Albert Ray PRESCOTT

Spouse : Dorothy E. Wagner Dalton

Son : Teddy

Parents : Charles Albert & Lillian Elizabeth Young PRESCOTT

Siblings : Harold Allen, Pauline Susan & James Warren

Source : Dominique Potier

CEMTERY TEMPORARY of  Blosville N°3508

Story of Cemetery Temporary 

Map of Normandy American Cemetery

Source : Sandra Smith 507th PIR in WW2 Memorial

An hour away from Sac City, the town of Algona, Iowa, was home to a Prisoner of War camp. Camp Algona housed nearly 10,000 Prisoners of War.

The German prisoners toiled as farmhands in local fields of soldiers fighting overseas.

Sac City demonstrated the quintessential rural Iowa town during World War II, filled with hard-working folks who pull together in every way to help America win the war.
On April 29, 1942, Prescott enlisted in East St. Louis, Illinois. Records indicated that he might have had prior experience with the National Guard. His brother, Harold, enlisted after him.

He volunteered to be a paratrooper with the “Down to Earth Boys,” The 82nd Airborne Division, 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment. Albert trained to become a paratrooper at Fort Benning, Georgia.

The 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment transferred locations to Great Britain and was stationed in Northern Ireland in the winter of 1943. In spring 1944, they moved to Nottingham, England, to prepare for the Normandy Invasion.

Paratroopers rose early on the morning of June 6, 1944, and jumped in the dark. They would have heard the roaring of anti-air guns, the howl of the thousands of airplanes, and the whoosh of air, as they plummeted to the ground.

The 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment’s objective was to capture the crucial port of Cherbourg. Prescott battled along with his regiment until D-day plus 8. He assembled a machine gun at a strategic crossroads under heavy enemy artillery fire and small arms. He courageously stayed at his position and continued firing the machine gun until the Germans retreated. His actions caused the deaths of three German soldiers while allowing his platoon to advance.

Later that day, he left his secure position and was fatally wounded, carrying an injured soldier in his platoon. He lasted five more days until finally dying of his injuries on June 19, 1944. The body of Sergeant Albert Prescott was first buried in a temporary cemetery in Blosville. He was finally laid to rest at the Normandy American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer.

Sergeant Prescott was posthumously awarded the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, and the Purple Heart for his bravery and loyalty to the United States.

Source : Sandra Smith 507th PIR in WW2 Memorial

Silver Star

AWARDED FOR ACTIONS
DURING World War II
Service: Army
Battalion: 3d Battalion
Division: 82d Airborne Division
GENERAL ORDERS:

Headquarters, 82d Airborne Division, General Orders No. 64 (December 13, 1944)
CITATION:

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Sergeant Albert R. Prescott (ASN: 6860934), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with Company G, 3d Battalion, 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82d Airborne Division, in action on 14 June 1944, near négreville France. Sergeant Prescott personally set up a machine gun at a strategic crossroad under heavy enemy small arms and artillery fire. With utter disregard for his own personal safety, he remained in position, kept the machine gun firing, killing three of the enemy and forcing the remainder of the hostile force to withdraw while his own platoon advanced. Later on he left his covered position and was fatally wounded while carrying another injured member of his platoon to safety. Sergeant Prescott's courage, extreme bravery and devotion to duty were an inspiration to the men of his company.

Source : Nhdsilentheroes.org

Source : Nhdsilentheroes.org

82^nd AIRBORNE DIVISION - ALL AMERICAN

Activated/Activé	Normandy/Normandie
25 Mar 1942	Days of Combat/Jour de Combat  422
	Casualties/Victimes  9 073
Entered Combat/Entré au combat
9 Jul 1943 at Sicily
Commanding Generals/Commandants généraux Maj. Gen. Omar Bradley (Mar 42 - Jun 42) Maj. Gen. Matthew B. Ridgway (Jun 42 - Aug 44) Maj. Gen. James M. Gavin (Aug 44 - Mar 48)	Campaigns/Campagnes Sicily (9 Jul - 17 Aug 43) Naples-Foggia (9 Sep 43 - 21 Jan 44) Rome-Arno (22 Jan 44 - 9 Sep 44) 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)
CARTE DE CAMPAGNE DU THÉÂTRE MÉDITERRANÉEN CAMPAIGN MAP OF THE MEDITERRANEAN THEATER
PLAN DE ROUTE DE LA CAMPAGNE - CAMPAIGN ROUTE MAP
DIVISION CHRONICLE The 82d Airborne Division landed at Casablanca, 10 May 1943, and trained. Elements first saw combat in Sicily, when the 505th RCT and part of the 504th dropped behind enemy lines, 9-10 July 1943, at Gela. The remainder of the 504th RCT dropped, 11-12 July 1943, also near Gela, after running friendly naval and ground force fire. Scattered elements formed and fought as ground troops. The elements were flown back to Tunisia for reequipment and returned to Sicily to take off for drop landings on the Salerno beachhead. The 504th Parachute Infantry dropped, 13 September 1943, and the 505th the following night; the 325th landed by boat. These elements bolstered Salerno defenses and fought their way into Naples, 1 October 1943. After a period of occupation duty (and combat for some elements in the Volturno Valley and Anzio beachhead), the Division moved to Ireland, November 1943, and later to England, February 1944, for additional training. Moving in by glider and parachute, troops of the 82d dropped behind enemy lines in Normandy on D-day, 6 June 1944, before ground troops hit the beaches. Cutting off enemy reinforcements, the Division fought its way from Carentan to St. Sauveur-le-Vicomte, fighting 33 days without relief. Relieved on 8 July, it returned to England for refitting. On 17 September, it was dropped at Nijmegen, 50 miles behind enemy lines, and captured the Nijmegen bridge, 20 September, permitting relief of British paratroops by the British 2d Army. After heavy fighting in Holland, the Division was relieved 11 November and rested in France. It was returned to combat, 18 December 1944, to stem the von Rundstedt offensive, blunting the northern salient of the Bulge. It punched through the Siegfried Line in early February 1945, and crossed the Roer, 17 February. Training with new equipment in March, the Division returned to combat, 4 April, patrolling along the Rhine, securing the Koln area, later moving across the Elbe, 30 April, into the Mecklenburg Plain, where, 2 May 1945, the German 21st Army surrendered.	CHRONIQUE DE DIVISION La 82ème division aéroportée a atterri à Casablanca le 10 mai 1943 et s'est entraînée. Les éléments ont d'abord été combattus en Sicile, lorsque le 505ème RCT et une partie du 504ème ont été largués derrière les lignes ennemies, du 9 au 10 juillet 1943, à Gela. Le reste de la 504ème RCT est tombé, du 11 au 12 juillet 1943, également près de Gela, après des tirs amicaux contre des forces navales et terrestres. Des éléments épars se sont formés et se sont battus en tant que troupes au sol. Les éléments ont été rapatriés en Tunisie pour le rééquipement et sont retournés en Sicile pour décoller pour atterrir sur la tête de pont de Salerne. Le 504th Infantry Parachute Infantry est tombé le 13 septembre 1943 et le 505ème le lendemain soir; la 325ème atterrit en bateau. Ces éléments ont renforcé les défenses de Salerno et se sont introduits à Naples, le 1er octobre 1943. Après une période d'occupation (et de combat pour certains éléments dans la vallée de Volturno et la tête de pont d'Anzio), la division s'est installée en Irlande en novembre 1943 , Février 1944, pour une formation supplémentaire. Se déplaçant en planeur et en parachute, les troupes du 82d tombèrent derrière les lignes ennemies en Normandie le 6 juin 1944, avant que les troupes terrestres ne frappent les plages. En coupant les renforts ennemis, la Division se fraya un chemin de Carentan à Saint-Sauveur-le-Vicomte, combattant 33 jours sans soulagement. Soulagé le 8 juillet, il est retourné en Angleterre pour y être réaménagé. Le 17 septembre, il a été largué à Nimègue, à 50 milles derrière les lignes ennemies, et a capturé le pont de Nimègue, le 20 septembre, permettant ainsi à la 2 e armée britannique de soulager les parachutistes britanniques. Après de violents combats en Hollande, la division est soulagée le 11 novembre et se repose en France. Il fut remis au combat le 18 décembre 1944 pour endiguer l’offensive de von Rundstedt, assourdissant le saillant septentrional des Ardennes. Il a percuté la ligne Siegfried au début de février 1945 et a traversé la Roer le 17 février. S'entraînant avec de nouveaux équipements en mars, la Division est revenue au combat le 4 avril, patrouillant le long du Rhin, sécurisant la région de Koln, traversant ensuite l'Elbe le 30 avril dans la plaine de Mecklenburg où, le 2 mai 1945 s'est rendu.

Harold Allen PRESCOTT Sr.

Source : Marie & Dale V.

Parents : Charles Albert & Lillian Elizabeth Young PRESCOTT

Siblings : Albert R, Pauline Susan & James Warren

Brother of

Robert R

Source : EGF

Parents : Charles Albert & Lillian Elizabeth Young PRESCOTT

Siblings : Albert R, Pauline Susan & James Warren