The Marlborough
Historical Society

    Angelo was born the 28th of February 1919 in Marlborough, Massachusetts the second of four children born to Vasil and Eftimia Karopulios. He made his home with his parents at 3 Dow Place in Marlborough and was known as Gully to his friends. Before the war he worked as a shoemaker at the Curtis Shoe Factory. He Enlisted into the Army the 15th of October 1942. Following basic training Angelo was assigned to the 323rd Field Artillery Battalion of the 83rd Infantry Division. Angelo and the 323rd performed maneuvers in Tennessee before moving to Camp Breckinridge, Kentucky for more training. The 323rd Departed for Europe the 5th of April 1944 aboard HMS ORION from the port of New York.

    The battalion spent time in Aston Park, Shropshire, England before departing for mainland Europe aboard Landing Ship Tanks landing in Normandy between the 19th and 22nd of June. The Battalion participated in the fighting around Carentan, France until early August before moving into Northern France. The battalion next participated in the fighting near St. Malo, France through September of 1944. The battalion participated in the assault across the Moselle River into Germany, ultimately fighting in the Hurtgen forest and the Ardennes.

    Following a brief period of rest in Belgium at the end of 1944, the battalion spent the first two months of 1945 supporting the 29th infantry division’s push across the Roer River. Pushing further into the German heartland, the battalion was supporting the 330th Infantry Regiment clearing out the Harz Mountain region when Angelo was Killed in Action by a German sniper while bringing supplies to the front line the 16th of April 1945. His grave is located at the Netherlands American Cemetery in Margraten, Netherlands plot K, row 2, grave 16. Karopulios Drive in Marlborough is named in his honor.

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