Wilbur David CROTEAU

 

Croteau wilbur d
NUMBER OF SERVICE39252559
AGE23 yo
DATE OF BIRTH22 December 1921 MINNESOTA 
ETATLos Angeles CALIFORNIA 
FAMILY

Parents: Gonyea & Wilbur CROTEAU Sr

RANKP  F C
FONCTIONPathfinder Stick 3 team D
JOB BEFORE ENLISTEMENT CA
DATE of ENLISTEMENT18 August 1942 Los Angeles CALIFORNIA
COMPANY Company G
BATTALION3rd Battalion
REGIMENT  506th Parachute Infantry Regiment
DIVISION  101st Airborne Division 
DATE OF DEATH9 June 1944croteau wilbur d tombe
STATUSKIA
PLACE OF DEATHSt Come du Mont Sector 
CEMETERY TEMPORARY

 

CEMTERY TEMPORARY of  Blosville N°3508

blosville

Story of Cemetery Temporary 

PlotRowGrave
K8156

 

CEMETERYNORMANDY AMERICAN CEMETERY of Colleville

Map of Normandy American Cemetery

GRAVE
PlotRowGrave
A444
DECORATION

Bronze Star

Purple Heart

bsm

Photo FDLM

 

us army div 101 506pir
STORY

The 506th PIR was activated on July 20, 1942 and is based at Camp Toccoa GEORGIA.

The training lasts 13 weeks to be patented for 5 parachute jumps are mandatory.

Wilbur volunteered for the paratroopers later he will also volunteer to join the pathfinders of the 101st Airborne Division.

croteau QG 3 BAT 506 PIR

Photo of 506th with Wilbur

The 506th participates in Operation Albany on the night of June 5 to 6, 1944.

Wilbur is among the first paras to touch Norman soil because Wilbur is one of the pathfinders.

Wilbur is in the stick 3 team D.

He touches the ground west of St Come du Mont.

He jumps on France around 00:30 under the fire fed German ... on the ground the grouping of sticks is impossible.

The pathfinders of the 501st PIR managed to start their Eureka beacon on the DZ.

Croteau wilbur d famille

Wilbur with family

Croteau wilbur d headstone inscription
Croteau wilbur d 1Wilbur Croteau, it is him who trains at the shooting in the center, in England during a training.
carte 506 pir carte 506 pir 1 carte 506 pir 2

Drop Zone: DZ "D" (501st PIR - 506th PIR)

Drop time: 00h30

 

List of Pathfinders – Stick 3 – 506th PIR – Team D

Second Lieutenant John T. WINDISH – 101st Airborne Div., 506th PIR, 3rd Bn, I Co
Warrant Officer Ernest L. DILBRUN – 101st Airborne Div., 506th PIR, 3rd Bn
Sergeant Thayer CARLTON – 101st Airborne Div., 506th PIR, 3rd Bn
Sergeant Sidney L. McCALLUM – 101st Airborne Div., 506th PIR, 3rd Bn
Technical 5th Erwin F. ZAHNADNIK – 101st Airborne Div., 506th PIR, 3rd Bn
Technical 4th Louis B. TUTTLE – 101st Airborne Div., 506th PIR, 3rd Bn
Corporal James A. BENSON – 101st Airborne Div., 506th PIR, 3rd Bn
Private First Class Jack L. BROWN – 101st Airborne Div., 506th PIR, 3rd Bn
Private First Class Wilbur D. CROTEAU – 101st Airborne Div., 506th PIR, 3rd Bn, G Co
Private First Class John D. EDWARDS – 101st Airborne Div., 506th PIR, 3rd Bn
Private First Class George KENFIELD – 101st Airborne Div., 506th PIR, 3rd Bn
Private First Class Edmund LOJKO – 101st Airborne Div., 506th PIR, 3rd Bn
Private First Class John J. HOUK – 101st Airborne Div., 506th PIR, 3rd Bn
Private First Class William WEBER – 101st Airborne Div., 506th PIR, 3rd Bn
Private David D. MORGAN – 101st Airborne Div., 506th PIR, 3rd Bn
Private Jerome E. WERBELA – 101st Airborne Div., 506th PIR, 3rd Bn
Private Dell T. RIPPLE – 101st Airborne Div., 506th PIR, 3rd Bn
Private Raymond J. SCHANEER – 101st Airborne Div., 506th PIR, 3rd Bn

pathfinder

div 101

101st AIRBORNE DIVISION - SCREAMING EAGLES

 

Activated/Activé

 Normandy/Normandie

15 Aug 1942  Days of Combat/Jour de Combat  214
   Casualties/Victimes 9 328

Entered Combat/Entré au combat

 
6 Jun1944 D-Day  

Commanding Generals/Commandants généraux

Maj. Gen. William C. Lee (Aug 42 - Mar 44)
Maj. Gen. Maxwell D. Taylor (Mar 44 - Dec 44)
Brig. Gen. Anthony C. McAuliffe (Dec 44 - Dec 44)
Maj. Gen. Maxwell D. Taylor (Dec 44 - Sep 45)

Campaigns/Campagnes

Normandy (6 Jun 44 - 24 Jul 44)

Rhineland (15 Sep 44 - 21 Mar 45)
Ardennes-Alsace (16 Dec 44 - 25 Jan 45)
Central Europe (22 Mar 45 - 11 May 45)

   

PLAN DE ROUTE DE LA CAMPAGNE - CAMPAIGN ROUTE MAP

carte campagne europe

DIVISION CHRONICLE


The 101st Airborne arrived in England, 15 September 1943, and received additional training in Berkshire and Wiltshire. On 6 June 1944, the Division was dropped into Normandy behind Utah Beach. Against fierce resistance it took Pouppeville, Vierville, and St. Come du Mont. On the 12th, the stronghold of Carentan fell, and after mopping up and maintaining its positions, the Division returned to England, 13 July, for rest and training. On 17 September 1944, taking part in one of the largest of airborne invasions, the 101st landed in Holland, took Vechel and held the Zon bridge. St. Oedenrode and Eindhoven fell after sharp fighting on the 17th and 18th. Opheusden changed hands in a shifting struggle, but the enemy was finally forced to withdraw, 9 October. After extensive patrols, the Division returned to France, 28 November, for further training. On 18 December, it moved to Belgium to stop the German breakthrough. Moving into Bastogne under the acting command of Brig. Gen. Anthony C. McAuliffe, it set up a circular defense and although completely surrounded, refused to surrender on 22 December. Its perimeter held against violent attacks. The 4th Armored Division finally reached the 101st on the 26th and the enemy offensive was blunted. Very heavy fighting continued near Bastogne for the rest of December and January. On 17 January 1945, the Division moved to Drulingen and Pfaffenhoffen in Alsace and engaged in defensive harassing patrols along the Moder River. On 31 January, it crossed the Moder in a three-company raid. After assembling at Mourmelon, France, 26 February 1945, for training, it moved to the Ruhr pocket, 31 March, patrolling and raiding in April and engaging in military government at Rheydt and Munchen-Gladbach. The 101st reached Berchtesgaden by the end of the war and performed occupational duties until inactivation in Germany.

CHRONIQUE DE DIVISION


Le 101st Airborne est arrivé en Angleterre, le 15 septembre 1943, et a reçu une formation supplémentaire dans le Berkshire et le Wiltshire. Le 6 juin 1944, la division est larguée en Normandie derrière Utah Beach. Contre une résistance féroce, il fallut Pouppeville, Vierville et St. Come du Mont. Le 12, le fief de Carentan est tombé, et après avoir nettoyé et maintenu ses positions, la Division est revenue en Angleterre, le 13 juillet, pour se reposer et s'entraîner. Le 17 septembre 1944, participant à l'une des plus grandes invasions aéroportées, la 101st débarque en Hollande, prend Vechel et tient le pont de Zon. St. Oedenrode et Eindhoven sont tombés après des combats acharnés les 17 et 18. Opheusden a changé de mains dans une lutte changeante, mais l'ennemi a finalement été forcé de se retirer, le 9 octobre. Après de longues patrouilles, la Division revint en France le 28 novembre pour suivre une formation complémentaire. Le 18 décembre, il a déménagé en Belgique pour arrêter la percée allemande. Déménagement à Bastogne sous le commandement de Brig. Général Anthony C. McAuliffe, il a mis en place une défense circulaire et bien que complètement encerclé, a refusé de se rendre le 22 décembre. Son périmètre tenu contre les attaques violentes. La 4e division blindée atteignit finalement la 101e le 26 et l'offensive ennemie fut émoussée. De très violents combats ont continué près de Bastogne pour le reste de décembre et janvier. Le 17 janvier 1945, la division s'est déplacée à Drulingen et à Pfaffenhoffen en Alsace et s'est livrée à des patrouilles de harcèlement défensif le long de la rivière Moder. Le 31 janvier, il a traversé le Moder dans un raid de trois compagnies. Après s'être rassemblé à Mourmelon, France, le 26 février 1945, pour s'entraîner, il s'installa dans la poche de la Ruhr, le 31 mars, patrouillant et faisant des raids en avril et s'engageant dans un gouvernement militaire à Rheydt et Munchen-Gladbach. La 101e a atteint Berchtesgaden à la fin de la guerre et a exercé des fonctions professionnelles jusqu'à l'inactivation en Allemagne.
SOURCE INFORMATION & PHOTOArmydivs.squarespace.com

SOURCE INFORMATION & PHOTOFlickr.com - Clive TIRLEMONT -  Usairborne.be - Dday-overlord.com - Chloé LAVERNHE - Bruno CADEVILLE
PROGRAMMERGarrett, Clive, Frédéric & Renaud
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