Earl Leonard Urban was born April 13, 1918 in Jeromeville, Ohio. He was the oldest of two children born to Elton and Leila Mae Urban, his brother Carl was born in 1924. On the 1920 census it records that the family owned their own home in Perry Township and Earl’s father is noted as a farm operator on a general farm.

Some time between the 1920 census and the 1930 census it seems that Earl’s father passed away. The 1930 census records that Leila is a widow, and the family is now living in a rental place, Leila is noted as working as a servant in a private family home. Earl was just 11 years old, his brother Carl, 6 yrs old.

Earl went through school as a talented athlete. He was a pitcher on the baseball team and also played basketball, playing in the Industrial League after high school, which was a precursor to the NBA in 1939. He also played on a local championship softball team.

On the 1940 census, Earl’s Mom is listed as employed as a box Inspector at a box factory. Earl is also working at A.L. Garber Co, his brother Carl, only 16 yrs old, was still in school. It is noted in his bio on Tankdestroyer.net that in addition to sports, Earl collected coins and stamps, and was also a Sunday School teacher at Emanuel Methodist Church.

In October, 1940 Earl presented himself to the Ashland 1 County Board and registered for the draft. He is described as 6’1”, 165 lbs., brown hair, and eyes. With a light complexion. He was called up to the US Army that same month.

We find Pvt. Earl L. Urban with the 701st Tank Destroyer Battalion, the unit’s code name “Havoc”.

At the beginning of the war the Allies needed to find a way to counteract the German’s Panzer divisions. The tank destroyers were specially developed to be fast, have exceptional mobility and high firepower. To achieve this, armor protection was sacrificed on the sides and rear of the tanks. The crews were trained to be aggressive; the motto seek, strike, and destroy. These units didn’t wait or fall back to watch.. they charged in – the unit patch depicting a black panther crushing a tank in its jaws.

The 701st was activated at Fort Knox KY in December of 1941. It was attached to the 1st armored division and shipped out to Belfast Northern Ireland in June of 1942, where they would begin training for the invasion of Algiers. It was here in Ireland, that Corporal Urban found a very cute little postcard depicting a drawing of an Irish Country Lane. The road is a meandering, dirt worn path, through the hillside and there are a handful of little thatched roofed cottages. The writing on the front appears to be a bit of a poem written by Eva Brennan “ My heart oft strays down an Irish glen to a little village I used to know. And there in my dreams I see again the boys and girls of long ago”.

On the back, Corporal Urban wrote a message to his Mom. “Dearest Mother: I’m still up and around and doing ok as far as I know. The card pictures very well the type of landscape we have here in the land of shamrocks. Most of the farm homes have grass roof on it. Goodbye - your soldier, Earl.”

From Ireland, the 701st was shipped to North Africa and participated in Operation Torch landings on November 8 1942. The 701st went to fight at the Faid Pass, Sidi Bou zid and Mateur. From there they were shipped to Italy in October 1943.

In Italy the tank destroyers were used mostly as artillery and for January of 1944 they were in the Cassino area. In February they were then shipped to the Anzio beachhead and supported the 1st armored division in the breakout of May. I found a record that On May 30 1944, S/Sgt. Earl L. Urban, Sgt. Ralph B. Laney, Cpl. Allen E. Knohr and T/5 Leonard L. Jokerst were all cited for Gallantry in Action. S/Sgt. Urban also received a purple heart for wounds received in July of 1944.

In February of 1945 S/Sgt. Urban was battlefield promoted again to 2nd Lieutenant – this was reported back home in an article in the Akron Beacon Journal on March 23, 1945 it was reported that Earl L. Urban was promoted to 2nd Lt in a battlefield promotion. It also goes on to note that he was awarded the Purple Heart and a division citation.

As the Fifth army fought their way into the Po Valley in April 1945, there was vicious fighting as the allies breaking through German resistance on their way to the southern German border.

In the month of April 1945, there were 6 men of the 701st Tank Battalion killed in action. Pvt. Joseph H. Metzeder, Lt Joe H. Patterson, S/Sgt. Anthony G. Schepici, Tec 5 J.T. Dial, Pfc Normal Vigerhouse, and On April 23, 1945, just 9 days before fighting ceased in Italy, 15 days before Germany surrendered unconditionally to the allies, – 2nd Lt Earl Leonard Urban, Age 27, was killed in action. I found a record of morning reports for the 701st on the website tank destroyers.net. While not very detailed, it does give us an idea of the mission in which Lt Urban lost his life. “The breakthrough into the PO valley was made on April 20th. Two infantry battalions supported by A and C Companies were out of the Appenines at 1300 hours. The reconnaissance company passed through with orders to cut highway #9. This was affected by 1400 hours. On this day company C destroyed one MK4 and one 150mm gun – innumerable prisoners were taken. The next divisional objective was to secure the Bomporto bridges intact. A and C companies were to support the advance of the 86th regiment. Reconnaissance company was to provide a reconnaissance screen for the divisional advance. At 0900 hours one M8 and one E20 armored car were destroyed by enemy anti-tank fire. The platoon leader of the first platoon was killed, and his platoon sgt was seriously wounded. The company was forced to withdraw and choose another route of advance.

The widow, Mrs. Leila Urban was notified of her son’s death and The Manfield News Journal of Ohio, dated May 12, 1945 reported:

Lt. Earl L. Urban, Ashland Athlete, Killed in Italy

Second Lieutenant Earl L. Urban, 27 was killed in action in Italy on April 23, the war dep.t has informed his mother, Mrs. Lelia Urban.

Death struck the young Ashland officer just nine days before the end of the fighting in Italy after he had gone unscathed in heavy action through the North African campaign and almost all of the Italian campaign. One of the county’s first inductees, Lt. Urban was in combat more than 500 days with the 701st tank destroyer battalion of the first armored division of Gen. Mark Clark’s Fifth army. He was given a combat commission after the Tunisian and Italian campaigns, being commissioned early last February. Known as “Hubbell” he was one of Ashland’s best known and most popular athletes. After starring in high school sports, he was a member of local championship softball and basketball teams. His division was first to destroy a German tank and was first to knock out a German Mark VI tank. Lt. Urban participated in many engagements after taking part in the invasion of Oran on African D Day, November 8 1942. He also was in on the invasion of Italy and distinguished himself in a battle for Castel D’Aiano, a key road junction. His brother PFC Carl Urban is with the marines in the Pacific.”

Lt. Urban’s body was returned home, and is buried in the Ashland, Ohio Cemetery. There is an inscription on his headstone – 2nd Lt Earl L. Urban, 1918 – 1945 Co. C, 701st tank destroyer battalion – gave his life in action in northern Italy WW2.

Earl Leonard Urban – joined the US Army at age 22, about a year before the attack on Pearl Harbor. He began his overseas service in 1942. Over the course of 3 years, he fought in a division that saw vicious fighting across North Africa and through Italy. He served with distinction and tremendous leadership, receiving battlefield promotions all the way up to 2nd Lt. and lost his life so close to the end of the war – at age 27. A true American Hero.

Earl L Urban