Everyone has a story to tell. Everyone deserves to be remembered.
Celia Goldberg was a Women’s Army Corps service member I learned about several years ago when the then Superintendent of the ABMC North Africa and I were chatting about those buried there and locating more information. I believe Celia is the only woman buried at ABMC North Africa. I have not been able to find a photograph of Celia, or much about her or her family, but I can provide some information on her life and service.
Women’s Army Corps Details
Private Celia Goldberg was born on 23 December 1898, per military information sheet provided by the NPRC in St. Louis. According to the newspaper article below, she had a brother named Marvin, but this may be a brother in-law as Marvin is not listed in the siblings within her IDPF. Her mother, Sarah Goldberg is listed as her next-of-kin in her IDPF. Her IDPF has a document “Application for Effects of Deceased Soldier” which states she had four brothers. In very light typed text it then says and three sisters. The documentation in the IDPF also states her father died in 1903 (another document states 1924), but does not list his name. That same document shows the information for her siblings. She also had a Will and letters of administration were issued to Daniel Rosen.
She enlisted on 16 April 1943. Her Army Enlistment records states she was divorced.
She was part of the 161st WAC HQ Co at the time of her death. Sadly she died on the USAT Santa Rosa enroute to Algeria at 5:45 a.m. on 29 August 1943. She died of cystic degeneration, right adrenal and acute hemorrhage left adrenal. Her place of death listed on her Report of Burial is listed At Sea. She was not however, buried at Sea.
Pvt. Goldberg was buried at the American Cemetery in Oran, Algeria at 2030 hours on 8 September 1943 in Plot I Row 5 Grave 134. Her final burial location is U.S. Military Cemetery (ABMC) Tunis (Carthage) Tunisia, Plot C Row 11 Grave 13, under the Star of David.
As in many families, there was often one person who after the parents died, were to be the caretaker of a deceased’s memory. Francis Goldberg appeared to be that person, per the letter from the IDPF.
It must not have been easy Celia’s family to lose their mother and hear their sister died about the same time. According to the IDPF it was difficult to reach her siblings to start sorting out the personal effects and legal next of kin.
Celia’s IDPF is 51 pages long but did not contain a lot of family or service information. Her OMPF burned in the 1973 Fire at the NPRC. Since her service was such a short period of time, she likely went through Basic Training and then was preparing to head overseas.
I was not able to locate any additional family information or a family tree on Ancestry. Her family seemed to be scattered around New York and at least one brother in California, per information in her IDPF. If you know more about Celia or have a photograph, I would love to hear about her.
Women’s Army Corps Resources
Fold3.com Women’s Army Corps Collection (A lot of these publications you can find on Internet Archive (archive.org). No need to download them page by page.
George C. Marshall Collection – Women’s Army Corps.
Article from AtomicHeritage. Women’s Army Corps.
GI Jane Writes from Overseas (PDF)
WAC Recruitment Brochure (PDF)
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LCol (Ret’d) Richard Garber, CD says
Visiting Tunis today – 2 May 23 with several other Canadian Army veterans – we happened across Celia’s Magen David in the US War Cemetery and left a stone in her memory.
Jennifer Holik says
Thank you for commenting and visiting Celia’s grave.
Tomi Weddleton says
My husband and I always made it a point to visit war memorials when we visited foreign countries, as well as our own. While visiting Tunis, we took a trip to the American Cemetery, and we were struck by the beauty of the grounds and the peaceful atmosphere. We came across Celia’s grave
under the Magen David, and have remembered her ever since.
Jennifer Holik says
Thank you for your comment Tomi. And for remembering Celia.