Orville Urban Callier was born 31-MAY 1917. His father was Urban Joseph Callier (1895-1962) and his mother was Myrtle Bell Van Dyck (1896-1967). He had two sisters; June and Lorraine and one brother; Melvin. The family lived at 4715-A on St. Louis Avenue before moving to St. Charles. When he registered for the draft in 1940, he was 23, and unemployed.
Not much information could be found about Callier, however, it is evident that he was a very skilled artist and draftsman. Among his personal effects was a war-torn, oil-stained sketch book that contained intricately precise diagrams of some of the weaponry that he, perhaps, was required to use. Orville was in an anti-aircraft battery, a “gunner” in the 381st Regiment in the 96th Division. The 96th Division was nicknamed “The Deadeyes.”
The “Deadeyes” would fight at Okinawa and try to take “Hacksaw Ridge.”
For the rest of Orville’s story, click on the pdf below.
