World War II Honoree

Abner R. Cole

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Breckenridge, Texas

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

RANK: PRIVATE. SERVED AS A PARATROOPER WITH REGIMENTAL HEADQUARTERS, 3RD BATTALION, 502ND PARACHUTE INFANTRY REGIMENT, 101ST AIRBORNE ‘SCREAMING EAGLES’ DIVISION. HE JUMPED INTO THE AREA OF SAINT-MARTIN-DE-VARREVILLE, THE DESIGNATED DROP ZONE, ‘DZ-A’ ON THE FRENCH COTENTIN PENINSULA IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS ON D-DAY, TUESDAY, JUNE 6, 1944, BATTLE OF NORMANDY. THIS WAS THE INVASION OF GERMANY’S FORTRESS EUROPE, CODE NAME: OPERATION OVERLORD. KILLED IN ACTION SUNDAY, JUNE 11, 1944 DURING THE BATTLE FOR CARENTAN AND WAS BURIED IN A NORMANDY BATTLEFIELD CEMETERY. AFTER THE CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES IN EUROPE, HIS REMAINS WERE RETURNED TO HIS FAMILY, WITH INTERMENT IN THE WAYLAND CEMETERY, BRECKENRIDGE, TEXAS. DECORATION AND CITATION: THE BRONZE STAR WAS AWARDED TO THE SOLDIER FOR BRAVERY, ACT OF MERIT AND MERITORIOUS SERVICE.