Gerard Aloysius RUDDY
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NUMBER OF SERVICE | O 1298765 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
AGE | 30 yo | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
DATE OF BIRTH | 27 June 1913 to Scranton Lackawanna County | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
ETAT | PENNSYLVANIA | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
FAMILY | Parents : Dennis J & Anna V RUDDY Sisters : Mary & Sarah Brothers : Thomas & Dennis | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
RANK | Captain | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
FONCTION | Commander of the 1st Battalion HeadQuater Company | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
JOB BEFORE ENLISTEMENT | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
DATE of ENLISTEMENT | 1933 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
COMPANY | HeadQuarter Company | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
BATTALION | 1st Battalion | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
REGIMENT | 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
DIVISION | 82nd Airborne Division | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
DATE OF DEATH | June 14, 1944, actually June 6, 1944 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
STATUS | KIA | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
PLACE OF DEATH | Picauville | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
CEMETERY TEMPORARY |
CEMTERY TEMPORARY of Blosville
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
CEMETERY | NORMANDY AMERICAN CEMETERY of Colleville | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
GRAVE |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
DECORATION |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
STORY | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Gerard at the driving school |
Gerard with a communications platoon |
Gerard at Camp Mackall (Third standing from the left) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
After finishing his studies, Gerard Ruddy joined the army in 1933. He is the first Pennsylvania resident to volunteer for paratroopers He completed his studies to become a non-commissioned officer in 1941. He will first be at the 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment. Then move to the 503rd PIR, he goes up Sergeant rank
Training at Fort Benning (Georgia) Then he is transferred to the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment. He will become Captain of the 1st Battalion HQ Company. The division was reactivated on March 25, 1942 and became Airborne Division on August 15 following. She trains first Camp Clairborne in Louisiana under the command of Major General Omar Bradley Then at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. Parachute Training in Fort Bragg NORTH CAROLINA Transfer to Great Britain in April 1943. The 82nd Airborne Division will pass by Casablanca (training), in Sicily (engagement-fight), Gela TUNISIA (Rééquipements), Comiso Licata Castelvetrano Trapani Airport SICILY (engagement-combat). Belfast (training). May 26, 1944 The mission of the 82nd is set: Take control of the surroundings of St Sauveur le Vicomte, to prevent the German forces from blocking the units landed at Utah Beach. The first drops are on June 6th between 1h51 and 2h08. Losses at 272 men drop. He participates in Operation Overlord. Unfortunately, his fate will tragically end on June 6, 1944 after landing near Picauville. Gerard is killed immediately by touching the Norman ground by machine gun fire, a bullet touching a phosphorus grenade. Gerard is buried at the scene of his death by Sergeant John BOOTH. His temporary burial is only discovered on June 14, 1944 which causes this date of death error. On July 07, 1944 his body is buried in the temporary cemetery of Blosville, in the plot N ranked 14 falls 1 His mother preferred that Gerard's body remain with these men. The cross has an error dating back to June 14, 1944, based on the recording of the tomb. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Photo of the Headquarters Company 1st Battalion | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
82nd AIRBORNE DIVISION - ALL AMERICAN
|
SOURCE INFORMATION & PHOTO | Clive TIRLEMONT - Bruno CADEVILLE - Henri ROGISTER - En.ww2awards.com - Usairborne.be |
---|---|
PROGRAMMER | Garrett, Clive, Frédéric & Renaud |