Milward F. Ulmer was born on October 26, 1919 to Newton and Rena Ulmer who lived on Walnut Street in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania.  Milward was one the fifth of six children: Harvey, Nevin, Evelyn, Edith, Milward, and Marian.  Their father worked as a machinist in a machine shop.

Milward was schooled in Phoenixville, attending Phoenixville High School but left before graduation to work and help support the family. The family later moved to the Charlestown area, just south of Phoenixville.

Milward worked for Weiland Meat Packing Company on the 500 block of West Bridge Street.  Weiland slaughtered and processed pork, as much at 3 million pounds a year, producing sausage, hot dogs, bolognas, bacon, and lard. One of their delivery trucks is pictured at right.

Milward was known as an athlete, playing baseball in high school and later on the Weiland team.  He was a member of the Mont Clare United Brethren Church at 181 Walnut St., today the Otterbein United Methodist Church.

Milward married Helen Horvath of Jackson St, and they began their family at 144 Starr Street.

 

Milward entered service in the Army on October 18, 1942.  He received training at camps in Mississippi, Louisiana, Arizona, California and New Jersey, before being shipped overseas to North Africa in January 1944. He served with the 337^th Infantry Regiment of the 85^th Custer Division, of the Fifth Army in Northern Italy. This was the same regiment that Hero James Marinelli from Downingtown served.

Milward was then sent to Italy, where on May 16^th he was wounded by shrapnel in his right arm.  He was hospitalized for 6 weeks and returned to duty.

 

His family relocated to Corner Stores, a community center around the intersection of Nutt and Whitehorse Roads (named because all 4 corners had stores at the beginning of the 1800’s and was the beginning of what was later called “Phoenixville”).

Staff Sergeant Milward F. Ulmer was Killed In Action on October 26, 1944.

 

 

Milward was buried at a local military cemetery.  After the war, at the family’s request, his remains were shipped home for reburial in his home country.   On Tuesday, November 23 1948, Milward was buried with full military honors ay the Beverly National Cemetery, on Bridgeboro Road, Beverly, NJ.

His brother, Nevin was buried there the same day.

Besides his wife Helen, Milward was survived by a daughter, Helen, who was 18 months old at the time of his death.