World War II Honoree

Alfred Joseph Nigl

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Oshkosh, Wisconsin

Honored By

Family

JOINED THE 82ND AIRBORNE IN 1942 AS A GLIDER ARTILLERY-MAN. TRAVELED TO N. AFRICA IN 1943, FROM THERE LANDED NEAR NAPLES,ITALY,HELPED IN THE CAPTURE OF NAPLES. WENT TO ENGLAND TO TRAIN FOR D-DAY INVASION, ON JUNE 6TH,1944, LANDED BEHIND GERMAN LINES IN A HORSA GLIDER. FOUGHT IN NORMANDY FOR 33 DAYS STRAIGHT WITH NO RELIEF (AN ARMY RECORD) WENT BACK TO ENGLAND,TO TRAIN FOR OPERATION MARKET GARDEN, LANDED IN HOLLAND NEAR NIJIMEGEN HOLLAND,WATCHED THE MOST GALLANT ATTACK OF WWII BY 504TH PARACHUTE REGIMENT ACROSS THE WAAL RIVER IN FLIMSY CANVAS BOATS. LATER SENT TO FRANCE FOR R/R, CALLED UP IN DECEMBER OF 44' TO HOLD BACK THE GERMAN OFFENSIVE IN BATTLE OF THE BULGE. LATER CROSSED THE RHEIN,HELPED CAPTURE COLOGNE GERMANY, TRAVELED TO THE ELBE RIVER,AND MET THE RUSSIANS. SENT BACK TO FRANCE TO TRAIN FOR AIRBORNE ATTACK ON TOKYO, DROPPING OF ATOM BOMBS, ENDED THE WAR.