World War II Honoree

Edmund W. Duckworth

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Lancaster County, Pennsylvania

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

RANK: 1ST LIEUTENANT. INDUCTED INTO THE ARMY FEBRUARY 4, 1941 AT HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA. SERVED AS A MEMBER OF THE VAST ARMADA THAT PARTICIPATED IN THE INVASION OF GERMANY’S FORTRESS EUROPE, OPERATION OVERLORD, D-DAY, TUESDAY, JUNE 6, 1944. HE WAS ASSIGNED TO THE 18TH INFANTRY REGIMENT, 1ST INFANTRY ‘BIG RED ONE’ DIVISION ATTACHED TO THE U.S. 1ST ARMY. HE WENT ASHORE ON OMAHA BEACH ‘BATTLE OF NORMANDY’ WITH THE 1ST WAVE OF TROOPS AT 0630 HOURS AND WAS KILLED IN ACTION DURING THE INITIAL ASSAULT AND IS BURIED IN THE NORMANDY AMERICAN CEMETERY LOCATED AT COLLEVILLE-SUR-MER, FRANCE. CAMPAIGNS AND BATTLES: NORTH AFRICA, SICILY, ITALY AND NORMANDY. DECORATIONS AND MEDALS: SILVER STAR WITH A BRONZE OAK LEAF CLUSTER, BRONZE STAR AND THE PURPLE HEART. THE BRONZE STAR AND THE PURPLE HEART WERE AWARDED POSTHUMOUSLY. THE SILVER STARS WERE BESTOWED UPON THE LIEUTENANT FOR DISTINGUISHED GALLANTRY IN ACTION AND VALOR IN THE FACE OF THE ENEMY IN THE MEDITERRANEAN THEATER. THE BRONZE STAR WAS AWARDED FOR HEROIC AND MERITORIOUS ACHIEVEMENT.