Bricker, Kenneth Ray

1917 - 1943  (25 years)

• Name	Bricker, Kenneth Ray
  Birth	21 Dec 1917	Illinois   [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]
  Gender	Male
  Census		1940 Census, Clay City Township, Clay County, Illinois, page 10a 1940 United States Federal Census, Clay City, Clay County, Illinois, (District 13-4) (Township), image 19, page 10a The writing in the 1940 Federal census for Clay City, Illinois is sometimes difficult to read. Ancestry.com has attempted to index this census, but there are many transcription errors. Census taker's notes: "218 to 227 in Wirer…
  		1940 Census, Clay City Township, Clay County, Illinois, page 10b 1940 United States Federal Census, Clay City, Clay County, Illinois, (District 13-4) (Township), image 20, page 10b The writing in the 1940 Federal census for Clay City, Illinois is sometimes difficult to read. Ancestry.com has attempted to index this census, but there are many transcription errors.
  		1930 Census, Clay City Township, Clay County, Illinois, page 02b 1930 United States Federal Census, Clay City, Clay County, Illinois, (District 0004) (Township), image 04, page 02b
  Occupation	Truck Driver  [1]
  Reference Number	BRIC.K001
  _FGRAVE	26235994
  Military Service	World War II, Private First Class, Company A, 142nd Infantry Regiment, 3th Infantry Division, United States Army  [2, 6, 7, 8, 9]
  	Service number assignment was 36055320. ==================================== Private First Class with Company A, 142nd Infantry Regiment, 36th Infantry Division. Entered combat at Salerno Beach, Italy on September 9, 1943 and was killed in action on November 30, 1943. Earned The Purple Heart Medal and was otherwise entitled to the American Campaign Medal, The European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with at least one bronze battle star and The WWII Victory Medal. Buried with military honors at Clay City Cemetery, Clay City, Illinois. Honored also at the WWII Memorial in Flora, Illinois. This information has been posted on the National World War II Memorial's Registry of Remembrances website by Robert Medley Gatewood. It is entered here with his permission. Source: https://wwiiregistry.abmc.gov/honoree-plaque/?honoree_id=1901369
  		Flag of the United States, 48 Stars (1912-1959) In 1912, two stars were added to the United States flag, representing Arizona and New Mexico, bringing the total number of stars to 48. They were arranged in six rows of eight stars each. American fighting men would fight under this flag during four wars: World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the beginning of the Vietnam War. (In 1959, a…
  		Kenneth Ray Bricker (1917-1943) Kenneth was killed in action in Italy during World War II. Displayed with permission of Lady in Black
  		Certificate, Purple Heart, Bricker, Kenneth R. (1917-1943) Displayed with permission of Lady in Black
  		United States Army
  		Helen Marie Bricker and Kenneth Ray Bricker Contributed by Paul Wilder
  		Private First Class, United States Army and United States Army Air Fores (Sep 1942-Aug 1948)
  		Kenneth Ray Bricker (1917-1943) World War II, Private First Class, Company A, 142nd Infantry Regiment, 36th Infantry Division, United States Army Kenneth was killed in action in Italy on Nov 30, 1943 From the Dorothy Lois 'Dot' (McDowell) Bricker (1927-2004) collection Contributed by Carl Wayne Gray
  		United States Army Enlisted Rank Insignia
  		Military Service Ribbons, Kenneth Ray Bricker (1917-1943) Contributed by Carl Wayne Gray
  		Purple Heart Medal, United States Military
  		Purple Heart Medal, United States Military
  		American Campaign Medal, United States Armed Forces
  		American Campaign Medal, United States
  		European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, United States Armed Forces
  		European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, United States
  		World War II Victory Medal, United States Military
  		World War II Victory Medal, United States Military
  		World War II (1939-1945)
  		36th Infantry Division ("Arrowhead"), United States Army Also known as the "Panther Division", "Lone Star Division", "The Texas Army", or the "T-patchers
  		36th Infantry Division ("Arrowhead"), United States Army
  		World War II Honoree, Bricker, Kenneth R. (1917-1943)
  		Brochure, World War II Memorial, Flora, Illinois, Nov 11, 2007 On Veterans' Day, 2005, the city of Flora, Illinois dedicated a memorial to all known Clay County, Illinois World War II Veterans. Located on the south side of the city library, this is a copy of the brochure honoring that event. This 2007 brochure adds a matrix for locating the memorial brick that was laid in honor of each veteran. …
  		Brochure, World War II Memorial, Flora, Illinois, Nov 11, 2007, page 01 of 26 pages On Veterans' Day, 2005, the city of Flora, Illinois dedicated a memorial to all known Clay County, Illinois World War II Veterans. Located on the south side of the city library, this is a copy of the brochure honoring that event. This 2007 brochure adds a matrix for locating the memorial brick that was laid in honor of each veteran. This…
  		Brochure, World War II Memorial, Flora, Illinois, Nov 11, 2007, page 02 of 26 pages On Veterans' Day, 2005, the city of Flora, Illinois dedicated a memorial to all known Clay County, Illinois World War II Veterans. Located on the south side of the city library, this is a copy of the brochure honoring that event. This 2007 brochure adds a matrix for locating the memorial brick that was laid in honor of each veteran. This…
  		Brochure, World War II Memorial, Flora, Illinois, Nov 11, 2007, page 03 of 26 pages On Veterans' Day, 2005, the city of Flora, Illinois dedicated a memorial to all known Clay County, Illinois World War II Veterans. Located on the south side of the city library, this is a copy of the brochure honoring that event. This 2007 brochure adds a matrix for locating the memorial brick that was laid in honor of each veteran. This…
  		Brochure, World War II Memorial, Flora, Illinois, Nov 11, 2007, page 04 of 26 pages On Veterans' Day, 2005, the city of Flora, Illinois dedicated a memorial to all known Clay County, Illinois World War II Veterans. Located on the south side of the city library, this is a copy of the brochure honoring that event. This 2007 brochure adds a matrix for locating the memorial brick that was laid in honor of each veteran. This…
  		At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
  Death	30 Nov 1943	Italy   [1, 2, 6, 10, 11]
  	Cause: Killed in Action
  	The casketed remains of Pfc. Kenneth Bricker were returned to Clay City, Tuesday night, from a military cemetery in Italy where he was killed while serving with the U. S. Army on November 20, 1943. Funeral services were held at the Easley-Padgett chapel, with Rev. Fred Gordon officiating. Interment was made in the Clay City Cemetery. Military rites were performed by the American Legion. The deceased was the son of Mr. & Mrs. Jerry Bricker, who survive. He also is survived by brothers, Roy, Ivan & Harold; two sisters Evelyn Sullens & Helen Smith. He was born and raised in Clay City and attended school there. Before his induction into the service in February, 1942, he was employed as a truck driver. He was 25 years of age at the time of his death.
  Burial	Clay City Cemetery, Clay City, Clay County, Illinois   [2]
  	Buried with military honors at Clay City Cemetery, Clay City, Illinois. Honored also at the WWII Memorial in Flora, Illinois.
  		Headstone, Bricker, Kenneth R.
  Person ID	I824	Carl Wayne Gray Research | Bricker - Shock Conrad Bricker and Lucinda Shock Descendants
  Last Modified	21 Aug 2026

  
  

  Father	Bricker, Jerry Elias,   b. 25 Dec 1881, Wayne County, Illinois d. 4 Jun 1964 (Age 82 years)
  Mother	Pettyjohn, Mary E.,   b. 8 Jan 1897, Clay County, Illinois d. 23 Dec 1981, Clay City, Clay County, Illinois (Age 84 years)
  Marriage	17 Jan 1916	Clay City, Clay County, Illinois   [3, 4, 5, 7, 12, 13]
  	Jerry's obituary says they were married on January 17, 1916, Mary's obituary says they were married in 1917.
  Age at Marriage	He : 34 years and 1 month - She : 19 years.
  Family ID	F800	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Event Map

  Birth - 21 Dec 1917 - Illinois Burial - - Clay City Cemetery, Clay City, Clay County, Illinois  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Photos » Slide Show		Rena Lents; John Pettyjohn, and Kenneth Bricker Contributed by Paul Wilder
  		Clay City Veterans Memorial, Mills Park, Clay City, Illinois (East Side) Photo by Carl Wayne Gray
  		Clay City Veterans Memorial, Mills Park, Clay City, Illinois (East Side, Right Panel) Photo by Carl Wayne Gray

  
  

  Documents

  World War II Casualties, Clay County, Illinois

  
  

• Notes

  The casketed remains of Pfc. Kenneth Bricker were returned to Clay City, Tuesday night, from a military cemetery in Italy where he was killed while serving with the U. S. Army on November 20, 1943. Funeral services were held at the Easley-Padgett chapel, with Rev. Fred Gordon officiating. Interment was made in the Clay City Cemetery. Military rites were performed by the American Legion. The deceased was the son of Mr. & Mrs. Jerry Bricker, who survive. He also is survived by brothers, Roy, Ivan & Harold; two sisters Evelyn Sullens & Helen Smith. He was born and raised in Clay City and attended school there. Before his induction into the service in February, 1942, he was employed as a truck driver. He was 25 years of age at the time of his death.

  
  

• Sources

  [S826] http://www.findagrave.com, Obituary, Bricker, Kenneth R., 25, (http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Bricker&GSiman=1&GScid=105163&GRid=26235994&), none. (Reliability: 2). [S838] https://www.findagrave.com, Headstone, Bricker, Kenneth R., (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/26235994/kenneth-ray-bricker) (Reliability: 2). [S50] https://www.ancestry.com/, 1940 United States Federal Census, Clay City, Illinois, (District 13-4) (Township), image 20, page 10b, (https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/2442/M-T0627-00769-00087?backurl=https%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.com%2fsearch%2fdb.as) (Reliability: 3). [S4] Ancestry.com, 1930 United States Federal Census, Clay City, Clay County, Illinois, (District 0004) (Township), image 04, page 2b, (https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/6224/4584337_00620?backurl=https%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.com%2fsearch%2fdb.aspx%3fd), none. (Reliability: 2). [S823] Ancestry.com, 1920 United States Federal Census, Clay City, Clay County, Illinois, Enumeration District 3, Page 5A, (http://search.ancestry.com/content/viewer.aspx?dbid=6061&iid=4300174_00616&noredir=true&sid=&gskw=) (Reliability: 2). [S825] Tanner, John W., Cemetery Inscriptions of Clay County, Illinois, (Richland County Genealogical and Historical Society), 5 (Reliability: 2). [S821] http://www.findagrave.com, Obituary, Bricker, Jerry Elias, 82, (http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Bricker&GSiman=1&GScid=105163&GRid=24075030&), none. (Reliability: 2). [S15404] Robert Medley Gatewood, Brochure, Flora, Illinois, World War II Veterans Memorial, page #4, (https://genealogy.carlwgray.com/showmedia.php?mediaID=18791) (Reliability: 2). [S14702] https://www.wwiimemorial.com/, World War II Honoree, Kenneth R. Bricker, (https://wwiiregistry.abmc.gov/honoree-plaque/?honoree_id=1901369) (Reliability: 2). [S827] https://www.findagrave.com, Obituary, Bricker, Harold G. 85, (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/127438099/harold-g-bricker), none. (Reliability: 2). [S14683] https://www.wwiimemorial.com/, National Archives & Records Administration War Department Files, PFC Kenneth Ray Bricker, (https://www.wwiimemorial.com/Registry/plaque_wardept.aspx?honoreeID=1040597) (Reliability: 2). [S829] http://www.findagrave.com, Obituary, Bricker, Mary E., 84, (http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Bricker&GSiman=1&GScid=105163&GRid=24075041&), none. (Reliability: 2). [S822] https://www.findagrave.com, Headstone, Bricker, Jerry E. and Mary E., (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/24075030/jerry-elias-bricker) (Reliability: 2).