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| Pfc. Lawrence Duncan served in the 4th Infantry Division with these soldiers in Normandy. https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=21256251&ref=acom https://www.pinterest.com/pin/538672805412478668/ |
Lawrence E. Duncan never had a chance to reach 100 years old today. Instead, he sacrificed his life for our freedom.
He was born on August 9, 1917 in Pennsylvania. Both of his parents were also born in Pennsylvania. His father worked as limestone quarry truck driver. Lawrence had two older sisters, an older brother, a younger brother (who served in the US Navy during the war), plus younger twin siblings - a boy and girl. By 1940 Lawrence had completed eight years of school. He was still living with his parents and worked as a laborer.
He enlisted in the army on June 4, 1941. He became a private first class in Company F, 2nd Battalion,12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division. Pfc. Duncan arrived in England with his unit in January 1944. He landed at Utah Beach on D-Day. Three days later he was slightly wounded when the 12th IR attacked the main enemy line of resistance near Emondeville. It was an all-day battle with both sides attacking and counterattacking. The Germans eventual retreated. Pfc. Duncan returned to his unit and killed in action on June 12, 1944 while his unit was in a defensive position. The Normandy campaign was costly to the 4th Infantry Division -- Pfc. Duncan was one of 800 plus men from this division lost in three weeks.
His grave is at Pleasant Hill Church of the Brethren Cemetery.
UPDATE
Thanks to Brenda Weigle for providing this update on PFC Duncan:
Lawrence married Catherine Romaine Diehl from Hanover, PA, (his sweetheart for over 5 years) on July 24, 1942, in Spartanburg, SC. They eloped on their way to Ft. Benning where Lawrence was stationed.
After learning of his death during the Normandy Invasion, Catherine went back to live with her family in Pennsylvania. She worked at a shoe factory to help support her mother and younger siblings as their dad had died when Catherine was 14 years old. In April, 1947, Catherine married John R. Decker, a local WWII soldier that returned from the war. They remained in Pennsylvania and had 3 children.
Lawrence’s last words of love to Catherine in a letter dated June 2, 1944: “Yes dear I realize you don’t know what is happening at the present. But sooner or later you will get the big news and hoping it won’t be too disappointing. But whatever may happen dear, I hope you will be able to forget and readjust yourself and have all the happiness that one person could possibly get out of this wonderful world of ours. Your loving husband, Larry.”
On behalf of the fallen, if you would like to see more people become aware of this project to honor the WW2 fallen, be sure to share with others on Twitter, Facebook, etc. Thanks for your interest!
To mark having over 100,000 visits to my project to honor the fallen of WW2 on their 100th birthdate, I created this video to share. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXt8QA481lY
Join the public Facebook group WW2 Fallen 100
What a fitting tribute. I am currently researching my family and I found two unrelated fellows buried in a tiny Alabama cemetery who were killed in the Allied Invasion. I can't stop thinking about them and have been building their history so it is not completely lost. Pvt Emmett L Mixon, Jr. of the 16th inf, 1st inf div was Kia June 6, 1944 at Omaha and Sgt Hillary Dewitt Findley of the 12th inf, 4th info div was Kia on June 13, 1944 after surviving Utah. It's possible Pfc Duncan might have known and fought alongside Sgt Findley. Pvt Mixon was posthumously awarded the Silver Star.
ReplyDeleteI really appreciate people like you who do whatever you can to highlight the contributions of these brave souls so they aren't lost to time and become just names on a page. All the best to you.