Chris Boonzaier Posted January 30, 2010 Author Posted January 30, 2010 usually I dont do any research until i have an item safe and sound delivered by the post... but could not resist with this one.... will have the full story of the action up soon...
Chris Boonzaier Posted January 30, 2010 Author Posted January 30, 2010 In 1942 he was unemployed, tattoed, married... and in 1943 he was in the naval reserve....
Chris Boonzaier Posted January 30, 2010 Author Posted January 30, 2010 In 1917 he was living in Dorchester Mass, worked for an iron works. in 1942 in Cumberland, Allegany, maryland. born sept 27 1892
Chris Liontas Posted January 30, 2010 Posted January 30, 2010 NICE Chris!! Any idea what division he was from??
Chris Boonzaier Posted January 30, 2010 Author Posted January 30, 2010 Hi, 5th Division, 7th engineers. It was won as he and a group of engineers tried to set up an infantry bridge across the Meuse on the 4th of November 1918... have tons of documentation, will do an article for the site about it in a few days... and maybe visit the exact spot on the GMIC tour in June´....
Chris Liontas Posted January 30, 2010 Posted January 30, 2010 Hi, 5th Division, 7th engineers. It was won as he and a group of engineers tried to set up an infantry bridge across the Meuse on the 4th of November 1918... have tons of documentation, will do an article for the site about it in a few days... and maybe visit the exact spot on the GMIC tour in June´.... Wow!! I did not expect the diamond division!! Awesome find Chris!! Going to read up on this engagement right now :)
Chris Boonzaier Posted January 30, 2010 Author Posted January 30, 2010 Hi, He was B company, they are the guys who got shot up trying to put up pontoons to the north of Clery le Petit. 7-8 guys got the Silver Star. They did it until all the pontoons were shot away then had to retire as there was no point standing around without pontoons. Later another company set up a bridge a few hundred meters lower and the river (then canal) were crossed. here 7-8 men got the DSC. Same thing, but one mission succeded, one did not... so different medals.
Hannibal Rex Posted January 30, 2010 Posted January 30, 2010 I wonder what his WW2 service was...shuffling papers, or something else...
Chris Boonzaier Posted January 30, 2010 Author Posted January 30, 2010 Hi, It is a huge guess on my part, but an Iron Worker pre WW1. WW1 Engineer... tattoes on his chest... and joining the navy at 50 in WW2.... I would guess he worked in a shipyard ore something....
IrishGunner Posted January 30, 2010 Posted January 30, 2010 Hi, It is a huge guess on my part, but an Iron Worker pre WW1. WW1 Engineer... tattoes on his chest... and joining the navy at 50 in WW2.... I would guess he worked in a shipyard ore something.... I see he was in Cumberland, MD in 1942. While Cumberland is in the western mountains of Maryland, it isn't that far from Baltimore, which had a huge shipyard building ships in WWII. Circumstantial to say the least, but you never know...
Guest Rick Research Posted January 30, 2010 Posted January 30, 2010 Died December 1980 Bowling Green (or sub-locations using same zip code) MD 21502 leaving a widow. Social Security number 214-07-2905 issued in Maryland. I wouldn't be surprised if he was French-Canadian.
Elvis Posted January 31, 2010 Posted January 31, 2010 Helo Chris, what a great group. Thanks for sharing with us! Thanks Elvis
Chris Boonzaier Posted February 5, 2010 Author Posted February 5, 2010 "At 4.20pm the 2nd Battalion, 60th Infantry, and the 2nd Battalion, 61st Infantry, had reached the bank of the river, and the engineers started work on the first bridge. At this moment a tremendous fire of machine guns and artillery burst on the exposed troops with great suddenness. The infantry sought shelter and found it, but the engineers bravely continued at their posts. Shells sank their boats as fast as they could be placed in the water and by 6.00 P. M. no boats were left. " I have just posted a writeup about a Silver Star Group I was lucky enough to aquire, Hope you enjoy it.... http://www.kaiserscross.com/257543/262901.html Best Chris
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