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| Artillery observation pilot Lt. Jerome Scanlon earned the Distinguished Service Cross when he helped capture the Ludendorff Bridge. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/67377480/jerome-edward-scanlon https://www.worldwarphotos.info/gallery/germany/1944-1945/aerail-view-of-remagen-erpel-ludendorff-bridge-alte-strasse-15-march-1945/ https://www.book-ebooks.com/products/reading-epub/page/2/product-id/705745/title/US+Field+Artillery+of+World+War+II.html?firm= |
Jerome Edward Scanlon never had a chance to reach 100 years old today. Instead, he sacrificed his life for our freedom.
Jerome was born on May 11, 1920 in South Bend, Indiana. His parents Morton and Julia were born in Wisconsin and Indiana, respectively. He had grandparents from Germany, France, and Holland. His father worked as a laborer. Jerome had a younger brother and younger sister.
He enlisted in the army in April 1942. He reached the rank of first lieutenant in the Headquarter Battery, 400th Armored Field Artillery Battalion.
On the afternoon of March 7, 1945, the 9th Armored Division, tasked with capturing the town of Remagen, was surprised to find the Ludendorff Bridge was still intact. The 400th Armored Field Artillery Battalion was a support unit. Lt. Scanlon was a pilot of a battalion observation plane, probably an L-4. The bridge was heavily defended by AA guns, but Lt. Scanlon braved the heavy anti-aircraft fire to direct artillery fire that supported the successful American assault to take the bridge. It could have created the extra margin that resulted in the unexpected capture of the bridge. Scanlon's plane was finally hit, too low for him and his observer to bail out. They died in the crash.
He was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. His citation reads as follows:
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to First Lieutenant (Field Artillery) Jerome E. Scanlon (ASN: 0-1178619), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving with the Headquarters Battery, 400th Armored Field Artillery Battalion, in action against enemy forces in Germany, on 7 March 1945.
On that date, Lieutenant Scanlon and an observer were on an observation mission, flying low over the point units of the spearhead striking towards Remagen, Germany. Without thought for their own safety they braved enemy anti-aircraft fire to observe and direct fire upon enemy installations as the attacking troops approached and formed for the assault against the bridge across the Rhine River. When enemy fire hit the plane, causing it to crash, they were flying too low to parachute to safety, and Lieutenant Scanlon and his observer were killed.
The courage and determination First Lieutenant Scanlon displayed, and his supreme devotion to duty at the cost of his life, exemplify the highest traditions of the military forces of the United States and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.
Thank you Lt. Scanlon for your sacrifice. Let's Earn It for Jerome.
UPDATE: Ramona Strickland sent me this note to add to this profile:
Thank you for writing the story of my uncle, Jerome Scanlon. Can the story be edited to include the fact that he had a wife, Jane A. Goede Scanlon ( my mother’s youngest sister). He ate his last state side meal, a steak dinner, cooked by my mother in Troy, NY before being sent to Europe. This is a small detail I remember being told about him.
DENVER PYLE
The future actor Denver Pyle was born on the exact same day as Jerome Scanlon. Pyle was born in Colorado. After completing high school he joined a musical band. When the war started he joined the US Merchant Marine.
After the war Pyle found work as a popular character actor. Among his best known shows were The Andy Griffith Show and The Dukes of Hazzard.
He died in 1997.
Last year on this date I profiled Normandy fallen Charles Morrison, 83rd Infantry Division. You can read about Charles 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.
Follow on Twitter @ww2fallen100
Please consider joining the public Facebook group to increase the exposure of this project. Go to: WW2 Fallen 100
His grave is at Greenwood Cemetery in Michigan City, Indiana.
UPDATE: Ramona Strickland sent me this note to add to this profile:
Thank you for writing the story of my uncle, Jerome Scanlon. Can the story be edited to include the fact that he had a wife, Jane A. Goede Scanlon ( my mother’s youngest sister). He ate his last state side meal, a steak dinner, cooked by my mother in Troy, NY before being sent to Europe. This is a small detail I remember being told about him.
DENVER PYLE
The future actor Denver Pyle was born on the exact same day as Jerome Scanlon. Pyle was born in Colorado. After completing high school he joined a musical band. When the war started he joined the US Merchant Marine.
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| https://www.metv.com/stories/denver-pyle-of-the-andy-griffith-show-was-a-real-life-jed-clampett |
He died in 1997.
Last year on this date I profiled Normandy fallen Charles Morrison, 83rd Infantry Division. You can read about Charles 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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