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Personal info

Full name
DICKSON, Roy Ernest
Date of birth
7 January 1919
Age
25
Place of birth
Manitowoc, Manitowoc County, Wisconsin
Hometown
Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio

Military service

Service number
36044910
Rank
Staff Sergeant
Function
unknown
Unit
120th Infantry Regiment,
30th Infantry Division
Awards
Bronze Star with Oak Leaf Cluster,
Purple Heart

Death

Status
Finding of Death
Date of death
30 December 1944
Place of death
Malmedy, Belgium

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
D 38 13

More information

S/Sgt Roy E. Dickson enlisted from Chicago, Illinois on 4 August 1941.

He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal posthumously for his actions on 10 September 1944. The citation cited: Sgt Dickson's platoon was assigned the mission of crossing a canal to fortify the canal locks situated about a town captured by friendly troops in order to prevent the enemy from flooding the entire area. During the crossing, the first boat launched was lost due to heavy concentration of enemy fire, and started drifting toward the enemy lines.
Sgt Dickson, disregarding his own safety, quickly took another boat out to the water-filled assault boat, and using his helmet, bailed the water out of the unwieldy craft which had drifted within 250 yards of the enemy and returned with it.

The medal was presented to his widow.

Source of information: Luc van der Sterren, Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov - WWII Enlistment Record, www.ancestry.com - 1930 Census, www.oldhickory30th.com, WWII Draft Cards, The Birmingham News - 18 May 1945

Photo source: Peter Schouteten