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name
BIDWELL, John Elton - Date of
birth
9 September 1920 -
Age
24 - Place of
birth
Whitesboro, Grayson County, Texas -
Hometown
Grayson County, Texas
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
6295280 -
Rank
Corporal -
Function
unknown -
Unit
HQ & HQ Battery,
464th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion,
17th Airborne Division
-
Awards
Purple Heart
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
28 March 1945 - Place of
death
Wesel, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| E | 16 | 22 |
Immediate family
-
Members
John A. Bidwell (father)
Della F. (Maeyers) Bidwell (mother)
Harold F. Bidwell (brother)
More information
Cpl John E. Bidwell attended Technical High School in Dallas.He joined the Regular Army on 3 June 1939 and was stationed at Fort Sam, Houston Texas. He received his paratrooper wings at Fort Benning, Georgia in August 1943 and was sent to Camp Blanding, Florida and Camp Mackall, North Carolina. He was sent overseas in February 1945.
He was fatally wounded when a German land mine exploded as a truck, in which he was riding, passed over it as they were returning from a forward observer mission.
At the time of his death, his brother Harold served with the Army Air Corps in India.
Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.ww2-airborne.us
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Fort Worth Star Telegram 28 April 1945