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| PFC Emmett Alumbaugh served with the 104th Infantry Division during the Battle of the Bulge. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/28526085/emmett-leon-alumbaugh http://users.skynet.be/jeeper/page86.html |
Emmett Leon Alumbaugh never had a chance to reach 100 years old today. Instead, he sacrificed his life for our freedom.
He was born on February 27, 1919 in Missouri. His parents Elza and Viva were born in Kansas and Missouri, respectively. His father worked as a powder mill laborer and later as a cafe waiter. Emmett had an older brother. By 1940 Emmett had completed four years of high school and was working as a farm laborer. He married Mary Frances in November 1941.
He was drafted into the army on May 27, 1944. He became a private first class in Company. F, 2nd Battalion, 413th Infantry Regiment, 104th Infantry Division (nicknamed "Timberwolves"). The 104th ID arrived in France in late August 1944. PFC Alumbaugh probably joined his unit later as a replacement. The 104th ID helped to clear the Scheldt Estuary in Holland and checked the Germans from any advances to the north in the Battle of the Bulge.
PFC Alumbaugh was awarded the Bronze Star, probably for actions during the Battle of the Bulge where his division was active through the first three weeks of February. He died on February 25, 1945 while his unit was assaulting Castle Rath in Germany.
His grave is at Dudman Cemetery, Sarcoxie, Missouri. His widow remarried and died in 2003.
Last year on this date I profiled Donald Casavant, 2nd Infantry Division. You can read about Donald 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
The 104th Infantry Division wasn´t involved in the Battle of the Bulge, exept the 750th Tank Bn. which was attached to the VII Corps. On Dec. 19, 1944 the 104th Division was relieved from the VII. Corps and was under XIX. Corps controll. The Frontline of the 104th Div. was extended and the Division had to hold the Roer River line. There were two defence lines, one close to the river Roer itself and the second defence line was on the northern and northeastern slope of the edge of the Hurtgen Forest. Company F - 413th Infantry for example was stationed at Merode which is my hometown. On Febr. 8, 1945 the 121st Infantry of the 8th Infantry Div. relieved the 413th Infantry which was then brought to the Roer river. The 413th attacked on 23rd Febr. over the Roer River captured the norhern part of Düren and the town of Birkesdorf, then went to Arnoldsweiler and the Castle of Haus Rath.
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