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name
MYERS, Joseph Foss - Date of
birth
19 June 1919 -
Age
25 - Place of
birth
West Virginia -
Hometown
Dover, Kent County, Delaware
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-1301865 -
Rank
First Lieutenant -
Function
Platoon Commander -
Unit
G Company,
3rd Battalion,
401st Glider Infantry Regiment,
101st Airborne Division,
Weapons Platoon
-
Awards
Distinguished Service Cross,
Bronze Star,
Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster
Death
-
Status
Missing in Action - Date of
death
30 September 1944 - Place of
death
Kiekberg, The Netherlands
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten - Walls of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
Daniel F. Myers (father)
Lucille H. (Griffin) Myers (mother)
Mildred Myers (sister)
William Myers (brother)
Orville Myers (brother)
Anna Myers (sister)
Ruth Myers (sister)
Albert Myers (brother)
Orville Myers (brother)
Leonard Myers (brother)
Shirley Myers (sister)
Robert Myers (brother)
More information
Joseph F. Myers worked as a clerk at Sears Roebuck.He enlisted on 7 January 1942 in Harrington, Delaware.
He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross posthumously. The citation reads: While his company was attacking through the Kiekberg woods about two and one half miles south of Groesbeek, Holland, Lt Myers personally led his machine gun section which had the assignment of giving supporting fire to the advance of the 1st and 2nd rifle platoons. An enemy pocket of resistance consisting of five men armed with a machine gun, machine pistols, and grenades surprised Lt Myers and five men near him by tossing a grenade at the group. The first grenade missed, a second one was tossed and landed in the midst of Lt Myers' group. Upon seeing the grenade Lt Myers yelled, "Grenade, duck!" Realizing that the entire group might be killed or wounded, he without hesitancy threw himself upon the grenade in an attempt to protect his men. The exploding grenade mortally wounded Lt Myers, but his men escaped injury. This demonstration of willingness to make the supreme sacrifice that others might live to fight for a just cause exemplifies the highest traditions of the military forces of the United States.
Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Terry Hirsch, WWII Memorial, Fold3, Market Garden, www.findagrave.com http://www.ww2-airborne.us/, http://delaware.contentdm.oclc.org - Delaware Public Archives, www.ancestry.com - 1940 Census
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, http://delaware.contentdm.oclc.org - Delaware Public Archives, The Morning News 18 November 1944, Stars & Stripes 11 May 1944 courtesy of the 306th Bomb Group Historical Association