Richard T. Alexander, from Haywood County, North Carolina was born on October 5, 1917, in Nashville, Tennessee, to Richard Thomas Alexander Sr. and Grace Elizabeth (Andrews) Alexander who wher maried in 1916. He grew up in New York and had 4 years of college education and his occupation was listed as "Teacher (Secandary school) and principals".
Richard Alexander (#34435670) enlisted in the service on October 22, 1942 at Camp Croft, South Carolina. He got to Camp Atterbury on October 27,1942 where he took his basic training withe the 83rd Infantry Division. He took part at the Tennessee manouvers in the summer of 1943 and went from September 1943 to March 1944 to Camp Breckenridge, Kentucky. Richard Alexander shipped from Fort Hamilton in New York as a small group. They went on the Mauritania wich was the passengers ship that the Britisch were using for troop transport. He landed in Liverpool wher he spent an other two months of training. They left England on the night of June 18, 1944 and landed at Omaha Beach, without resistance. In the European Theatre of Operation (ETO), he was a Rifleman, Private First Class in the 83rd Infantry Division, 331st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Battalion, G Company.