This Military Service Page was created/owned by
MAJ Mark E Cooper
to remember
Diemer, Forrest Wayne (Buddy), S/SGT.
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Contact Info
Home Town Little Rock
Last Address Winston-Salem, NC
Date of Passing Mar 03, 2007
Location of Interment Salem Cemetery - Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Official Badges
Unofficial Badges
Additional Information
Last Known Activity:
Forrest W. Diemer, formerly of Buckingham Road and Hanover Arms, Winston-Salem, passed away on Thursday evening, March 2, 2006. Mr. Diemer was born Aug. 22, 1915, in Little Rock, Ark., to Viola Haven and Edward Louis Diemer Sr. After graduation from high school, he was employed by Fones Brothers Wholesale where he became assistant manager of the furniture department. In 1940, he enlisted in the 154th Observation Squadron of the Arkansas National Guard. The Squadron was activated in September of that same year. After two years of training at various Army Air Corps bases within the U.S., Staff Sergeant Diemer was shipped overseas aboard the Queen Mary. On Nov. 8, 1942, the 154th landed at Oran, Algeria, participating in the invasion of North Africa. Later, when Allied Forces invaded Italy, the squadron was moved to Bari, becoming the 154th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron. Mr. Diemer had a distinguished military record serving in 10 separate campaigns. When World War II was over, Mr. Diemer moved to Winston-Salem to marry. He worked for his father-in-law, John Lewis Reich, at Carolina Garage Inc. on Waughtown Street. He began his career selling Mack Trucks and became vice president of the company. He also helped to start a second company, Salem Leasing, and became its president. Mr. Diemer was a member of Centenary United Methodist Church for over 60 years where he was involved in various church activities and served as an usher on Sundays. He belonged to Forsyth Country Club, the Rotary Club, the Lions Club and other community groups. He is survived by his three children; Annette of Charlotte, John and wife, Sandra, of Winston-Salem and Haven of Malabar, Fla.; two grandchildren, Daphne and Valentine, also of Malabar; and a sister, Mary, of Little Rock, Ark. He is also survived by three nieces; Eloise, Sharon and Paula; a nephew, Mark; and their children. He was preceded in death by two brothers; and four sisters. The funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, March 6, at Vogler's Main Street Chapel. Burial will follow at Salem Cemetery. Visitation will be from 3 to 4 p.m. today, March 5, at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hospice and Palliative CareCenter, 101 Hospice Lane, Winston-Salem, NC 27103, or DAV Memorial Program, P.O. Box 14301, Cincinnati, OH 45250-0301. (Vogler's Main St. Chapel)
Published in Winston-Salem Journal from March 4 to March 5, 2006
WWII - European Theater of Operations/Sicily Campaign (1943)
From Month/Year
July / 1943
To Month/Year
August / 1943
Description (Sicily Campaign 9 July to 17 August 1943) In preparation for the invasion of Sicily the Allies captured the islands in the Sicilian strait, with aerial bombardment forcing the capitulation of Pantelleria on 11 June 1943. By that time Allied air power had begun the attack on Sicily by bombing defenses and airfields. The invasion itself got under way on the night of 9/10 July with airborne landings that were followed the next day by an amphibious assault. The enemy offered strong resistance, but the Allies had superiority in the air and soon had planes operating from Sicilian bases to support Montgomery’s Eighth Army and Patton’s Seventh.
Interdictory operations against communications in Italy and between Italy and Sicily convinced the enemy that it would be impossible to move strong reinforcements. By 17 August 1943 the Allies were in possession of the island, but they had not been able to prevent a German evacuation across the Strait of Messina.
