World War II Honoree

Theodore A. Baumeister

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Corvallis, Oregon

Honored By

Bend Heroes Foundation

HE JOINED THE ARMY ON 1 AUGUST 1942 IN CORVALLIS, OREGON. HE WAS TANK UNIT COMMANDER 1220, MAINTENANCE OFFICER, WITH THE 743RD TANK BATTALION ATTACHED TO 1ST INFANTRY DIVISION. HIS UNIT RECEIVED THE PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION FOR ACTIONS DURING THE NORMANDY D-DAY INVASION AS THE 743RD LED THE ASSAULT AGAINST THE BEACHES BETWEEN 0610B AND 0630B, 6 JUNE 1944. HEAVY ENEMY RESISTANCE AND RISING OCEAN TIDES RESULTED IN LOSS OF LARGE NUMBER OF TANKS, YET THEY CONTINUED FIGHTING, SECURED AND THEN HELD THE LANDING AND BEACHHEAD. HE SPENT THE NEXT FOUR MONTHS HELPING KEEP THE HEAVY EQUIPMENT RUNNING AS HIS UNIT MOVED ACROSS NORTHERN FRANCE AND GERMANY UNTIL HE WAS WOUNDED BY SHRAPNEL IN THE UPPER, LEFT CHEST 9 OCTOBER 1944 IN THE HUERTGEN FOREST NEAR AACHEN, GERMANY. HE SPENT THE NEXT YEAR IN THE HOSPITAL RECOVERING FROM HIS WOUNDS. HE WAS AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, THREE BRONZE STARS AND HIS UNIT EARNED THE PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION.