Howie, Thomas Dry

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Date of birth:: April 12th, 1908 (Abbeville/South Carolina, United States)
Date of death:: July 17th, 1944 (Saint-Lô/Basse-Normandie, France)
Buried on:: Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial
Plot: G. Row: 14. Grave: 12.
Service number:: O-261582
Nationality:: American
Rang/eenheid:: Major in 29th Infantry Division

Biography

Thomas Dry Howie, born in 1908 underwent military training at ‘The Citadel’ in Charleston, South Carolina and then joined the Officers Reserve Corps and later the National Guard. In February 1941, he enlisted in the 29th Infantry Division. After the outbreak of war, the division moved to England in 1942 and followed promotion to Captain and later Major.

On D-day, 6 June 1944, the 29th division landed on Omaha Beach and in July that year he was appointed commander of the 3rd Battalion of the 116th Infantry Regiment. He was killed on 17 July by a mortar shell during a battalion attack he personally led on the town of Saint-Lo. For this action, he was posthumously awarded multiple honours.

The photo of his Stars & Strips-covered body on the ruins of St Croix Cathedral in Saint-Lo is considered one of the most iconic from World War II.

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Silver Star Medal (SSM)

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Major
Unit:: Commanding Officer 3rd Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment

SILVAR STAR MEDAL CITATION
Headquarters 29th Infantry Division
Office of the Commanding General
Award of the Silver Star
(Posthumous)

Citation
MAJ THOMAS D. HOWIE, 0264158, Inf, 116th Inf, U.S. Army, for gallantry in action
against the enemy in Normandy, France. On 16 July 1944, the 3d Battalion, 116th Infantry, commanded by Maj Howie launched a night attack on the enemy near Martinville. The troops instructed not to shell the enemy, but to drive them from their prepared positions with the bayonet and hand grenades. After making limited progress against the enemy, the battalion was met by intense enemy fire from the front and flanks. Noting that the progress of the advance had been adversely affected by being affected by enemy fire, Maj Howie moved to and remained with the forward elements of his battalion where, by personal example and words of encouragement, he instilled confidence and esprit in the heavy troops to the extent that the mission was successfully accomplished.
Shortly after dawn, while still leading operations against the enemy, Maj Howie was mortally wounded by mortar fire. The unquestionable courage, intrepidity and exemplary devotion to duty shown by Maj Howie do great credit to himself and the military service. Entered military service from Virginia.
//signed//
C.H. GERHARDT
Major General, U.S. Army,
Commanding