The 30th Infantry Division Veterans of WWII | PVT Joseph J. Pierce, RA 33699097

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PVT Joseph J. Pierce, RA 33699097

started by bill Apr 22nd, 2008 in Uncategorised

created Apr 22nd, 2008 by bill

Seeking information on my mother's cousin, PVT Joseph J. Pierce. He was KIA on July 9th '44 somewhere in Normandy, France. There is no information on his unit- the records burned in 1972 - I would like to find out what outfit he was with. I see the 30th Div was in action during this time in Normandy. Pvt Pierce was tanker assigned to an "Infantry unit." His tank hit a mine, and his remains were not recovered. He has a plot in Zachery Taylor National Cemetary in Ky.

Elistment date: 3 Aug 1943, Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. Home of Record, Meadville, PA.

created Apr 22nd, 2008 by Warren Watson

Pvt. Pierce served with the 743rdTank Battalion, Co. B according to the 743rd's history. Warren Watson

[SPAM?] created Apr 23rd, 2008 by Frank Towers

Hello Bill: Indeed Joseph J. Pierce was in Co. B of the 743rd Tank Battalion, attached to the 30th Infantry Division. For more info please contact me at: towersfw@windstream.net Frank W. Towers, President, 30th Inf. Div. Veterans of WWII.

created May 27th, 2008 by john robinson

I copied the following from this web site.

http://www.dasreich.ca/normandy.html

It gives some history as to what happened on July 9. My uncle, Philip Robinson, was also killed during this action. I have been to le Desert. It is a pretty little town surrounded by farms.

On July 7-8 the 5th and 7th Pz. companies, that had formed a defensive line running from Les Landes to Lemonderie, were attacked by the U.S. 83rd Infantry Division. On the 9th, along a road near le Desert, a company of the U.S. 743rd Tank Battalion in pursuit of two Pz.IV's was ambushed from the flank by Ostuf. Kloskowski's 7th Pz. company. In 15 minutes, 9 Shermans were destroyed, 3 damaged (and abondoned). The next day, II Pz.Rgt. Das Reich clashed with American armor near Sainteny and Chateau de Bois Grimot. From the Periers area, I Pz.Rgt. D.R. attacked NE toward Sainteny, running into the 3rd Division. By dark, Das Reich had scored 98 armor kills in 8 days.

created May 27th, 2008 by bill

Thanks so much you guys! You are the best. This is a great Memorial Day present for my family. I've found out where Pvt. Pierce is buried, and what unit he was in, and where exactly he died. This will help bring closure to his life. I guessed at his unit and awards, but now we have the truth. It would also be great to get any kind of official after action report, or anything that said what his unit was doing when he got killed.

You're invited to view his memorial page I created on Ancestry.com; http://trees.ancestry.com/view/Military.aspx?pid=-1610173575&tid=3510489&vid=56fa5672-c5ac-4f53-85fe-deba756c0b28&pv=1

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