Edwin Joseph NEELY
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NUMBER OF SERVICE | O-1183140 (33308164) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
AGE | 22 yo | |||||||||||||||||||||||
DATE OF BIRTH | 17 December 1921 Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, PENNSYLVANIA | |||||||||||||||||||||||
ETAT | PENNSYLVANIA | |||||||||||||||||||||||
FAMILY |
Parents: William Herbert & Catherine Justinia. Maxwell NEELY | |||||||||||||||||||||||
RANK | Second Lieutenant | |||||||||||||||||||||||
FONCTION | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
JOB BEFORE ENLISTEMENT | Paymasters, payroll clerks, and timekeepers | |||||||||||||||||||||||
DATE of ENLISTEMENT | 12 Octobre 1942 Pittsburgh PENNSYLVANIA | |||||||||||||||||||||||
BATTALION | 311th Field Artillery Battalion | |||||||||||||||||||||||
DIVISION | 79th Infantry Division | |||||||||||||||||||||||
DATE OF DEATH | 25 June 1944 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
STATUS | KIA | |||||||||||||||||||||||
PLACE OF DEATH | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
CEMETERY | NORMANDY AMERICAN CEMETERY of Colleville | |||||||||||||||||||||||
GRAVE |
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DECORATION |
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STORY | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
2nd Lt Edwin J. Neely was from Pittsburgh PA.
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The information below of how Edwin died was sent to me by the son of one of the men present. I am very grateful for it. From the diaries of Col. Walton S. Van Arsdale, US Army, 79th Division : "During the spring and summer of 1944, I was the Executive Officer of the 311th Field Artillery Battalion, 79th Infantry Division. The battalion was commanded by Lt. Colonel Thomas Foote. The 314th Infantry Regiment was alerted for commitment on the 20th of June. The Regiment moved along very well until they reached the outer perimeter of the Cherbourg defenses. This was where the going got rough. June 21st, 1944. During the daylight hours of the first two days the regiment had been fighting hard from daylight (about 4am) until dark (about 8pm). After the day's fighting was over the planning for the next days battle was being made at the Infantry Command Post. On June 22nd, 1944, somewhere east of Tollevast and west of the Valognes-Cherbourg Highway, at some time during the day, most likely afternoon, the regiment was encountering heavy resistance. The Artillery Fire Direction center was receiving calls for fire from all directions. Our command post on this date was an apple orchard or small field, surrounded by the hedgerows that are so common there. We were East-South-East of a small town named Negreville. Because of the Speed of the action and the type of terrain it was deemed necessary by Lt. Col. Foote to send out more Forward Observer parties than the normal three (one to each infantry battalion). As well as I can remember we had 6 F.O. parties in addition to the regular assigned 3. During this critical time for the regiment, 2 Artillery F.O. parties were lost, one of which was commanded by 2nd Lt. Edwin Neely and assisted by Sgt. Theodore W. Miller. During a heavy concentration of enemy artillery fire both Lt. Neely and Sgt. Miller were killed in action. As they were directing our artillery fire on the enemy from a forward position a single shell hit their position, killing both. This left only the radio operator who knew nothing of artillery fire. Lt. Col. Foote was present nearby when this happened and took over the artillery fire direction and neutralized the enemy positions. After relief soldiers arrived the bodies of Neely and Miller were evacuated to an aid station. This date, the 22nd, was key to the activities that led to the successful capture of Cherbourg."Lt. Neely was apparently part of the Service Battery of the Regiment. On the day of the action it is unknown which battalion he was supporting. There is some confusion as to the exact dates. In a letter from Lt. Col. Foote it may have been the 24th or 25th, but my grandfather had pretty good records and insisted it was the 22nd. He seemed to think it fit with the documented history of the 79th Division in the Contenin Peninsula. I can tell from his other entries in the diary that he was quite affected by the deaths of these men under his command, it was never an easy thing for him to move past. Best, James James Van Arsdale, Santa Barbara, CA =============== A soldier, a gentleman and a man of honor is at rest. The Gates of Heaven have swung open and the Heavenly Father has extended His mighty hand. Take His hand, Edwin J. Neely. You may be gone but you will never be forgotten. Go with God. =========================================== Edwin's father was W. Herbert Neely and his mother was Catherine Justinia Maxwell Neely. The Findagrave.com links to their memorials are below. He was the middle of 5 children: William H, John M., Edwin J, Mary and William F. His grandfather was William Francis Neely. His memorial is at at Find a grave site 121415785, His great grandfather James Flood (Memorial # 121413497) came from Ireland and served in the Civil War. ============ I know many people who served in WWII, including 2 who were at D Day. They all deny they are heroes. They all say the true heroes are the ones who did not make it home. One of these is Edwin. to Edwin: You were only 22 when you died, which is so terribly young. You rest forever so far away from your family. There were no children for you, no grandchildren, no Pittsburgh Steelers, no new cars, no picnics or fishing or anything else.But you did something more important than any of us will probably ever do. I hope you now dwell in peace and joy and love forever with your family and all the angels in the shelter of God. - E. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
79th INFANTRY DIVISION - CROSS OF LORRAINE
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SOURCE INFORMATION & PHOTO | Abmc.gov - Findagrave.com - Monty Mc DANIEL - Frédéric LAVERNHE - Aad.archives.gov |
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PROGRAMMER | Garrett, Clive, Frédéric & Renaud |