William Lawrence DIEDRICK

"Billie"

Source : Victor Daniel

4 October 1918 Honey Grove, Finnin county, TEXAS

Parents : Allen Benjamin Crouch & Manon Hill DIEDRICK 

Source : F Lavernhe

 CEMETERY TEMPORARY of Blosville N°3508

Story of Cemetery Temporary  

Map of Normandy American Cemetery

The two DIEDRICK brothers were totally opposed.
While Brice, who was ambitious, dreamed of great success, William was more discreet to him despite his excellent abilities.

After having avoided being mobilized for a while he finally enlisted during the year 1942, he was quickly offered the Officer Candidate School of the US Army which he passed.

Brice was seeking a law school, but when the country went to war he made every effort to join the US Army Air Force. His short size prevented him then wrote to the county representative in the US House of Representatives that allowed him access.

The two brothers were thus on the European stage; Billie at the head of an infantry section of the 8th Infantry Division and Brice at the controls of a B-24 "Liberator".

The "Golden Arrow" division landed on Utah Beach in early July and engaged in combat in the Bay of Cotentin. After quickly distinguished himself in combat, William received the Silver Star medal but died shortly afterwards not far from La-Haie-du-Puits at the head of his section.

The news quickly reached his family in the United States who forwarded a letter to his brother Brice stationed in England.
Brice was preparing to leave again in his bomber for a mission of bombing oil plants in Romania.

Just as he had received the letter announcing his brother’s death, an acquaintance of his and William who had just learned that his former classmate was stationed on the area paid him a visit.
His family will say they like to think that Brice had a fellow Texan with him to mourn.
This mission was to be the last for Brice, who would be shot down below Yugoslavia.

The bodies were to be recovered by the locals who would keep them in the mountains in the cold.
Once the war was over, the Yugoslavs were going to sell $10,000 of the remains to the US government...

Source : Victor Daniel

Source : Victor Daniel

Source : Victor Daniel

8^th  INFANTRY DIVISION - GOLDEN ARROW  

Activated/Activé	Normandy/Normandie
1 Jul 1940	Days of Combat/Jour de Combat  266
	Casualties/Victimes 13 986
Entered Combat/Entré au combat
8 Jul 1944 Normandy
Commanding Generals/Commandants généraux Maj. Gen. Philip B. Peyton (Jun 40 - Dec 40) Maj. Gen. James P. Marley (Dec 40 - Feb 41) Maj. Gen. William E. Shedd (Feb 41 - Feb 41) Maj. Gen. Henry Terrell, Jr. (Mar 41 - Mar 41) Maj. Gen. James P. Marley (Apr 41 - Jul 42) Maj. Gen. Paul E. Peabody (Aug 42 - Jan 43) Maj. Gen. William C. McMahon (Feb 43 - Jul 44) Maj. Gen. Donald A. Stroh (Jul 44 - Dec 44) Maj. Gen. William G. Weaver (Dec 44 - Feb 45) Maj. Gen. Bryant E. Moore (Feb 45 - Nov 45)	Campaigns/Campagnes Normandy (6 Jun 44 - 24 Jul 44) Northern France (25 Jul 44 - 14 Sep 44) Rhineland (15 Sep 44 - 21 Mar 45) Central Europe (22 Mar 45 - 11 May 45)
PLAN DE ROUTE DE LA CAMPAGNE - CAMPAIGN ROUTE MAP
DIVISION CHRONICLE After training in Ireland the 8th Infantry Division landed on Utah Beach, Normandy, 4 July 1944, and entered combat on the 7th. Fighting through the hedgerows, it crossed the Ay River, 26 July, pushed through Rennes, 8 August, and attacked Brest in September. The Crozon Peninsula was cleared, 19 September, and the Division drove across France to Luxembourg, moved to the Hurtgen Forest, 20 November, cleared Hurtgen on the 28th and Brandenburg, 3 December, and pushed on to the Roer. That river was crossed on 23 February 1945, Duren taken on the 25th and the Erft Canal crossed on the 28th. The 8th reached the Rhine near Rodenkirchen, 7 March, and maintained positions along the river near Koln. On 6 April the Division attacked northwest to aid in the destruction of enemy forces in the Ruhr Pocket, and by the 17th had completed its mission. After security duty, the Division, under operational control of the British Second Army, drove across the Elbe, 1 May, and penetrated to Schwerin when the war in Europe ended.	CHRONIQUE DE DIVISION Après s'être entraîné en Irlande, la 8th Infantry Division débarque à Utah Beach, en Normandie, le 4 juillet 1944, et entre en combat le 7. Traversant les haies, il franchit la rivière Ay, le 26 juillet, traverse Rennes le 8 août et attaque Brest en septembre. La péninsule de Crozon a été défrichée le 19 septembre et la Division a traversé la France jusqu'au Luxembourg, s'est installée dans la forêt de Hurtgen le 20 novembre, a défriché Hurtgen le 28 et Brandebourg le 3 décembre et s'est dirigée vers la Roer. Cette rivière fut franchie le 23 février 1945, Duren fut prise le 25 et le canal Erft traversa le 28. Le 8 a atteint le Rhin près de Rodenkirchen, le 7 mars, et a maintenu des positions le long de la rivière près de Cologne. Le 6 avril, la division attaqua le nord-ouest pour aider à la destruction des forces ennemies dans la poche de la Ruhr. Le 17, elle avait achevé sa mission. Après la sécurité, la Division, sous le contrôle opérationnel de la deuxième armée britannique, traversa l'Elbe le 1er mai et pénétra à Schwerin à la fin de la guerre en Europe.

Brother's

William

Brice Coulter DIEDRICK

Source : Victor Daniel

 720^th Bomber Squadron

450^th Bomb Group

15^th Air Force

Source : Carole Curry

Source : Carole Curry

Source : Carole Curry