James Leonard DURDEN

 

ip
NUMBER OF SERVICEO-1018134
AGE 
DATE OF BIRTH 
ETATFulton County GEORGIA 
FAMILY 
RANK2nd Lieutenant 
FONCTIONInfantryman 
JOB BEFORE ENLISTEMENT NE
DATE of ENLISTEMENT 
COMPANY 
BATTALION15th Tank Battalion
DIVISION 6th Armored Division 
DATE OF DEATH05 August 1944ip
STATUSKIA
PLACE OF DEATHHuelgoat 
CEMETERY TEMPORARY

CEMTERY TEMPORARY of  Saint-James 3578 

blosville


Story of Cemetery Temporary 

PlotRowGrave
B116

 

CEMETERYBRITTANY AMERICAN CEMETERY of St James (Montjoie St Martin)

Map of St James American Cemetery

GRAVE
PlotRowGrave
L1215
DECORATION

Distinguished Service Cross

Purple Heart

World War II Victory Medal 

Combat Infantryman Badge

 

dsc

Photo FDLM

victory medal

combat infantryman badge

 

us army 3armee 8corps div arm 6 gemmill james logo
STORY

His unit crossed a wooded area in the Huelgoat sector.

The tanks ended up in a minefield. It was then that the tanks were hit by rocket and artillery fire.

The men were forced to leave their tanks while running.

It was at this time that the group of men was fatally hit by machine gun fire.

3 tanks were destroyed and 8 men died

Distinguished Service Cross

AWARDED FOR ACTIONS
DURING World War II
Service: Army
Battalion: 15th Tank Battalion
Division: 6th Armored Division
GENERAL ORDERS:

Headquarters, Third U.S. Army, General Orders No. 59 (1944)

dsc
CITATION:

(Citation Needed) - SYNOPSIS: The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Second Lieutenant James Leonard Durden (ASN: 0-1018134), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving with the 15th Tank Battalion, 6th Armored Division, in action against enemy forces on 5 August 1944.

Second Lieutenant Durden's intrepid actions, personal bravery and zealous devotion to duty at the cost of his life, exemplify the highest traditions of the military forces of the United States and reflect great credit upon himself, the 6th Armored Division, and the United States Army.

 

 ip 

div arm 6

6th ARMORED DIVISION - SUPER 6th

 

Activated/Activé

 Normandy/Normandie

15 Feb 1942  Days of Combat/Jour de Combat  272
   Casualties/Victimes  4 670

Entered Combat/Entré au combat

 
28 Jul 1944 at Normandy  

Commanding Generals/Commandants généraux

Maj. Gen. William H. H. Morris, Jr. (Feb 42 - May 43)
Maj. Gen. Robert W. Grow (May 43 - Apr 45)
Brig. Gen. George W. Read Jr. (Apr 45 - May 45)
Maj. Gen. Robert W. Grow (Jun 45 - Jun 45)
Brig. Gen. George W. Read, Jr. (Jul 45 - inactivation)

Campaigns/Campagnes

Normandy (6 Jun 44 - 24 Jul 44)
Northern France (25 Jul 44 - 14 Sep 44)
Rhineland (15 Sep 44 - 21 Mar 45)
Ardennes-Alsace (16 Dec 44 - 25 Jan 45)
Central Europe (22 Mar 45 - 11 May 45)

   

PLAN DE ROUTE DE LA CAMPAGNE - CAMPAIGN ROUTE MAP

carte campagne europe

DIVISION CHRONICLE


After continuing its training in England, the 6th Armored Division landed on Utah Beach in Normandy, 18 July 1944, and went on the offensive in the Cotentin Peninsula, driving through Avranches, and moving on to take part in the liberation of Brest and the clearing of the Brittany Peninsula. In mid-August the Division moved down to Lorient. The 6th then turned east and cut across France, reaching the Saar in November. It crossed the Nied River 11-12 November, against strong opposition, reaching the German border on 6 December, and established and maintained defensive positions in the vicinity of Saarbrucken. On 23 December the Division was ordered north of Metz to take part in the Battle of the Bulge, and took over a sector along the south bank of the Sauer River. The 6th was heavily engaged in the battle for Bastogne, finally driving the enemy back across the our River into Germany by late January. After a short period of rehabilitation, the Division resumed the offensive, penetrated the Siegfried Line, crossed the Prum, reached the Rhine River at Worms 21 March, and set up a counterreconnaissance screen along its west bank. The 6th crossed the Rhine at Oppenheim 25 March, drove on to Frankfurt, crossed the Main, captured BadNauheim, and continued to advance eastward, and surrounded and captured Muhlhausen 4-5 April 1945. After repulsing a light counterattack, it moved forward 60 miles to cross the Saale River and assisted in freeing Allied prisoners of war and the notorious German Concentration Camp at Buchenwald. The Division raced on, took Leipzig, crossed the Mulde River at Rochlitz 15 April 1945, and stopped, pending the arrival of the Russian Army. Defensive positions along the Mulde River were held until the end of hostilities in Europe.

CHRONIQUE DE DIVISION


Après avoir poursuivi son entraînement en Angleterre, la 6ème division blindée a atterri sur Utah Beach en Normandie, le 18 juillet 1944, et est passée à l'offensive dans la péninsule du Cotentin, traversant Avranches et participant à la libération de Brest et de la clairière. de la péninsule bretonne. À la mi-août, la division a déménagé à Lorient. Le 6ème a ensuite tourné vers l'est et traversé la France pour atteindre la Sarre en novembre. Elle a traversé la rivière Nied du 11 au 12 novembre, contre une forte opposition, atteignant la frontière allemande le 6 décembre, et a établi et maintenu des positions défensives à proximité de Sarrebruck. Le 23 décembre, la division reçoit l'ordre au nord de Metz de prendre part à la bataille des Ardennes et reprend un secteur le long de la rive sud de la rivière Sauer. Le 6 a été fortement engagé dans la bataille pour Bastogne, conduisant finalement l’ennemi à traverser la rivière vers l’Allemagne vers la fin janvier. Après une courte période de réhabilitation, la division reprend l’offensive, pénètre dans la ligne Siegfried, traverse le Prum, atteint le Rhin à Worms le 21 mars et installe un écran de contre-reconnaissance le long de sa rive ouest. Le 6 mars franchit le Rhin à Oppenheim le 25 mars, poursuivit sa route vers Francfort, traversa le Main, captura Bad Nauheim et continua d'avancer vers l'est et encercla et captura Muhlhausen les 4 et 5 avril 1945. Après avoir repoussé une contre-attaque légère, traverser la Saale et aider à libérer les prisonniers de guerre alliés et le tristement célèbre camp de concentration allemand de Buchenwald. La division a couru, a pris Leipzig, a traversé la rivière Mulde à Rochlitz le 15 avril 1945 et s'est arrêtée, en attendant l'arrivée de l'armée russe. Des positions défensives le long de la rivière Mulde ont été maintenues jusqu'à la fin des hostilités en Europe.
SOURCE INFORMATION & PHOTOArmydivs.squarespace.com

SOURCE INFORMATION & PHOTOClive TIRLEMONT - Abmc.govFindagrave.com -   6th-armored-division-honor-roll.webnode.nl -      
PROGRAMMERHenri, Garrett, Clive, Frédéric & Renaud
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