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Edwin H. BARQUIST
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| NUMBER OF SERVICE | 39188517 | |||||||
| AGE | 24 yo | |||||||
| DATE OF BIRTH | 1920 CANADA  | |||||||
| ETAT | WASHINGTON | |||||||
| FAMILY | Single | |||||||
| RANK | Private | |||||||
| FONCTION | Infantry | |||||||
| JOB BEFORE ENLISTEMENT | - |  | ||||||
| DATE of ENLISTEMENT | 5 september 1942 Tacoma WASHINGTON | |||||||
| BATTALION COMPANY | -- | |||||||
| REGIMENT | 121st Infantry Regiment | |||||||
| DIVISION | 8th Infantry Division | |||||||
| DATE OF DEATH | 17 august 1944 |  | ||||||
| STATUS | KIA | |||||||
| PLACE OF DEATH | Dinard, ILLE-ET-VILAINE | |||||||
| CEMETERY | BRITTANY AMERICAN CEMETERY of St James | |||||||
| GRAVE |
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| DECORATION |
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| STORY | ||||||||
| On August 11th General Macon took personal command of the Dinard operation.
The defense of Dinard was in the Capable hands of Colonel Bacherer who commanded a Kampfgruppe composed mostly of the 77th Infantry Division. Even with this capable leader however the Germans were unable to withstand the assault from two regiments.
On the evening of August 10th the 1st battalion of the 331st attacked north from of Tremereuc. They crossed the stream and advanced 500 yards under a cover of darkness. Unable to locate the lost battalion the first battalion dug in and waited for daylight. At first light the attack resumed and continued all day. The 1st battalion encountered an enemy strongpoint of five pillboxes. Companies A and C bypassed the strongpoint while Uncle Rolland’s B company with tank support, assaulted the pillboxes.
After a lengthy all day fight, B Company destroyed the five bunkers, along with a Panzerkampwagen Mark IV tank, 88mm gun, and 158 captured prisoners.
Meanwhile, the 330th on the northeast in bitter house-to-house fighting Beach fortifications of Dinard, France captured Parame, sealing off the enemy occupying the St. Ideuc-La-Varde area.
At this point the capture of Dinard became imperative to prevent enemy withdrawal toward Brest. and on August 12th 1st Battalion, 331st, with B Company in the lead broke through the German lines and connected with the isolated 3rd battalion of the 121st.
Even though the Battalion was isolated for three days and the enemy launched several counter attacks coordinated with artillery the 3rd battalion only lost 31 men KIA and 106 WIA.
On 13 August the two regiments continued the attack on Dinard. Rolland’s B Company captured the airfield a Lebourgneuf. The rest of the 331st regiment entered the streets of Dinard for a brutal house-to-house fight. After fighting all day, Colonel Batcherer along with his staff was captured. Once the Commander was captured resistance soon waivered and the 331st soon secured the town.
3338 prisoners were added to the 83rd’s tally.
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| SOURCE INFORMATION & PHOTO | Abmc.gov - Findagrave.com - Aad.archives.gov - JF PELLOUAIS |
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| PROGRAMMER | Frédéric & Renaud |