MM3 Hassell Spencer Coward^{[1, 2, 3]}

1922 - 1944  (22 years)

• Name	Hassell Spencer Coward  [4]
  Prefix	MM3
  Born	1922
  Gender	Male
  Died	8 Jun 1944	Died at sea when his ship the U.S.S. Rich struck a mine during the invasion of Normandy.
  Buried	Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, Calleville-sur-Mer Basse, Normandie, France
  Person ID	I5	My Reynolds Line | Descendants Hugh Pittsylvania Reynolds, Descendants of James Reynolds, Descendants of James Mitchell
  Last Modified	29 May 2014

  
  

  Father	William McKinley Coward,   b. 9 Feb 1897, Pittsylvania County, Virginia ,   d. 28 May 1939, Callands, Pittsylvania, Virginia  (Age 42 years)
  Mother	Tabitha Susan "Tabby" Aaron,   b. 20 Apr 1898, Pittsylvania County, Virginia ,   d. 12 Oct 1988, Callands, Pittsylvania, Virginia  (Age 90 years)
  Married	7 Feb 1918	Pittsylvania Co., Virginia
  Family ID	F3780	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Photos » Slide Show		The U.S.S. Rich after striking a mine at sea during the invasion of Normandy..Ship of Hassell Spencer Coward thumb_uss rich.jpg
  		Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial Cemetery of the Missing MM3 Hassell Spencer Coward Hassell is among "Tablets of the Missing"
  		Hassell Coward Hassell portrait.jpg

  
  

  Documents » Slide Show		War Casualty List Hassell Spencer Coward
  		USS Rich Muster Roll
  		USS Rich
  		Hassell S Coward-Obit The Danville Bee Sep 21, 1944

  
  

  Headstones		Memorial to Hassell Spencer Coward, s/o Will and Tabby Aaron Coward; killed at Normandy Hassell 1.jpg
  		Memorial for Hassell Coward Hassell.jpg

  
  

• Notes

  Hassell Spencer Coward, killed June 8, 1944 when the ship, U.S.S. Rich hit a German mine off the coast of Normandy. 89 men were lost,

  
  

• Sources

  [S3] Mary Frances Reynolds Eggleston. to reynolds Comments: Mr David BRUNEAUX 12 Avenue du Général de Gaulle 78290 CROISSY SUR SEINE ? France E-mail : david.bruneaux@voila.fr Dear Sir, Dear Madam, Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is David Bruneaux and I belong to a French voluntary association named ?Les Fleurs de la Mémoire? (The Flower of the Memory ? www.lesfleursdelamemoire.com). The aim of this association is to perpetuate the memory of the soldiers, sailors and airmen buried in the American Cemeteries of Colleville-sur-Mer and Saint James in Normandy (France), by placing flowers on their tombs. I am writing this mail to you from Croissy sur Seine, near Paris and I am looking for information on a Machinist?s Mate 3rd Class Hassell Spencer Coward, born in 1922 in Pittsylvania County (VA), son of Mrs Tabitha ?Tabbie? Susan Coward (Aaron) and William Mc Kinley Coward in Callands (VA). He had 3 brothers, Frederick, Justice Edward and Melvin. Mr. Hassell S. Coward was married with Mrs Ruth Arlene Coward to Baltimore (MD). Since two years I pay tribute to Mr. Hassell S. Coward by visiting his grave (Tablets of the Missing) to put flowers several times a year. Since I decided to look for information (date of birth, place of birth, relatives, etc?) to know more about him. Thus, I would be most grateful if you could send me a picture of Mr. Hassell S. Coward to put a face on a name. It is very important for me and my family. Mr. Coward belonged to the US Naval Reserve ? Destroyer Escort USS RICH. His army serial number was 09352224. He was died on the June 8th in Normandy. Mr. Coward was buried in the American cemetery of Colleville-sur-Mer. I would be most grateful if you have other information or pictures. Yours Respectfully, David [S4] Deborah Lozano. Birth: unknown Maryland, USA Death: Jun. 8, 1944, At Sea Husband of Ruth Arlene Coward. Hassell served as a Machinist's Mate, Third Class, U.S. Navy on the U.S.S. Rich (DE-695) during World War II. He resided in Baltimore, Maryland prior to the war. He was declared "Missing In Action" when the Rich struck a mine during the invasion of Normandy, France during the war. He was awarded a Purple Heart. Service # 9352224 Family links: Parents: William McKinley Coward (1897 - 1939) Tabitha Susan Aaron Coward (1898 - 1988) Sibling: Hassell Spencer Coward (____ - 1944) Justice Edward Coward (1934 - 2009)* *Calculated relationship Note: Entered the service from Maryland. Burial: Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial Colleville-sur-Mer Departement du Calvados Basse-Normandie, France Plot: Tablets of the Missing Edit Virtual Cemetery info [?] Maintained by: Russ Pickett Originally Created by: CWGC/ABMC Record added: Aug 08, 2010 Find A Grave Memorial# 56643525 [S3] Mary Frances Reynolds Eggleston. E-mail From Sandra June Reynolds May 20114 The family were farmers. He left home and went to Maryland to work in a factory, met the lady he married and joined the navy. His brother Melvin went with him to Maryland but came home for a visit and never went back but joined the military and served as a Flight Maintenance Gunner in the 483 Bomb Group from April 23, 1943 until Oct. 5, 1945. He flew 36 missions on a B17 Bomber and received a silver Star, Bronze Star as well as numerous medals during his career. He married Rachel Ann Reynolds. Had 4 sons who also served in the military. He also had one daughter. Their father, William M. Coward was a Constable who was shot in the line of duty at Grady store in Callands. Va. He has a stone in Chatham, Va along with other fallen officers of the court. Hassell's brother Fred was married and had 4 sons. Justice Edward Coward never married. [S3] Mary Frances Reynolds Eggleston.