Rex V. Loe entered the Army in February of 1943, from Iowa. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Art Loe, Hooker, South Dakota. Rex had four sisters and two brothers.

Rex Loe trained as an Army Ranger and was assigned to the 5^th Ranger Battalion, which was activated on September 1, 1943, at Camp Forrest, Tennessee and debarked for foreign service in the European theater in January of 1944. According to http://www.susaponte.com/history/wwII/w26.html, the 5^th Rangers first did additional training in Scotland, among other places. They participated in the Invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944, "making a combat assault on the beaches near Vierville. Along with elements of the 2^nd Battalion, the 5^th Battalion was given the mission of capturing an enemy coastal battery located on the high cliffs of Pointe de Hoe, but was assigned an overland route to the guns."

Ranger Technician Fifth Grade Rex Loe was wounded in action on September 10, 1944, in France and died the next day. He is buried at Plot I, Row 17, Grave 11, Brittany American Cemetery in France. He was awarded the Purple Heart.

This entry was respectfully submitted by Sheila Hansen, Fallen Sons State Coordinator, Spearfish, SD. Information for this entry was provided by a newspaper clipping, http://www.susaponte.com/history/wwII/w26.html, and http://www.americanwardead.com/searchww.htm.