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Ranger PFC , Anton J. (Elvesaeter) Sather
Presho. Lyman County, South
Dakota
Killed in
action at Omaha Beach, France
Anton J.
Elvesaeter was born November 24, 1906, in Trondhiem, Norway to John J. and
Gjertrude Elvesaeter.
When Anton was 17 or 18
years old, he moved to the United
States to live with his uncle who was the mayor of Presho, South
Dakota. Anton then took
the surname Tony Sather.
In
1940, Tony enlisted in the U.S. Army
because the Germans had invaded
Norway. In 1943, while Tony
was in the army, he became a naturalized
citizen of the United States. In December of 1943,
Tony and one of his
friends were sent overseas,
to Chichester,
England where they were
given training until
D-day.
Their target was a
small rock island off the
coast in front of Utah Beach,
called the Isle of San Marcory.
The assignment was to secure
this rock island so the mass of troop
transports could come in closer
to shore and not be hit by the Nazi's
shore batteries. Although unoccupied,
the Isle of San Marcory was
heavily mined and booby-trapped
so the Rangers had to clear
their paths. During this cliff approach,
a mine exploded sending steel
balls every-where, one of them killing PFC Ranger Anton Elvesaeter immediately. Tony was 38 years old when
he died.
I
will remember the service and sacrifice
of Ranger PFC Anton J. Elvesaeter.
This
entry was respectfully submitted
by Melissa Brodrecht, 11th grade, and
Brandi Scott. 11th grade,
Lyman High School. Presho, South
Dakota. February 27, 2002.
Information
for this entry was provided
by Mrs. Hilde Sather Rassmusson.
Bismark. North Dakota.
cousin of Anton J. Elvesaeter,
and from the Lyman County History
Book 3. 1997.
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