DOB/DOD: October 18, 1914 (Oberstaufenbach, Germany) – March 13, 1945; 30 years old 1
MARITAL STATUS: Married Louise Femine (1921-2007) on June 2, 1940, in Bridgeport. Louise remarried Michael Padula (1925-1988) on February 10, 1951 in Bridgeport.
CHILDREN: Two sons, William (1941-) and Robert (1944-1992).
LOCAL ADDRESS: 71 Eagle Street, Bridgeport. The house was likely torn down for an apartment complex.
ENLISTMENT: April 29, 1944, in New York City
SERVICE NUMBER: 971510
UNIT: 31st Replacement Draft, 5th Marine Division
MILITARY OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTY: 0522, Guard
FAMILY: Born to Max (1879-1930) and Elizabeth Borger (1882-1958), who were married on December 30, 1903, in Neunkirchen, Germany. Both were born in Germany and came to the United States in 1921. Two siblings: brother Karl O. (1906-1970), and sister Erna Borger Simard (1911-1983). 1, 2 Frederick worked at Dugan Brothers in Queens Village, New York, prior to the service. 4
CIRCUMSTANCES: Boot camp at Parris Island. Assigned to the Guard Company, Marine Barracks in New York City in July 1944. Reassigned to the 31st Replacement Draft Infantry Training Regiment, Camp Lejeune, around October 1944. Died from a gunshot wound to the neck. 5
Photo contributed by Bill Borger, PFC Borger’s son
Initially buried in the Iwo Jima 5th Marine Division Cemetery on Iwo Jima, Plot 5, Row 24, Grave 1468. At his wife’s request, he was repatriated and interred in a permanent American military cemetery overseas. He was repatriated and buried on February 23, 1949, in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl), 2177 Puowaina Dr, Honolulu, Hawaii; Section E, Site 749. Photo from FindAGrave.com. 3
1 – Petition for Naturalization for mother, Elizabeth Borger https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/61195/images/007766152_00039?treeid=&personid=&rc=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=NtW1065&_phstart=successSource&pId=141792
2 – 1930 census https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6224/
3 – https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/3770036/frederick-willi-borger
4 – https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2238/
5 – USMC Casualty Report received via FOIA request