World War II Honoree

Alfred Frederick Heinicke

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

St. Louis, Missouri

Honored By

CDR Robert S. Heinicke, USN (Ret.)

Relationship

Son

HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE U.S. ARMY JANUARY 15, 1942 AT JEFFERSON BARRACKS, MISSOURI AND ATTENDED BASIC TRAINING AT FORT WARREN, WYOMING. IN MARCH 1942, HE BECAME TEMPORARY SUPPLY SERGEANT AT FORT LAWTON, WASHINGTON. IN JULY 1942, HE WENT OVERSEAS, ARRIVING IN LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND. HE WAS A SUPPLY SERGEANT WITH THE 4TH MAJOR PORT AT CAMP HOLTON (LIVERPOOL), CAMP WATERLOO, CAMP BROUGHTON, AND CAMP SOUTHAMPTON. ON D-DAY +29 HE CAMPED ON UTAH BEACH, ARRIVING IN CHERBOURG ON JULY 6, 1944, WHERE HE HELPED ESTABLISH THE 4TH MAJOR PORT IN THE HARBOR AREA AND WAS THE QUARTERMASTER CHIEF CLERK. HE WAS VERY INVOLVED IN HELPING SURVIVORS AND RECOVERING DEAD FROM THE TROOPSHIP USS LEOPOLDVILLE SINKING IN CHERBOURG HARBOR CHRISTMAS EVE, DECEMBER 24, 1944. AFTER THE WAR ENDED IN EUROPE, HE RETURNED TO THE U.S. IN MID-NOVEMBER 1945, ARRIVING IN NEW YORK CITY AMID A DOCK WORKERS' STRIKE. A BERTH COULD NOT BE FOUND AND HE DID NOT LEAVE THE SHIP FOR TWO EXTRA DAYS. HE WAS DISCHARGED ON NOVEMBER 17, 1945 AT JEFFERSON BARRACKS, MISSOURI. HE SERVED 40-1/2 MONTHS OVERSEAS IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER.