August Herman MECKELBURG Jr
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Source : Brian Jodi Kueker
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NUMBER OF SERVICE | 33277362 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
AGE | 27 yo | |||||||||||||||||||||||
DATE OF BIRTH | 10 October 1916 Uniontown, Fayette County, PENNSYLVANIA | |||||||||||||||||||||||
ENLISTMENT STATE | PENNSYLVANIA | |||||||||||||||||||||||
FAMILY |
Parents: August & Kate MECKELBURG | |||||||||||||||||||||||
RANK | Private First Class | |||||||||||||||||||||||
FONCTION | Infantry Class | |||||||||||||||||||||||
JOB BEFORE ENLISTEMENT | Semiskilled warehousing, storekeeping, handling, loading, unloading, and related occupations | |||||||||||||||||||||||
DATE of ENLISTEMENT | 23 June 1942 Greensburg PENNSYLVANIA | |||||||||||||||||||||||
COMPANY | Company | |||||||||||||||||||||||
REGIMENT | 315th Infantry Regiment | |||||||||||||||||||||||
DIVISION | 79th Infantry Division | |||||||||||||||||||||||
DATE OF DEATH | 9 July 1944 |
Source : Andy
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STATUS | KIA | |||||||||||||||||||||||
PLACE OF DEATH | Sector La Hayes du Puits | |||||||||||||||||||||||
CEMETERY TEMPORARY |
CEMTERY TEMPORARY of Blosville N°3508
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CEMETERY | NORMANDY AMERICAN CEMETERY of Colleville | |||||||||||||||||||||||
GRAVE |
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DECORATION |
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STORY | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Source : Diane LM
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Private First-Class August Herman Meckelburg, Jr., born 10 Oct 1916, was the son of August and Katie (Kurns) Meckelburg of Uniontown, Fayette County, Pennsylvania. Uniontown is 47 mi SSW of Pittsburgh.
On 20 Dec 1916 when August was two months old his 3 year old brother John died of burns from accidentally falling into a tub of hot water. August’s mother died 8 Mar 1928 at the age of 47 when he was 11 years old.
In the 1930 census 13-year-old August is and inmate at the Boys Industrial Home in Oakdale Borough of Alleghany County, PA.
In the 1940 census 22-year-old August is living with his widowed father in the household of his paternal grandfather Ernest Meckelburg 79, with his siblings Dan 24, Pearl 21, and Samuel 19, at 496 Braddock Ave., in Uniontown. His father is a coal miner.
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Source : Brian Jodi Kueker
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Source : Brian Jodi Kueker
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On his Oct 1940 draft registration August is still living at at 496 Braddock and is working at the Fayette Stock Yards.
August enlisted 23 Jun 1942 in Greensburg, PA. He’d had a grammar school education and was single without dependents. His civil occupation was listed under warehousing and storekeeping. He was 5’10” and weighed 165 lbs. He was assigned to the 315th Infantry Regiment of the 79th Infantry Division.
The 79th ID held a defensive line at the Olonde River until 2 July 1944 and then returned to the offensive, taking La Haye-du-Puits in house-to-house fighting, 8 July. La Haye-du-Puits is on the west side of the Cotentin Peninsula 14 miles due west of Carentan and 27 miles south of Cherbourg.
The NARA WWII casualty listings by state and county for Pennsylvania show Meckelburg, August H Jr, Pfc from Fayette County as killed in action so we can assume he was killed at or near La Haye-du-Puits on 9 Jul 1944. Per his US WWII Hospital Admission Card File he was killed by a bullet in the neck.
From dday-overlord: “On July 8th in the afternoon, the Americans renewed the attack on a terrain that is covered by very many German mines. Engineers must clear the gates, while the infantry, supported by the tanks of the 749th Tank Battalion, are caught by enemy artillery fire. Despite a slow and difficult progression, the 79th Infantry Division reached the first settlements north-west of La Haye-du-Puits in the early evening. Many officers are killed, and the units are commanded by non-commissioned officers taking excellent initiatives. All day of July 9 is necessary to seize the entire city which is largely destroyed by the bombings of the past weeks.”
August was awarded a posthumous Silver Star for gallantry in action.
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79th INFANTRY DIVISION - CROSS OF LORRAINE
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SOURCE INFORMATION & SOURCE PHOTO | Brian Jodi Kueker - Abmc.gov - Findagrave.com - Aad.archives.gov |
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PROGRAMMER | Henri, Garrett, Clive, Frédéric & Renaud |