World War II Honoree

Francis Leonard Bein, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Kansas City, Missouri

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

SERVED AS A PRIVATE FIRST CLASS IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER WITH THE 1ST BATTALION, 115TH INFANTRY REGIMENT, 29TH INFANTRY 'BLUE AND GRAY' DIVISION. HIS REGIMENT PARTICIPATED IN THE NORMANDY, NORTHERN FRANCE, RHINELAND, AND CENTRAL EUROPE CAMPAIGNS. FOUGHT IN FRANCE, BELGIUM, HOLLAND AND GERMANY. HIS REGIMENT ASSAULTED OMAHA BEACH AT NORMANDY, FRANCE ON JUNE 6, 1944 (D-DAY). HIS DIVISION CUT ACROSS THE ELLE RIVER AND TOOK SAINT LO, FRANCE ON JULY 18, 1944. HE AND ANOTHER SOLDIER HUNG THE DIVISION FLAG FROM A FIRST FLOOR WINDOW ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE COMMAND POST. THE FLAG WAS TORN DOWN BY GERMAN SHELL FIRE BUT WAS SOON REPLACED. TOOK PART IN OPERATIONS AGAINST THE FORTRESS CITY OF BREST, FRANCE IN SEPTEMBER, 1944 AND IN THE RUHR OFFENSIVE IN GERMANY IN NOVEMBER-DECEMBER, 1944. HIS UNIT REACHED THE ELBE RIVER ON APRIL 24, 1945 AND MADE CONTACT WITH THE SOVIET ARMY ON MAY 2, 1945. WAS PERFORMING MILITARY GOVERNMENT DUTIES NEAR BREMEN, GERMANY WHEN HOSTILITIES ENDED. AWARDED THE BRONZE STAR MEDAL, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH BRONZE ARROWHEAD, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. AUTHORIZED THE PRESIDENTIAL (DISTINGUISHED) UNIT CITATION FOR EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM IN ACTION BY HIS REGIMENT AT SAINT LAURENT-SUR-MER IN NORMANDY. ALSO AWARDED THE FRENCH CROIX DE GUERRE WITH PALM FOR ACTIONS BY HIS DIVISION ON THE BEACHES OF NORMANDY. HIS REGIMENT WAS ALSO AWARDED THE FRENCH CROIX DE GUERRE WITH SILVER STAR FOR ACTIONS AT SAINT LO. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.