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Personal info

Full name
HORTON, John Walter
Date of birth
20 March 1917
Age
27
Place of birth
Stanly County, North Carolina
Hometown
Montgomery County, North Carolina
Ethnicity
White

Military service

Service number
O1168293
Rank
First Lieutenant
Function
Platoon Commander
Unit
A Company,
771st Tank Destroyer Battalion,
3rd Platoon
Awards
Purple Heart

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
22 November 1944
Place of death
East of Gereonsweiler, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Plot Row Grave
P 9 2

Immediate family

Members
John W. Horton Sr. (father)
Carlotta B. (Elkins) Hyde (mother)
Earl G. Hyde (stepfather)
Herman K. Hyde (half-brother)
Robert G. Hyde (half-brother)

More information

1st Lt John W. Horton graduated from High Point High School and was an upholsterer at Circle Chair Factory.

He enlisted at Fort Bragg, North Carolina on 22 March 1944 and was sent overseas in October 1943.

On 21 November 1944, A Company was given the mission of supporting the attack of the 405th Regimental Combat Team on the high ground to the north and east of Immendorf. H-hour was set for 1030 AM. At 1000 AM the 3rd platoon, under command of 1st Lt John Horton, left the assembly area in Gereonsweiler and occupied firing position at 1030 AM. Within a short time after taking up these positions, small arms fire with tracer came from the vicinity of Beeck and Lindern. Apparently, these were ranging shots, for immediate follow artillery fire opened fire form high ground between Beeck and Lindern and from the southeastern edge of Beeck. Weapons could not be clearly observed, but appeared to be dug-in Panther tanks or 88mm guns. The first round from enemy gun was a direct hit on the tank destroyer of the platoon commander, killing him and two enlisted men, T/5 Decicco and Pvt Jebavay.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.abmc.gov, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov - WWII Enlistment Record, http://cgsc.contentdm.oclc.org – history of the 771st TDB, www.ancestry.com - Headstone and Interment Record / 1920 Census, WWII Draft Card, 1940 US Census, Extract of 771st Tank Destroyer Battalion After Action Report: 5 to 30 November 1944

Photo source: www.findagrave.com - Des Philippet, www.newspapers.com - High Point Enterprice North Carolina - 12 December 1944