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name
MURDOCH, Donald Nelson - Date of
birth
20 May 1924 -
Age
20 - Place of
birth
Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama -
Hometown
Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
34800589 -
Rank
Sergeant -
Function
Squad Leader -
Unit
B Company,
1st Battalion,
319th Infantry Regiment,
80th Infantry Division
-
Awards
Silver Star,
Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
9 February 1945 - Place of
death
In the vicinity of Wallendorf, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Luxembourg
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| H | 7 | 65 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Donald N. Murdoch (father)
Dorothy E. (Allen) Murdoch (mother)
Jane A. Murdoch (sister)
Anson A. Murdoch (brother)
More information
Sgt Donald N. Murdoch attended Philipps High School and Baylor Academy. He was attending his first year at Auburn University when he was called to service.He enlisted at Fort McClellan, Alabama on 24 March 1943. In December 1944, he was wounded by artillery shell fragments at his cheek.
He was killed from head wounds.
Sgt Murdoch was awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in action. The citation reads: "On Oct 8, 1944, Company B was temporarily stopped by intense machinegun fire from a pillbox on the outskirts of a town in France. On his own volition and displaying cool courage and total disregard for his own safety, Sgt Murdoch (then a private first class) crawled forward in the face of enemy fire to within 30 yards of the pillbox, threw a hand grenade and charged the position. Taking cover in a blind spot he threw several grenades and fired his carbine into the entrance of the pillbox with the hope the ricochets would kill or wound the occupants. After several minutes one German officer and three German enlisted men surrendered."
Source of information: Leo Minne, www.abmc.gov, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.ancestry.com - Headstone and Interment Record / 1930/1940 Census / U.S. WWII Draft Cards Young Men / U.S. WWII Hospital Admission Cards, www.80thdivision.com
Photo source: www.findagrave.com - Luxembourg American Cemetery, The Birmingham News - 1 March 1945