Quotations From Some Old Pieces of Paper

The papers in question concern events during a 3-day period in July, 1943.  What follows is an series of quotations from those pieces of paper.

They’re a few of of literally hundreds of such pieces of paper from that era.

What follows may not be comprehensive; I don’t have a copy, so I can’t say for sure.  However, other published accounts I’ve located give the following as quotations. I’m convinced they’re accurate.

I’ve omitted names and certain other personal information as they’re not really pertinent to my point in writing this article.  Asterisks below are present in those secondary sources, and apparently represent information that did not scan to text correctly or was not legible.

. . .

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Private XXXXX X. XXXXXXXXX (ASN: ########), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with Company I, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82d Airborne Division, in action on 9 July 1943, in Sicily. Private XXXXXXXX, with utter disregard for his personal safety, provided water to the soldiers of his company during the hours of **** – ****. During most of this time he was exposed to heavy machine gun and small arms fire of the enemy and was sniped upon on many occasions.
Action Date: July 9, 1943

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to First Lieutenant (Infantry) XXXXX  X. XXXXXXXX (ASN: 0-######), United States Army, for gallantry in action as a member of Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82d Airborne Division, in action on 9 July 1943 south of ****, Sicily. Lieutenant XXXXXXXX landed by parachute in hostile territory with his section and immediately proceeded to secure his communications equipment in the face of intense machine gun fire. After destroying what he was unable to salvage, he organized his communications group as a rifle unit and led them through the subsequent action to successful completion of assigned missions.
Action Date: July 9, 1943

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Private XXXXX X. XXXXXXXX (ASN: ########), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with Company A, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82d Airborne Division, in action on 9 July 1943, five miles west of ****, Sicily. An attack was launched on a fortified garrison by Private XXXXXXXX’s unit, during which Private XXXXXXXX after a hand-to-hand fight with two enemy soldiers, captured a light machine gun. Immediately following this action, a counter-attack was launched by the **** on the position and, under heavy artillery fire, the unit was forced to withdraw. Private XXXXXXXX and Lieutenant XXXXXXXX volunteered to stay in position until their unit completed withdrawal. Private XXXXXXXX and Lieutenant XXXXXXXX manned their post with enemy machine guns until another assault was made by the enemy. Seeing that their unit had by this time contacted friendly forces, Private XXXXXXXX and Lieutenant XXXXXXXX, although surrounded, began to withdraw. Lieutenant XXXXXXXX was killed. By passing through enemy lines, Private XXXXXXXX was able to rejoin his unit.
Action Date: July 9, 1943

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Private First Class XXXXX  X.. XXXXXXXX (ASN: ########), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with Company B, 307th Airborne Engineer Battalion, 82d Airborne Division, in action on 9 – 10 July 1943, four miles southeast of ****, Sicily. Private First Class XXXXXXXX fractured his knee in a combat parachute jump southeast of ****, Sicily on 9 July 1943. He marched across country, taking part in guerrilla skirmished until the night of 10 July 1943, at which time he took part in the engagement northwest of ****, Sicily, against a portion of the **** **** **** Division. He made not complaint of the fractured knee during the two days of fighting. The morning of 10 July 1943, he reported to the medical aid station and was sent to the hospital to be treated for a fractured knee. In this gallant action Private First Class XXXXXXXX acquitted himself in a manner reflecting credit on himself and his country.
Action Date: July 9 – 10, 1943

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Private First Class XXXXXX X.  XXXXXXXX (ASN: ########), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with Battery C, 456th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion, 82d Airborne Division, in action on 9 – 10 July 1943, about five miles southwest of ****, Sicily, and later about six miles northwest of ****, Sicily. In both instances, Private First Class XXXXXXXX, assistant gunner on a .50 caliber anti-aircraft machine gun crew, helped operate his gun against low-flying **** planes that were strafing the gun positions of his battery. Private First Class XXXXXXXX remained at his post in the face of heavy strafing. Two of the planes fired upon began to smoke heavily, rapidly lost altitude and are believed to have crashed. Later in the day, at another location, and again in the face of heavy strafing, a third **** plane was hit and observed rapidly losing altitude. In each instance the remaining planes flew away, permitting his battery to continue its mission.
Action Date: July 9 – 10, 1943

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to First Lieutenant (Infantry) XXXXXX X. XXXXXXXX (ASN: 0-#######), United States Army, for gallantry in action as a member of Headquarters Company, 3d Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82d Airborne Division, in action about five miles west of *** ***, in Sicily. Lieutenant XXXXXXXX, commanding a light machine gun platoon of the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, participated in the attack on Hill *** near Route *** which drove back a superior force approximately one-half mile. The enemy counter-attacked with support from heavy artillery, mortars, and***, *** and *** ** tanks. Lieutenant XXXXXXXX personally led his platoon in the face of the heavy enemy fire, through scanty orchard cover to within 50 yards of the tanks. He directed the fire of his men to such effect that the tanks were prevented from crossing the ridge, where they could have inflicted severe casualties on his battalion. In this gallant action Lieutenant XXXXXXXX acquitted himself in a manner reflecting credit upon himself and his country.
Action Date: July 10, 1943

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Sergeant XXXXXX X. XXXXXXXX (ASN: ########), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with Company H, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82d Airborne Division, in action on 10 July 1943, six miles northwest of ***, Sicily. Sergeant XXXXXXXX was seeking to rejoin his regiment, having become separated during a night parachute descent on 8 July 1943. In response to the request of the Commanding Officer, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82d Airborne Division, Sergeant XXXXXXXX organized and led a squad of parachutists in a flanking attack on a strongly-held enemy position. Sergeant XXXXXXXX led his squad across the open terrain despite intense mortar and machine gun fire. They drove the enemy from the position, killing sixteen and capturing five enemy soldiers. The success of this attack was, in large part, due to the personal example and courage of Sergeant XXXXXXXX, and enabled the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment to resume its advance.
Action Date: July 10, 1943

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Private First Class XXXXXX X. XXXXXXXX (ASN: ########), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with Company H, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82d Airborne Division, in action on 10 July 1943, six miles northeast of ****, Sicily. Private First Class XXXXXXXX voluntarily entered an attack on an enemy position holding back the advance of the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82d Airborne Division,. During the attack a *** machine gun placed flanking fire upon Private First Class XXXXXXXX’s squad and pinned it down. Private First Class XXXXXXXX fired his rocket launcher at the enemy machine gun nest, but the launcher exploded. With utter disregard for his personal safety, Private First Class XXXXXXXX secured another rocket launcher and returned to his squad. Firing a second time, Private First Class XXXXXXXX blew up the enemy machine gun nest, killing its crew of four. This action permitted Private First Class XXXXXXXX’s squad to resume its advance to the successful accomplishment of its mission.
Action Date: July 10, 1943

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Second Lieutenant (Infantry) XXXXXX X. XXXXXXXX (ASN: 0-#######), United States Army, for gallantry in action as a member of Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82d Airborne Division, in action on 11 July 1943, south of ****, Sicily. Lieutenant XXXXXXXX rallied those around him to resist a hostile tank attack, and was eminently instrumental in preventing a general withdrawal. When his commanding officer was hit by a shell, Lieutenant XXXXXXXX attempted to render first aid under fire, and later, though wounded, refused to be evacuated until he had seen to the disposition of effects and burial of his commanding officer.
Action Date: July 11, 1943

And finally:  in the papers in question, the following text is repeated at least four times, and possibly more times than that.  The only change between the versions is different ranks and other personal information corresponding to the individuals involved. For what it’s worth:  the rank of at least 3 of the individuals was “Private”.

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Sergeant XXXXXX X. XXXXXXXX (ASN: ########), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with Headquarters Company, 3d Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82d Airborne Division, in action on 9 July 1943, northwest of ****, Sicily. Sergeant XXXXXXXX, Section Sergeant, together with seven other men, manned two anti-tank guns which had previously been captured from the enemy. The seven men and Sergeant XXXXXXXX knocked out an *** “tankette” while they were exposed to heavy enemy machine gun fire. This “tankette” was leading an estimated enemy battalion in the approach march. These men had no previous experience in the operation of the anti-tank guns. By their action the enemy battalion became disorganized and withdrew.
Action Date: July 9, 1943

. . .

The quotations above come from General Orders No. 29, Headquarters, 82nd Airborne Division, dated 29 August 1943.  As I noted earlier:  it’s but one of literally hundreds of such documents issued by various division headquarters during World War II.

People often forget just how bitter that war’s fighting was.  And we often forget just how many people exhibited extreme heroism during that conflict.

It was my great good fortune – and my honor –  to know one of those men.  Sadly, he’s no longer among the living.

Still, in looking over the above, I can’t help but feel that Patton was indeed right.  “It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather, we should thank God that such men lived.”

Enjoy your Sunday, everyone.

Category: Historical, Real Soldiers, We Remember