The Path of the 39th Infantry, 2nd Battalion in Europe in WW II
Date: Wed, 30 Dec 2009 Time: 5:17 PM
My father, George Holmes from Lamar, Missouri, served in the 39th Infantry, 2nd Battalion during WWII when he was sent from the Aluetians to the European Theatre. In the Aluetians he was in the 203rd Coast Artillery. Based on an article I read about the 39th Infantry, 2nd Battalion, he was supposed to arrived in France on UTAH Beach on June 10, 1944. He received two Bronze Stars for campaigns in Central Europe and the Rhineland. I have the citation for one of them. It was awarded to the 39th Infantry, 2nd Battalion for a battle on July 11-12, 1944 at or near St. Lo, France. The Citation is by the command of Major General Craig, and Chief of Staff is Colonel William C. Westmoreland. Based on an article that I read about the Hurtgen Forest, the 39th Infantry, 2nd Battalion was also there in October of 1944. When my brother and I were in high school, we both read another citation for a decoration--I believe it to be the 2nd Bronze Star--about a patrol bringing back information that enabled the capture of enemy soldiers the following day. Unfortunately, we no longer have that document. I also have my father's Honorable Discharge document, and it has information naming the
General Orders for the Combat Inf. Badge(GO #4, 39th Inf., 1 April 1945, and "2 Bronze Stars for the above campaigns(Central Europe Rhineland) per WDGO 33-40, 1945" I am trying to find out if any other soldiers also received Bronze Stars for these campaigns and were with the 39th Infantry, 2nd Battalion. I would very much like to find or locate the information regarding the 2nd Bronze Star. My father became a forest ranger thanks to the GI Bill, but sadly he died in 1959.
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I am a teacher and loyal American with a passionate interest in family history
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