Arthur F. Gorham
| Arthur F. Gorham | |
|---|---|
| Born |
January 11, 1915 Brooklyn, New York, United States |
| Died | July 12, 1943 (aged 28) Sicily, Italy |
| Buried | Bellevue, Ohio, United States |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Service/branch | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1938–43 |
| Rank | Lieutenant Colonel |
| Unit | Infantry Branch |
| Commands held | 1st Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards |
Distinguished Service Cross (2) Purple Heart |
Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Fulbrook Gorham (January 11, 1915 – July 12, 1943) was a United States Army officer and paratrooper. Gorham was the first commander of the 1st Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, part of the 82nd Airborne Division. He led the unit from its inception until Operation Husky, the July 1943 Allied invasion of Sicily, where he was killed in action.
Gorham was born in Brooklyn, New York to James Allison Gorham, Sr. (September 13, 1890 – February 9, 1972) and Louise Fox Gorham (April 1885 – July 4, 1966). His older brother was James Allison Gorham, Jr. (November 26, 1911 – May 15, 2005). Gorham's parents were second generation Americans and were both of Scottish descent. The Gorhams moved from Brooklyn to Bellevue, Ohio in July 1917. James, Sr. owned a successful dry goods business.
While awaiting transportation from Governors Island in New York to his first assignment after graduating from West Point, Gorham renewed a previous acquaintance with Corrine "Colonel" Bennett (later Clarke) (October 21, 1917 – October 20, 2001). They had met for the first time a few years earlier at an army football game. Bennett was then a senior at the University of Wichita where she was president of the Pi Beta Phi Sorority (then called the Sorosis Sorority), captain of the rifle team and had held titles in both golf and tennis. The two were married on June 21, 1939 in Wichita, Kansas. The couple had one child, Bruce Bennett Gorham Clarke (born January 26, 1943 at Ft. Benning, GA). Clarke followed in his father's footsteps graduating from West Point, serving in an airborne unit, fighting in Vietnam at Khe Sanh and commanding at every level from a platoon to a brigade.
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