World War II Honoree

Robert E. Berry

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Wilmington, Delaware

Honored By

The Matthew Family

Relationship

Nieces and Nephews

BEGAN HIS MILITARY CAREER AS AN ARMY DRAFTEE IN 1941. HE TRAVELED TO PEARL HARBOR BRIEFLY AFTER PEARL HARBOR, AND THEN WENT BACK TO THE STATES AND WENT THROUGH OFFICER CANDIDATE SCHOOL. UPON GRADUATION HE WAS ASSIGNED TO A NEWLY ESTABLISHED GRAVES REGISTRATION UNIT DUE TO HIS MORTICIAN SKILLS LEARNED BEFORE THE WAR. HE CONTINUED HIS TRAINING AND PREPARATION AND EVENTUALLY WAS SENT TO ENGLAND TO JOIN THE BUILD UP FOR THE INVASION. IN ENGLAND AND PRIOR TO THE INVASION, AS A FIRST LIEUTENANT, HE WAS ASSIGNED AS PLATOON COMMANDER OF THE 3RD PLATOON OF THE 607TH GRAVES REGISTRATION COMPANY ATTACHED TO THE 6TH ENGINEER SPECIAL BRIGADE. THE 3RD PLATOON LANDED ON OMAHA BEACH IN THE 13TH WAVE, AROUND 1500 HOURS ON 6 JUNE 1944. THEIR ORDERS WERE TO START BURYING THE DEAD ON THE BEACH, USING GERMAN PRISONERS AS DIGGERS ONLY. LATER ON 8 JUNE 1944, THE 2ND PLATOON OF THE 607TH GRAVES REGISTRATION COMPANY ATTACHED TO THE 5TH ENGINEER SPECIAL BRIGADE ARRIVED AND BEGAN ESTABLISHING THE ST. LAURENT CEMETERY. EVENTUALLY, THE 3RD PLATOON MOVED ALL THE U.S. SOLDIERS FROM THE BEACH AND INTO GRAVES IN THE CEMETERY. THE 2ND AND 3RD PLATOONS CONTINUED TO RUN THE ST. LAURENT CEMETERY. HE CONTINUED THROUGH THE WAR AND PARTICIPATED IN THE ESTABLISHMENT AND OPERATION OF SEVERAL U.S. CEMETERIES IN EUROPE THROUGH THE END OF THE WAR. THE 3RD PLATOON’S ACTIONS ON D-DAY EARNED THE AWARD OF THE PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION, DESPITE THE SMALL UNIT SIZE.