Hometown Heroes
Sgt. Robert A. Bonneville - U.S. Army (1919-1944)
By Michael Rocchetti
The Allied Invasion of France in June of 1944 took place in Normandy along a section of coastline that had no port for supply ships to offload cargo. The Allies needed to capture a nearby port facility.
War planners decided that an all-out effort would be made to capture the port of Brest. The Battle of Brest was fought in August and September of 1944. The fight proved extremely difficult, as the German garrison was well entrenched and defended by an elite unit of the German Army Fallschirmjäger (paratrooper) forces. The fighting was intense and the city was reduced to rubble. By the time the Germans surrendered, they had destroyed all the port facilities – rendering the port useless for the remainder of the war.
During this battle, Robert Bonneville was killed in action while his unit was engaged in house-to-house fighting on Aug. 26, 1944. Robert A Bonneville was a Sergeant, assigned to Company A, 9th Infantry Regiment, of the 2nd Infantry Division (the “Indianhead” division). Robert Bonneville was born in Putnam CT on Oct. 21, 1919 son of Eugene and Georgianna Bonneville. He enlisted in the Army on Dec. 18, 1942. He is buried at St Mary’s Cemetery in Putnam. He left behind a wife Rose Margolski and a daughter Rochelle. He was also survived by three sisters and a brother. The following article was written about him in a local newspaper: 
Putnam Patriot, Oct. 5, 1944
Well known in the community where he was born and educated. Sergeant Robert A. Bonneville, 25, son of Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Bonneville of Livery Street and husband of the former Rose Margolski of Lynn Mass., and father of Rochelle Bonneville, 2, paid the supreme sacrifice in France on August 26th. According to word received here by his parents last Saturday.
Word of the Sergeant’s death was received by his wife, who is living with her parents in Lynn, and the message was relayed by telephone to local relatives.
Bonneville entered the service in October of 1942 and trained at both South Carolina and Maryland before being shipped overseas, estimated at approximately but six weeks ago. His Wife received a letter from him dated August 24th, and his parents also received their last communication on August 19th. In both instances he was reported as well. He was reported missing in action by the war department about a month ago.
Born in Putnam. Bonneville was educated in St. Mary’s Parochial School and graduated from Putnam High School in 1936, where he starred as an athlete. He was prominently identified with the Boy Scout movement in this district and was associated with the famous St. Mary’s Band since its organization. Before entering the service he was employed at the Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Corporation in East Hartford.
Besides his parents, wife and daughter, he leaves three sisters, Mrs. Paul Snelgrove, Misses Viola and Barbara Bonneville and a brother, Norman, 29, serving his country as a member of the US Navy.
Saturday morning a requiem high mass will be celebrated at 9 o’clock in St Mary’s church with friends and relatives invited to attend.
Hometown Heroes is a series published in the Putnam Town Crier & Northeast Ledger with this mission: We owe it to our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines to make sure that they are never forgotten, and that the memory of their service and sacrifice will forever live on in the hearts and minds of the grateful people of Putnam.

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