KIA purple heart North Africa

[scottplen]

Heres one out of Virginia antique mall

Ssgt William E reynolds Jr MIA as member of Stuart tank crew Co G. 67th Armored Regt 2nd armored div

Dec 6 1942 Near Medjez El Bab Tunisia

I believe this was an inportant town ! And a few us tanks were sent to reforce British 78th div and fought under british command ! Still trying to research this one !!!

[Chris Boonzaier]

That is a very nice find indeed. I think most of North Africa is well coverd in the books.

Do you have any WW1 stars?

Thanks

Chris

[scottplen]

Hello

just recieved an email on this one Losses for dec 6 1942 for co G 67th AR 2nd div were 5 m-4 shermans which were attached to 2nd bn 13th ARmored regt All five tanks lost Southwest of Teboura , I believe this may be one of the tanks Reynolds was in ,1st us manned sherman tanks to see action in North Africa !So I am getting closer to finding Reynolds !!!!I been thinking a along he was in a staurt light tank!

these m-4s were only losses of 2nd armored at this date since most of other units were being sent by rail to beja tunisia! to reinforce british!

[Chris Boonzaier]

If he was attached to the Brits it would be waaaay easier to research.

[Ulsterman]

Scott:

Have you tried to obtain the combat report for the Company for that date? it could well give you additional details.

Try your local Senator-they have contacts at the archives who can (eventually) ferrit this stuff out.

Alternately-try the US Forum on the WAF as they have a couple of armor experts there who may well have a detailed 2 AD day-by-day battle guide.

Lastly, Atkinson's "An Army At Dawn" has a good account of the week's battles around Tebourba which decimated the American Lee and Sherman tanks and caused over 1,000 casualties.

Edited April 29, 2008 by Ulsterman

[scottplen]

Scott have you tried to obtain the combat report for the Company for that date? it could well give you additional details.

Try your local Senator-they have contacts at the archives who can (eventually) ferrit this stuff out.

Alternately-try the US Forum on the WAF as they have a couple of armor experts there who may well have a detailed 2 AD day-by-day battle guide.

Hello

I have written to 67th AR histoirian and he is working on after action reports for me! I did not think to use a senator thats a good idea !!!!

Thanks scott

Edited April 29, 2008 by scottplen

[Ulsterman]

This is a google earth overview of where he died. The DAK outfought them in these hills and wadis.

[Ulsterman]

An exerpt from Atkinsons VERY GOOD book.

pg. 228:

..."Help had been ordered forward by General Oliver at 8:00 A.M., but for unexplained reasons the 2nd Bttn. of the 13th Armored Regt. had failed to get the word. Not until 1:00 p.m. did Lt. Colonel Hyman Bruss and his tanks cover the six miles along the Medjerda (river) towards Djebel el Guessa. Compounding tardiness and tomfoolery, Bruss split his force, conducted no reconnaissance, and ordered the tanks to "charge up the valley as quickly as possible". Reinforced with five new Shermans from Patton's' units in Morocco, the Lee tanks drove at flank speed with no inkling of where Colonel Kerns' men were, much less the enemy.

German gunners waited until the Shermans, five abreast, closed to within a quarter mile.

Fifteen minutes later every Sherman and most of the General Lees were in flames. "Shells were cutting through the wheat on either side of us" , Lt. Phillip G. Walker wrote later. "I walked from tank to tank trying to make them fire and retire. They seemed petrified. I cursed and insulted, climbing on tanks and shouting." An explosion killed a soldier in the turret beneath Walkers' feet. Shell fragments peppered his arm, eyelid and right temple. "I was swearing and crying from frustration and pain. I took a shot of morphine and felt better."

More American tanks then blundered into the killing zone after giving the German gunners time to reposition and reload.

The disaster was complete. Wearing full-length sandwich boards painted with huge red crosses, Afrika Korps medics traipsed from hulk to flaming hulk, saving a few of the wounded.

Eighteen tanks were lost.

General Oliver sacked Col. Bruss.'

Edited April 29, 2008 by Ulsterman

[Jim Baker]

Scott,

This sure is a nice heart!

I got the unit history, so when I get off my lazy duff, I'll do a little more looking. Just been too crazy a year for much research.

[scottplen]

Scott,

This sure is a nice heart!

I got the unit history, so when I get off my lazy duff, I'll do a little more looking. Just been too crazy a year for much research.

Glad you like it Jim!!!!!