My father's service in the war

My father’s name was James Edward Stuart – he landed on Utah Beach, I believe either on D-day or a few days after. My dad wouldn’t talk to me about the war. He passed away a few years ago; I finally got this info from a relative – I’ve never heard this story or seen this picture before about a month ago.



He and his company, which had assembled in England, fought as Company K, the 12th Regiment, 4th Infantry Division across Northwest Europe in many battles, including the Battle of the Bulge. He was a private.

He was wounded at least three times. In one battle, his platoon of 45 men was virtually wiped out as they tried to hold a hill against a German attack. Out of ammunition and wounded, he surrendered along with the 6 other surviving soldiers in his platoon. He was a prisoner of the Germans until the next morning, when an American force prepared to counterattack the hill. The German captors surrendered to dad and the few remnants of his platoon before the counterattack began. He was awarded the Bronze Star for this action.

The 2[SUP]nd[/SUP] time he was wounded, it happened in the village you see below. My mom gave me this pic, with the inscription on the back, written by my dad when he was convalescing in a Paris hospital from the wounds he got in a battle in this town. As it reads, the village was being held by the SS.



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[TD]His last action occurred just 6 days before V/E day. He had been in Paris on leave recovering from wounds, when they rounded up all the able walking wounded and shipped them to the front. They were particularly interested in machine gunners, which he was, so he was loaded aboard a plane, and pushed out over the front. During this action he was severely wounded. It was his 3rd and final war wound, and it cost him his right lung.

Left for dead on the battlefield, he was later found and taken to a medic station. His mother received a first telegram saying that dad was "missing in action". One week later, she got a second telegram saying that he was alive and in a hospital. When he could be transported, he was shipped back to the states. Of the men who formed his Company in England, only 4 of the original 180 were left. All the rest were replacements.

Dad was in the hospital, mostly at Fitzsimmons in Denver, for 50 weeks. Soon after that, he met my mom, and they later married. He lived into his 80's.
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I see I'm the first ....So I'll say it...One hell of a soldiers story. Thanks for taking time to put it up. Kudos to your dad.

 

Yes Great Story,

I just finished a search for a friend about a soldier that was KIA during Operation Goodwood. He too was in the 4th ID. Make sure to read about that.

My question is he was put into action 6 days before VE Day ??

 

Steve not according to his first post. On or soon after D-Day. Great story, and thanks for sharing it, Jim.

 

A dear friend of mine was with the 4th Ivy 22th Regt . The 4th DI have landed on June 6 and they have taken ; Crisbeck and Merville Batteries . They were also present for Cherbourg and Cobra operation . My Friend Mr Curtis Phillips was wonded on Sept 44 when he was on the Siegfried Line .

Your father is an hero and he is still in our memory .

 

Appreciate the kind words, guys. thank you.

As I said, my dad wouldn't talk to me much about the war. The one brief story he did tell me was, one time he and a few others from his squad entered a farmhouse, only to realize there was a group of German soldiers on the second floor. The Germans knew they were there as well. He said it was apparent that both sides knew it was going to be ugly in such close quarters. So in an unspoken agreement, both groups just let the other stay there for awhile, left each other alone, and then my dad's group left the building without incident. guess that was the mood that day...

 

Great story!

 

Great story, thanks for sharing! It would be great if all veterans were able to tell of their experiences, but I am sure for many and understandably so, what occurred for them was just too emotionally scarring to tell. At least you wre able to get a little info and history regarding his service.

 

Jim, welcome to the board. Thanks to your dad for serving and thanks for relating his story to us.

 

Excellent stories and photos, Jim. Thank you for sharing them. You have done a good thing for your father's memory. As Sgt Potier said, he is a hero and deserves the recognition for that.

 

Great photos and summary of his service. Thank you for sharing your father's story. My dad did not share as much as I would want to know, either.

 

Thank you so much for sharing the story of this brave soldier. A salute to your father for his service. We are grateful.