World War II Honoree

Olan Joseph Suire

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Pecan Island, Louisiana

Honored By

John Suire, Olen Joseph Suire

Relationship

Nephews

JOINED THE ARMY AFTER PEARL HARBOR. AFTER ATTENDING BASIC TRAINING, HE ALSO RECEIVED COMBAT TRAINING AT AN INFANTRY REPLACEMENT TRAINING CENTER. HE WAS ASSIGNED TO THE 42ND INFANTRY DIVISION 'RAINBOW DIVISION', 232ND INFANTRY REGIMENT. HE ARRIVED IN MARSEILLES, FRANCE ON 8-9 DECEMBER, 1944, AND HIS REGIMENT WAS THEN FORMED INTO 'TASK FORCE LINDEN'. ASSIGNED TO VI CORPS, SEVENTH ARMY, THE TASK FORCE ENTERED COMBAT IN THE VICINITY OF STRASBOURG, FRANCE, RELIEVING ELEMENTS OF THE 36TH INFANTRY DIVISION ON 24 DECEMBER 1944. HE WAS KILLED IN ACTION ON 5 JANUARY 1945 AFTER 13 DAYS OF INTENSE COMBAT DURING THE SECOND GERMAN OFFENSIVE (NORDWIND) OF THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE. HIS AWARDS INCLUDE: COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE, PURPLE HEART MEDAL, ARMY GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH TWO BRONZE CAMPAIGN STARS (RHINELAND, ARDENNES-ALSACE), AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL.