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Abbott, Edgar Raymond

Date of birth:
November 10th, 1917 (Union Star, Missouri, USA)
Date of death:
June 17th, 1944 (Normandy, France)
Buried on:
Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial
Plot: C. Row: 16. Grave: 30.
Service number:
O-1298300
Nationality:
American (1776 - present, Republic)

Biography

Entered Service from Missouri. Enlisted in the army in June 1941, joined the 82nd Airborne at Fort Benning, Georgia in December 1941, commissioned a Second Lieutenant at Camp Blanding, Florida in November 1942 and was deployed overseas in December 1943. Reached the rank of First Lieutenant. Killed in action on June 17, 1944 in Normandy, France.

Survived by his wife - Selma Gruber.

Some more info from the Mémoire & Database bio:
A native of Union Star in Missouri, Edgar enrolled in June 1941 and entered the Airborne School. In August, he joined the A Company, 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment.
Edgar stayed there until June 1942 when he entered the Officer Candidate School for a 17 week training period until November 1942. He came out of it as a Second Lieutenant and got transferred to A Company, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment. He married Selma Gruber in Duval County (Florida) in December.
In April 1943, he left for Camp Mackall, where he undertook a harsh and intensive physical training, long marches loaded with equipment, exercises for each specialty and tactical missions; he remained there until August 1943. In September and October 1943, they carried out military exercises in Tennessee and went back to Camp Mackall in November until the end of the year. Edgar changed unit in December, he left A Company for the Mortar Platoon at HQ/1 where he replaced Lieutenant Stoeckert who had hurt himself during an exercise jump. Edgar became their Commanding Officer and got promoted to First Lieutenant.

During Operation Overlord on June 17, 1944 he was killed by a sniper.

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Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
1st Lieutenant
Unit:
Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division "All American", U.S. Army
Citation unavailable.

Headquarters 82nd Airborne Division, General Orders No. 35 (1944).
Bronze Star  Medal (BSM)

Sources

Photo