John Williams SOURS

 

sours john william

Source : JF Pellouais

ARMY SERIAL NUMBERO-337213 (33090326)
AGE42 yo
DATE OF BIRTH26 march 1902 VIRGINIA
STATEVIRGINIA
FAMILYMarried: Emma Villanna CUNDIFF SOURS
2 Children Parent : Julian Donald SOURS & Edith Lillian KELLY SOURS
RANKMajor
FONCTION 
JOB before ENLISTEMENT VA
DATE of ENLISTEMENT3 october 1941 Roanoke VIRGINIA - National Guard
COMPANYSection Régimental Headquarter
Intelligence Officer S-4
REGIMENT116th Infantry Regiment
DIVISION29th Infantry Division
DATE OF DEATH6 june 1944sours john tombe
STATUSDeclared KIA on June 9 1944
PLACE OF DEATHOmaha Beach - Killed by machine gun fire in the head
CEMETERYNORMANDY AMERICAN CEMETERY de Colleville

Plan du Normandy American Cemetery

GRAVE
PlotRowGrave
I922
DECORATION
Purple HeartPhoto FDLM
Photo FDLM div 29 116ri
STORY

“You've asked me what I know in connection with the death of the commander John Sours on D-Day, since and me were to him in the same landing barge. I remember very clearly what occurred, and here how all that took place.

Very early in this morning of the D-day, after the breakfast, “Big John” and me finished preparing our business, and as our berths were one opposite the other, we helped themselves to fix the net of camouflage on our helmets. When the hour came we climbed on the bridge of the ship, which was not easy this morning because of the swell and the weight of our bags… Despite everything, we all are there arrived (we were then 26) and we moved away from the large ship in our landing barges. We turned a little bit in round in water, then we moved towards the shore, which one could distinguish only one fine layout because of the distance which separated us.

The commander Sours was held on my line in the barge, it was in second position in front of the barge. While we arrive, we said ourselves that it would be easy to cross under the balls of the mitailleuses ones. We all were squatted at the bottom of the ship which was slipping and covered with sea water.

Then the boat remained wedged against an obstacle of beach which was surmounted by a standard mine Tellermine. There were approximately 80 meters of distance between us and the beach. The various successive waves moved away the barge from the obstacle which then moved towards the coast, then we landed.

I threw a glance on my line, and I could observe Big John come in my direction. He saw me looking at it, and shouted me: “How is it, doctor?”. After having reached a narrow low wall which more or less enabled us to be with cover, I looked at the dreadful landscape in direction of the sea. I then immediately could locate two men who required that one left them water. With a soldier of the row, I went to carry help to them. One of them had a wound with the leg. The other, an officer, was extended, the head plunged in water. When I raised it, I then recognized the commander Sours. It had already died when I found it. The EC what I could observe, it seemed to me that it had been killed by a ball of machine-gun in the head.

I then helped the soldier wounded with the leg to cross the beach. Whereas we were always in water, I located a helmet which floated. He belonged to Sours, and had been crossed by a ball which had entered then arisen. As quickly as possible, the body of the commander Sours was moved at a place protected from the beach. I took care to cover it well, just like of many soldiers fallen this day.

I know that you will tell all that with Mrs Sours. It is pouquoi I will have liked to add another thing. I made a point of saying to him that it was a man well, a man really very well, who had deserved the respect and the admiration of all. And the guy of the regiment which knew the commander Sours think like me.”

Robert BUCKLEY, 27 Janvier  1945

 sours john william1
sours john william2sours john william tombe1

 

Son's John W


John W SOURS Jr

ARMY SERIAL NUMBER--
AGE--- yo
STATEVIRGINIA
RANK VA
UNITE

Corps des Marines

marine

sours john william son 

He fought against the Japanese in the Pacific (Solomon Islands, Filipino).

John was informed of the death of his father by a telegram of the Red Cross.


INFORMATION SOURCEClive TIRLEMONT
PICTURE SOURCEClive TIRLEMONT - Findagrave.com - Frédéric LAVERNHE
PROGRAMMERFrédéric & Renaud
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