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| Pvt. Bernard Lewis served in the 12th Infantry Regiment while it advance through and around Montebourg, France. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/114369015/bernard-pressley-lewis https://i.pinimg.com/originals/1f/7c/3e/1f7c3ecde48516b69ff73e4c2d592689.jpg |
Bernard Pressley Lewis never had a chance to reach 100 years old today. Instead, he sacrificed his life for our freedom.
He was born on December 1, 1918 in West Virginia. His parents Samuel and Alice were also both born in West Virginia. His father worked as a farmer. Bernard had five older sisters. By 1940 he had completed four years of high school and was working as a manager with Hollanders Auto Store in Hagerstown, Maryland.
He was drafted into the army on February 24, 1941. The next year he married Grace Grove. They had one son. He became a private in Company K, 3rd Battalion, 12th Regiment, 4th Infantry Division (nicknamed "Ivy Division").
The 4th Infantry Division landed on Utah Beach on D-Day, June 6, 1944. The landing was a lot less costly than the Americans landing on Omaha beach that day. It quickly linked up with airborne units to wrest control of the Cotentin Peninsula from the Germans. Nearly two weeks later it was poised to attack Cherbourg to secure an import port for the allies.
On June 19, 1944 the 12th IR began its advance to Cherbourg, about 15 miles away. Pvt. Lewis was killed in action north of Montebourg.
His grave is at Gerrardstown Presbyterian Cemetery in Gerrardstown, West Virginia. His widow remarried and died in 2002. His son may yet be alive.
Photo provided by Amy Snawder
Last year on this date I profiled B-24 pilot Louis Bass. You can read about Louis here.
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!
I created this video to explain why I started this project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXt8QA481lY.
Please consider joining the public Facebook group to increase the exposure of this project. Go to: WW2 Fallen 100
Thank you for writing this. He was my Granddaddy's 1st cousin.(My Granddaddy served in the Navy in the Pacific in WWII.) Their Uncle Grady died in the Argonne in WWI.
ReplyDeleteAmy, do you have a photo of Bernard? Would you like to see his story added to the www.storiesbehindthestars.org project? Don Milne. Let me know. don@storiesbehindthestars.org
DeleteI don't, but I'll check with my aunt. She has a lot of old family photos.
DeleteMy aunt sent me a photo of Bernard with his wife and son. I will email it to you.
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