Burl Rankin GRIFFITH
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NUMBER OF SERVICE | 38146705 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
AGE | 29 yo | |||||||||||||||||||||||
DATE OF BIRTH | 4 March 1915 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
ETAT | TEXAS | |||||||||||||||||||||||
FAMILY |
Married Parents : David Garfield Griffith & Neva Thurmond GRIFFITH Siblings : Claudia Earlene, James Gwen, Audrey D, Nettie, Neva, Janice, Jean Ryle & Carl Roddy | |||||||||||||||||||||||
RANK | Staff Sergeant | |||||||||||||||||||||||
FONCTION | Infantry Man | |||||||||||||||||||||||
JOB BEFORE ENLISTEMENT | Semiskilled chauffeurs and drivers, bus, taxi, truck, and tractor | |||||||||||||||||||||||
DATE of ENLISTEMENT | 18 March 1942 Fort Sill OKLAHOMA | |||||||||||||||||||||||
COMPANY | Company | |||||||||||||||||||||||
REGIMENT | 357th Infantry Regiment | |||||||||||||||||||||||
DIVISION | 90th Infantry Division | |||||||||||||||||||||||
DATE OF DEATH | 7 July 1944 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
STATUS | KIA | |||||||||||||||||||||||
PLACE OF DEATH | Hill 122 Battle of Beau-Coudray, near Le Plessis-Lastelle | |||||||||||||||||||||||
CEMETERY TEMPORARY |
CEMTERY TEMPORARY of Blosville N°3508
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CEMETERY | NORMANDY AMERICAN CEMETERY of Colleville | |||||||||||||||||||||||
GRAVE |
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DECORATION |
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STORY | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
by Chuck Griffith, Burl’s nephew. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
My grandparents, who came from Texas, had 13 children and among them, Uncle Burl, born on March 2, 1915. During World War II, 4 brothers (including my father and my uncle) and a sister served their country. Burl was the only one out of the five to die in action. A brother and a sister are still alive today but their health is very fragile. We are all from Munday, Texas, a small famring tows 200 miles North-West away from Dallas. Burl enlisted in 1942 and was assigned to the 90th Infantry Division, 357th Regiment, 3rd Battalion, Company L.
Like most of the first soldiers of the 90th Division, they trained for almost two years before embarking for the invasion in France, in spring 1944. His unit arrived at Utah Beach on June8 (D-Day + two days) and fought during 30 days around Périers.
The Company L (my uncle’s) has lost almost 200 men out of 240, as a result of wounds and death. On July 6, the Germans had isolated the Companies I and L from the Hill 122 with artillery shots. My uncle was killed on July 7, in the morning (of artillery shots). A monument for the 90th Company stands 100 meters East away from the church, in memory of the soldiers deceased in Beau Coudray. Through the Association of the 90th, that still holds annual meetings, I met and talked several times to, I believe so, the only soldier of the Company L who survived and who is still alive today. His name is Ray Hopper and was one of those who were captured in the afternoon of July 7. He provided me lots of detailed information about the facts occurred during the few days before my uncle’s death and Roy’s capture. According to my uncles and aunts, my grandmother was still devastated by uncle Burl’s loss. Our family thought that it would be better for her and for my uncle as well if he was buried with his brothers of arms in Normandy. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
90th INFANTRY DIVISION - TOUGH OMBRES
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SOURCE INFORMATION & PHOTO | Aad.archives.gov - Abmc.gov - Findagrave.com - Findagrave.com - |
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PROGRAMMER | Henri, Garrett, Clive, Frédéric & Renaud |