John R. SIMONS
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Source : Michael Belis (Ellen Marchese)
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NUMBER OF SERVICE | O-444763 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
AGE | 23 yo | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
DATE OF BIRTH | 1921 MICHIGAN | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
ENLISTMENT STATE | CALIFORNIA | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
FAMILY | Mother : Mary S SIMONS | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
RANK | First Lieutenant | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
FONCTION | Infantry Man | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
JOB BEFORE ENLISTEMENT | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
DATE of ENLISTEMENT | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
COMPANY | Service Company | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
REGIMENT | 26th Infantry Regiment | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
DIVISION | 1st Infantry Division | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
DATE OF DEATH | 6 June 1944 |
Source : Frogman | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
STATUS | KIA | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
PLACE OF DEATH | Omaha Beach | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
CEMETERY TEMPORARY |
CEMETERY TEMPORARY of Saint Laurent N°3582 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
CEMETERY | NORMANDY AMERICAN CEMETERY of Colleville | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
GRAVE |
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
DECORATION |
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
STORY | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Early LifeJohn R. (possibly John A.) Simons was born about 1921 in Michigan. His father’s name is unknown. His mother Mary S. (maiden name unknown), born about 1898 in Michigan, is listed on the 1940 Census as being married to Samuel Schreiber and her two sons with the surname Simons are listed as Samuel’s stepsons. This probably means that either Mary’s first husband (Unknown Simons) either died or they were divorced. John was the youngest of two sons in the family.
MilitaryAfter basic training and additional follow-on training John R. Simons was assigned to Service Company, 26th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division.
In 1941, the 26th Infantry Regiment once again stood with its sister regiments and prepared for war in Europe. The regiment was assigned to the 1st Infantry Division for the duration of World War II. In World War II, the 26th Infantry led America's first-ever amphibious assault in North Africa, fought at the Kasserine Pass, assaulted Sicily at the Amphibious Battle of Gela, invaded Normandy, conquered the first German city of the war at Aachen, vaulted the Rhine and attacked all the way to Czechoslovakia by war's end. The regiment, commanded by Colonel John F. R. Seitz, conducted three amphibious assaults, and earned seven battle streamers, a Presidential Unit Citation, and five foreign awards.
Beginning another occupation of Germany, the “Blue Spaders” were given the honor of bearing the United States National Colors at the Allied Victory in Europe parade, and were selected to serve as America’s guard of honor at the Nuremberg War Crimes Trials.
Death and BurialJohn R. Simons was Killed in Action on 6 June 1944 on Omaha Beach in Normandy, France during the D-day invasion. He was posthumously awarded the Silver Star Medal and the Purple Heart Medal. He was buried at the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in Colleville-sur-Mer, Departement du Calvados, Basse-Normandie, France, Plot: I, Row: 5, Grave: 36. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1st INFANTRY DIVISION - THE RED ONE
|
SOURCE INFORMATION & SOURCE PHOTO | Arnaud Gaté - Abmc.gov - Fold3.com - Findagrave.com |
---|---|
PROGRAMMER | Henri, Garrett, Clive, Frédéric & Renaud |