Lawrence Samuel GORDON

 

gordon lawrence
ARMY SERIAL NUMBER19074804
AGE28 yo
DATE OF BIRTH26 june 1916
Eastend, Saskatchewan CANADA
STATECANADA  drap cana
FAMILYParent: Sam & Ella GORDON
RANKPFC
FONCTIONM8 Commander
JOB before ENLISTEMENTFarm hands, animal and livestockSaskatchewan
DATE of ENLISTEMENTJanuary 24, 1942 Seattle WASHINGTON
COMPANYReconnaissance Company
REGIMENT32nd Armored Regiment
DIVISION3rd Armored Division
DATE OF DEATHAugust 13, 1944gordon lawrence tombe
STATUSKIA
PLACE OF DEATHCarrouges ORNE
CEMETERY TEMPORARY 

Cemetery Temporary of GORON from MAYENNE N°3527

GERMAN CEMETERYGerman Cemetery from Huisne-sur-Mer Cimetière Allemand de Huisne-sur-Mer
CEMETERYBRITTANY AMERICAN CEMETERY from St James

Map Cemetery Brittany from St James

Wall of Missing
DEFINIVE CEMETERYEastend Canadian Cemetery, SASKATCHEWANgordon lawrence tombe canada
DECORATION

Purple Heart

World War II Victory Medal 

Combat Infantryman Badge

 

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victory medal

combat infantryman badge

 

us armydiv arm 332 armored
STORY

Soldier Lawrence GORDON to Return to Canada

gordon lawrence 1

At the end of an important work by historians, confirmed by DNA identification research.

Everything began in the early 2000s when PFC Gordon 's nephew honored his father's promise to go to his brother's grave, who had fallen under German bullets on 13 August 1944 near Carrouges (Orne).

But when he arrived at the American cemetery in Normandy, he realized that his uncle was among the "Missing in Action".

His body was missing.

Upon returning to Canada, the family got in touch with an American historian whose grandfather was also in the same unit as
PFC GORDON.

At the same time, a French amateur historian, Alexis Boban, was passionate about the 32nd Regiment of the 3rd American Armored Division to which the soldier belonged. They had the same objective, tracking the last days of PFC Gordon.

 

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On June 9 and 10, 2014, two ceremonies were held in honor of First Class soldier Lawrence S. Gordon on the sidelines of the 70th anniversary commemorations of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy.

This American Canadian soldier, who died on August 13, 1944, was mistakenly buried as an unknown German soldier.

The first ceremony consisted in the official identification of the first class Gordon and the second in handing over to his family the
body of this man who was the victim of an error of identification, 70 years ago.

On his last trip, Private Lawrence S. GORDON crossed the Atlantic.

The bones of this Canadian-born member of the US Army, buried in the German cemetery of Huisne-sur-Mer (Manche) as a soldier of the Wehrmarcht for 69 years, were handed over to his nephews and Nieces on 10 June.

By putting their work together, they succeed in reconstructing a story.

Born in 1916, engaged in the US Army but of Canadian nationality, Private Gordon was sent to the front after the Normandy landings.

He joined the reconnaissance company on August 13, 1944, in command of an armored vehicle.

"A German shot hit the tank and the vehicle caught fire ...

"The last survivor tells us that the two occupants of the turret were dead on the spot.

The driver was able to extricate himself and died two days later. "

Buried at first in an American cemetery, the gravediggers realized  during an exhumation that he was wrapped in a jacket of the 3rd Reich.

They then transferred him to a German cemetery, burial number 8209 having no identity plate.

Ceremony of handing over of the family to the German Cemetery of Huisne-sur-Mer

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En route for his last rest

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For four days, the remains of the soldier were escorted by hundreds of American veterans, police and sheriffs, among others, across five American states.

About fifty motorcyclists had swelled the ranks of the procession. Some said they were very moved to travel to Canada to bury their fellow soldier.

Citizens also gathered on the sidewalks of their municipality to greet the procession.


PICTURE INFORMATION SOURCEJM BONNET - Angélique COURAUD - Frédéric LAVERNHE - Defense.gouv.fr - France3-regions.francetvinfo.fr - Stripes.com - 20minutes.fr - Cbc.ca - Nathalie VARNIERE
PROGRAMMERFrédéric & Renaud
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