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Personal info

Full name
MURDOCH, Donald Nelson
Date of birth
20 May 1924
Age
20
Place of birth
Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama
Hometown
Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama

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