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name
HILLYARD, Johnny Ray - Date of
birth
22 April 1915 -
Age
29 - Place of
birth
Crittenden County, Kentucky -
Hometown
Marion, Crittenden County, Kentucky
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-450246 -
Rank
First Lieutenant -
Function
Company Commander -
Unit
K Company,
3rd Battalion,
11th Infantry Regiment,
5th Infantry Division
-
Awards
Bronze Star,
Purple Heart
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
10 September 1944 - Place of
death
On the edge of the woods, 1800 yards west of Fort Blaise
East bank of the Moselle River, near Dornot, France
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Lorraine - Tablets of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
Kay J. Hillyard (wife)
More information
Lt Hillyard had assumed command of K Company at 1045 hours on 9 September 1944 upon the death of 1st Lt Stephen T. Lowry.At 630 hours on 10 September 1944, while engaged in inspecting front line defenses, Lt Hillyard was hit by shrapnel when an intense enemy barrage raked the wooded area. He was killed instantly.
Lt Hillyard was reported killed in action but his remains, together with those of Pfc Dickey, were left exposed to intense shell fire for approximately three days. It is believed that both men were interred by the enemy in the approximate location of where they were killed.
Field investigation, conducted in October en December 1946 revealed that the area was mined and inaccessible to any searching team. A field investigation in September 1950 was negative.
Source of information: Leo Minne, Terry Hirsch, Raf Dyckmans, Kathy McDermott, www.abmc.gov, www.ancestry.com – 1920/1930 Census / Kentucky Birth Index, A footsoldier for Patton / Michael C. Bilder James G. Bilder, The 5th Infantry Division in the ETO, www.newspaperarchive.com - The Indianapolis Star, IDPF
Photo source: www.findagrave.com - Frogman