listed as a member of E Company in the records we have searched. My little brother has been working on this also. I will provide the info we have below and hope you may be able to assist us. Thank You in Advance."

ASN: 37708818
Awards: Purple Heart

The brother of Private First Class Ava J. Gregory Jr., Jim Gregory, is searching for more information about Pfc. Ava J. Gregory. Every kind of information is more than welcome. You can contact Jim at: jgregory374@gmail.com