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| Pvt. Layton Baitenger served with the 9th Infantry Division in Tunisia. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/120913685/layton-g-baitinger https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA/USA-MTO-NWA/img/USA-MTO-NWA-p615.jpg |
Layton G. Baitenger never had a chance to reach 100 years old today. Instead, he sacrificed his life for our freedom.
He was born on November 12, 1919 in Wisconsin. His parents William and Lydia were also both born in Wisconsin. His father worked as a condenser laborer and later as a general merchandise store merchant. Layton had one older brother.
He volunteered for the army on October 2, 1940. He became a private in Company A, 1st Battalion, 60th Infantry Regiment, 9th Infantry Division (Nicknamed "Old Reliables"). The 9th ID was one of the first American units to see action in WW2. It fought the French in Algiers in November 1942. Its artillery was engaged with the Germans on February 17, 1943, but the rest of the unit did no see action until March 28.
Pvt. Baitenger fought at the Battle of El Guettar in Tunisia in late March and early April 1943. He next fought in the Second Battle of Sedjenane in northern Tunisia which occurred from April 23 to April 24. By this point the Allies had obtained overwhelming numerical superiority over the Germans, making the results of the attack all but certain, but that didn't mean advances were cost free. Pvt. Baitenger was killed in action on April 24, 1943.
His grave is at Saxeville Union Cemetery in Saxeville, Wisconsin.
Last year on this date I profiled Chester Dau, 95th Infantry Division. You can read about Chester 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
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