World War II Honoree

John Joseph 'Joe' Pinder Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

McKees Rock, Pennsylvania

Honored By

Joe Arsena

ENTERED MILITARY SERVICE ON JANUARY 27, 1942. HE TRAINED WITH THE 16TH INFANTRY REGIMENT, 1ST INFANTRY DIVISION AT CAMP BLANDING, FLORIDA AND FORT BENNING, FLORIDA. THE DIVISION LEFT FOR ENGLAND IN AUGUST 1942 AND TOOK PART IN THE ALLIED LANDINGS OF NORTH AFRICA AT ALGERIA AND THE BATTLES AGAINST ROMMEL'S AFRIKA KORPS IN TUNISIA. IN JULY 1943, HE WAS PART OF THE ALLIED LANDINGS AT SICILY. BY NOVEMBER 1943, HE WAS BACK IN ENGLAND PREPARING FOR D-DAY; THE ALLIED INVASION AT NORMANDY. ON THE MORNING OF JUNE 6, 1944, THE 16TH INFANTRY REGIMENT WERE IN THE FIRST WAVE OF TROOPS TO ASSAULT THE BEACHES AT COLLEVILLE-SUR-MER; MORE FAMILIARLY KNOWN AS OMAHA BEACH. HE WAS ABOARD A LANDING CRAFT OF MEN FROM THE 16TH INFANTRY'S HEADQUARTERS COMPANY. IT WAS A SPECIAL DAY; HIS BIRTHDAY; HE WAS 32. AS THE LANDING CRAFTS APPROACHED THE BEACH THE GERMANS OPENED FIRE WITH ARTILLERY, MORTARS AND MACHINE-GUN FIRE. AN ARTILLERY SHELL EXPLODED CLOSE TO HIS LANDING CRAFT, TEARING HOLES IN THE BOAT AND INJURING MANY OF THE MEN INSIDE. PANIC SET-IN AS THE VESSEL FILLED WITH WATER AND BEGAN TO SINK. STILL 100 YARDS FROM THE BEACH THE RAMP WAS DROPPED AND THE MEN OF HQ COMPANY WERE INSTANTLY MET WITH A HAIL OF DEADLY ACCURATE MACHINE-GUN AND SMALL ARMS FIRE, KILLING MANY OUTRIGHT AS THEY STRUGGLED TO REACH THE SHORE. DESPITE THE CHAOS AND CARNAGE, HE REMEMBERED HIS DUTIES. HE GRABBED THE VITAL RADIO EQUIPMENT, PLACED IT ON HIS SHOULDER AND MADE HIS WAY DOWN THE RAMP AND INTO THE WAVES. WITH GUNFIRE ALL AROUND HIM IT WAS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE HE WAS HIT. A BULLET HIT HIM, CAUSING THE VETERAN SOLDIER TO STUMBLE, BUT HE DIDN'T STOP. HE MADE IT TO THE BEACH, DROPPED THE RADIO AND RETURNED TO THE WATER TO RETRIEVE MORE RADIO EQUIPMENT. AGAIN HE WAS HIT; A SERIOUS WOUND TO HIS FACE AND THEN BULLET WOUNDS TO HIS LEGS. BUT STILL HE COULDN'T BE STOPPED. IN ALL, HE RETURNED TO THE WATER THREE TIMES TO RECOVER THE VITAL EQUIPMENT. ALREADY WEAKENED BY HEAVY LOSS OF BLOOD, HE WAS HIT BY ENEMY FIRE ONCE MORE, THIS TIME IT WAS FATAL. ON JANUARY 4, 1945, HE WAS AWARDED THE CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR FOR 'CONSPICUOUS GALLANTRY AND INTREPIDITY ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY. THE INDOMITABLE COURAGE AND PERSONAL BRAVERY WAS A MAGNIFICENT INSPIRATION TO THE MEN WITH WHOM HE SERVED. AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART.