ZAHN Sylvan A - 51 IB 4 AD

 

Sylvan Anthony ZAHN

 

zahn_sylvan_a

Source :  acl (Findagrave.com) & Arnaud Gaté

NUMBER OF SERVICEO-1014041
AGE26 yo
DATE OF BIRTH10 December 1917 Belleville, St. Clair County, ILLINOIS
ENLISTMENT STATEILLINOIS
FAMILY

Spouse : Vera M Campbell 

Parents : John B & Elizabeth ZAHN

Sister : Norma T

RANK
2nd Lieutenant Second_lieutenant
FONCTIONFonction
JOB BEFORE ENLISTEMENT IL
DATE of ENLISTEMENT12 June 1941 
COMPANY 
BATTALION51st Infantry Battalion 
DIVISION  4th Armored Division
DATE OF DEATH8 August 1944

zahn_sylvan_a

Source : Aurélie & Sloan Quoturel

STATUSKIA
PLACE OF DEATHLorient
CEMETERY TEMPORARY

CEMETERY TEMPORARY of  Blosville N°3508

blosville

Story of Cemetery Temporary 

CEMETERYNORMANDY AMERICAN CEMETERY of Colleville

Map of Normandy American Cemetery

GRAVE
PlotRowGrave
B1537
DECORATION & BREVET

Bronze Star

Purple Heart

World War II Victory Medal 

Combat Infantryman Badge

 

bsm

Photo FDLM

victory medal

combat infantryman badge

 
us army div arm 4 div arm 4 1 51st Infantry Battalion
STORY

zahn_sylvan_a

Source : Ancestrry 

 
 

zahn_sylvan_a

Source : Ancestrry 

 Second Lieut. Sylvan A. Zahn, 26, was killed in action in northern France, August 8, while fighting the German 7th Army, the War Department informed his widow, Mrs. Vera Campbell Zahn, 720 South 29th Street, last night.

Lieut. Zahn, attached to an infantry armored division, was a son of Mr. and Mrs. John B. Zahn, 308 South 16th Street. He has a four-month-old son, Sylvan A. Jr., whom he never saw.

Born in Belleville, December 10, 1917, he was a son of John and Elizabeth Zahn, nee Huber. He was graduated from St. Mary's Grade School and Cathedral High School and attended David Rankin Trade School in St. Louis.

Before entering the Army, he was employed in the information department at Union Station, St. Louis.

He was inducted June 12, 1941 and was commissioned in November 1942. He went overseas last January 12, Zahn married Miss Vera Campbell, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Carl C. Campbell, December 18, 1941.

He was a charter member of Boy Scout Troop No. 3 at St. Mary's Church and also member of the first senior Scout unit in this area.

Besides his widow, his son and parents, Lieut. Zahn is survived by two brothers and two sisters: Randolph Zahn, 103 North 21st Street; Leslie Zahn, Sparta; Mrs. Leland Paule, 4382 Beck Avenue, St. Louis and Sister Frances of the Carmelite Monastery, St. Louis.
*************************************************
From The Belleville News-Democrat, 6 December 1944

Mrs. Vera Campbell Zahn, 720 South 29th Street, received the Purple Heart awarded posthumously to her husband, Lieut. Sylvan A. Zahn, who was killed August 8 during an advance attack at Lorient, France. 

From The Belleville News-Democrat, 25 April 1945

The Bronze Star Medal awarded posthumously to Lieut. Sylvan A. Zahn, last night was presented to his widow, Mrs. Vera Zahn, 720 South 29th Street. Lieut. Zahn was killed in action August 8 and the medal was awarded for "gallantry beyond the call of duty" and meritorious service in connection with military operations against the enemy, August 7, 1944 at St. Lorient, France.

The awarded was presented by Capt. Donet C. Smith, commanding officer, Area J, District 3, Sixth Service Command, East St. Louis.

bsm
 

zahn_sylvan_a

Source : Ancestrry 

 

div arm 4

4th ARMORED DIVISION - BREAKTHROUGH

 

Activated/Activé

 Normandy/Normandie
15 Apr 1941  Days of Combat/Jour de Combat  230
   Casualties/Victimes  6 212

Entered Combat/Entré au combat

  
17 Jul 1944 Normandy  

Commanding Generals/Commandants généraux

Maj. Gen. H. W. Baird (Apr 41 - May 42)
Maj. Gen. J. S. Wood (May 42 - Dec 44)
Maj. Gen. Hugh J. Gaffey (Dec 44 - Mar 45)
Maj. Gen. W. M. Hoge (Mar 45 - Jun 45)
Brig. Gen. B. L. Clarke (Jun 45 - Jul 45)
Brig. Gen. W. Lyn Roberts (Jul 45 - Sep 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)
Ardennes-Alsace (16 Dec 44 - 25 Jan 45)
Central Europe (22 Mar 45 - 11 May 45)
   

CAMPAIGN MAP OF THE 4TH ARMORED DIVISION

Campaign Map Of The 4th Armored Division

This vintage map chart the journey of the 4th Armored Division throughout World War II. The map can be zoomed in and purchased at HistoryShots.com.
 

DIVISION CHRONICLE


After training in England from January to July 1944, the 4th Armored Division landed at Utah Beach 11 July 1944 and entered combat 17 July, driving to and securing the Coutances area, 28 July, The Division then swung south to take Nantes, cutting off the Brittany Peninsula, 12 August 1944. Turning east, it drove swiftly across France north of the Loire, smashed across the Moselle 11-13 September, flanked Nancy and captured Luneville, 16 September. After maintaining a defensive line, Chambrey to Xanrey to Henamenil, from 27 September to 11 October, the Division rested briefly before returning to combat 9 November with an attack in the vicinity of Viviers. The 4th cleared Bois de Serres, 12 November, advanced through Dieuze and crossed the Saar, 21-22 November, to establish and expand bridgehead and took Singling and Bining before being relieved 8 December. Two days after the Germans launched their Ardennes offensive, the 4th Armored entered the fight (18 December 1944), racing northwest into Belgium, covering 150 miles in 19 hours. The Division attacked the Germans at Bastogne, helping to relieve the besieged 101st Airborne. Six weeks later the Division jumped off from Luxembourg City in an eastward plunge that carried it across the Moselle River at Treir, , south and east to Worms, and across the Rhine, 24-25 March 1945. Advancing all night, the 4th crossed the Main River the next day, south of Hanau, and continued to push on. Lauterbach fell 29 March, Creuzburg across the Werra on 1 April, Gotha on the 4th, and by 12 April the Division was across the Saale River. Pursuit of the enemy continued and by 6 May the Division had crossed into Czechoslovakia, established a bridgehead across the Otara River at Strakonice, with forward elements at Pisek. After a tour of occupational duty, the 4th returned to the United States for inactivation, some of its elements, however, remaining as occupation forces after redesignation as constabulary units.

CHRONIQUE DE DIVISION


Après une formation en Angleterre de janvier à juillet 1944, la 4ème division blindée débarque à Utah Beach le 11 juillet 1944 et entre en combat le 17 juillet. Elle se rend au secteur de Coutances et le sécurise le 28 juillet. Elle se dirige ensuite vers le sud pour prendre Nantes, coupant la Péninsule bretonne, 12 août 1944. En se dirigeant vers l'est, il traverse rapidement la France au nord de la Loire, traverse la Moselle les 11 et 13 septembre, encadre Nancy et s'empare de Lunéville le 16 septembre. Après avoir maintenu une ligne défensive de Chambrey à destination de Xanrey à Henamenil du 27 septembre au 11 octobre, la Division s’est brièvement arrêtée avant de reprendre le combat le 9 novembre avec une attaque aux environs de Viviers. La 4e a dégagé le Bois de Serres, le 12 novembre, a traversé Dieuze et traversé la Sarre, les 21 et 22 novembre, pour établir et agrandir la tête de pont et a pris Singling et Bining avant d'être relevée le 8 décembre. Deux jours après que les Allemands aient lancé leur offensive dans les Ardennes, le 4ème blindé est entré en combat (le 18 décembre 1944), courant vers le nord-ouest en Belgique, parcourant 150 milles en 19 heures. La Division a attaqué les Allemands à Bastogne, aidant à soulager la 101ème Airborne assiégée. Six semaines plus tard, la division quitta la ville de Luxembourg et plongea vers l'est. Elle traversa la Moselle à Treir, au sud et à l'est jusqu'à Worms, et traversa le Rhin les 24 et 25 mars 1945. La 4e traversa la Main River le lendemain au sud de Hanau et a continué à avancer. Lauterbach est tombée le 29 mars sur Creuzburg, de l'autre côté de la Werra, le 4 avril à Gotha, et le 12 avril, la division traversait la rivière Saale. La poursuite de l'ennemi se poursuivait et, le 6 mai, la Division était entrée en Tchécoslovaquie et avait établi une tête de pont sur la rivière Otara à Strakonice, avec des éléments en avant à Pisek. Après une tournée de travail, le 4e est retourné aux États-Unis pour y être inactivé, mais certains de ses éléments sont toutefois demeurés en tant que forces d'occupation après avoir été redésignés en unités de police.
SOURCE INFORMATION & PHOTOArmydivs.squarespace.com

SOURCE INFORMATION & SOURCE PHOTOWeremember.abmc.gov - Findagrave.com -  Ancestry
EDITORSVictor,  Jean-Philippe, Eric, Henri, Garrett, Clive, Frédéric & Renaud
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