Meyer, John William Albert (US Army)

Date of birth:: October 11th, 1920 (Burwell, Nebraska)
Date of death:: December 16th, 1944 (near Capoocan, Leyte, Philippines)
Service number:: 37.086.979
Nationality:: American (1776 - present, Republic)

Biography

06.01.1942: entered service
00.02.1942: trained at Camp Roberts, CA
00.05.1942: overseas
00.07.1942: fought at New Guinea
04.12.1942: WIA
00.07.1944: WIA
16.12.1944: KIA
02.02.1945: mother notified
also earned Purple Heart w/OLC (should be 2 OLCs); mother received letter of condolence from Chaplain (Maj.) William E. Cooley, et al.; brother Herman J. also served in the Army

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Purple Heart

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:: December 4th, 1942

Purple Heart

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:: July 1944

with oak leaf cluster

Silver Star Medal (SSM)

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Private
Unit:: Company E, 126th Infantry Regiment, 32nd ‘Red Arrow’ Infantry Division
Awarded on:: 1945

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Private John A. Meyer (ASN: 37086979), United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against the enemy while serving with the 126th Infantry Regiment, 32d Infantry Division, in action near Leyte, Philippine Islands, on 16 December 1944. When heavy enemy machine gun fire halted their company’s advance, Private Meyer and another soldier armed themselves with grenades and crawled forward, under intense machine gun fire, to within ten feet of the enemy, from which point they threw grenades into the gun position. Private Meyer was killed in this action. The courageous action of Private Meyer and his companion resulted in the destruction of the enemy emplacement and the advance of their company.”

General Orders: Headquarters, 32d Infantry Division, General Orders No. 51 (1945)

Sources

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