| 4. | Hyland Glenn Hinshaw  (1.William1) was born on 29 Nov 1921 in Dexter, Stoddard, County, MO; died on 4 May 1964 in Auburn, Placer, County, CA; was buried on 8 May 1964 in Golden Gate, Nat'l Cemetery, San Bruno, CA. Notes:
! Hyland Glenn Hinshaw, b 11-29-1921 d 5-4-1964, much wounded and
decorated veteran of WWII, having served in Army 82nd Airborne
(Paratroop) Division, born in on Elm Street in Dexter, Missouri, buried at the
Golden Gate National Cemetary in San Bruno, California. Glenn was a
construction engineer. He married Betty Hessinger. and had three children,
Glenna, Sandra, and Darrell. He later married Marty _______
and had a daughter, Mary, who married a Newton.
! Glenn's Record from the Golden Gate National Cemetery: , SGT HQ 508
PARA REGT INF, Plot: 2E 2169, buried 05/08/1964
! The 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment
Unit History
! The 508th PIR adopted the Red Devil emblem (right) and the battle cry
"Diablo" when they moved to Fort Benning, Georgia for parachute training
during February, 1943.
! On 20 October 1942, at Camp Blanding, Florida, the 508th Parachute
Infantry Regiment was activated with Major Roy E. Lindquist (left) in
command. The regiment primarily came from the 502nd Parachute Infantry
Regiment and the 26th Infantry Division. By mid-December, the 508th PIR
reached full strength. The next month the 508th was moved to Camp
McKall, North Carolina, where they trained until December.
! On 28 December 1943, the regiment boarded the U.S. Army Transport
James Parker and set out to join the convoy across the Atlantic for the
war in Europe. Twelve days later, on 9 January 1944, the James Parker
docked at Belfast, Ireland and the 508th commenced training throughout
Great Britain.
! Operation Neptune - D-Day
Operation "Neptune" was an all-important airborne phase of Overlord, the
name given to the massive plan for D-Day invasion of Europe. The 82nd
Airborne was an integral part of Operation Neptune. Because the 504th PIR
ranks had been depleted due to the Italian Campaigns the 507th and the
508th Parachute Infantry Regiments were attached to the 82nd for this
operation.
! The 82nd's mission was to destroy vital German supply bridges and
capture causeways leading inland across the flooded areas behind the
Normandy beaches where seaborne forces would land to gain control of
roads and communications. More than 10,000 All-Americans landed by
parachute and glider on June 6, 1944 - D-Day - as part of the greatest
airborne assault in history.
! The 508th was responsible for the Southwest portion of the 82d Airborne
Division sector in Normandy.Their primary targets were bridges over the
Douve River, located at Brienville and Beuzeville-la-Bastille. Clouds and
heavy anti-aircraft fire caused the formations to break up and many of the
planes to stray off course. The confusion was also compounded by the
Wehrmarcht's presence in the scheduled drop zones. This prevented the
pathfinders from marking them and consequently delayed many pilots from
flashing the jump lights until they had overshot the drop zones as they
frantically searched for the markers. Consequently, both the 507th and
508th troopers were widely scattered over the Normandy countryside.
! Landing in the swamp lands along the river the heavily laden troopers
hurriedly scrambled to assemble into fighting units. Because of the
confusion they were unable to muster their forces into enough strength to
occupy the west bank of the Douve River in force. Instead the troopers
assembled along the embankment of the main railroad from Cherbourg to
Carentan, both because it was high ground and because it was a
recognizable terrain feature. After regrouping into small units, the 508th
began executing their daunting task to seize the bridge over the Douve
River, at Pont L' Abbe.
! However, one unit under the command of Lt.Col Thomas J.B.Shanley,
commanding officer of the 2d Battalion, encountered a large contingent of
German infantry (Battalion strength) before reaching the town. The
Germans were pushing eastward in this area most of the day under orders
to counterattack and wipe out the American insertion west of the
Merderet. Lt. Col. Shanley immediately realized that they were vastly out
numbered, and withdrew to Hill 30. He ordered his unit to dig in. For two
days, he and his men fought off repeated German attempts to overrun the
main paratrooper landings and contributed substantially to establishing the
Merderet bridgehead.This action has been considered decisive in helping the
airborne meet its objectives at Normandy.
! Cited for their bravery during this action were CPL Ernest T. Roberts,
PVT Otto K. Zwingman, and PVT John A. Lockwood. They observed the
formation of a German counterattack by an estimated battalion of infantry
with tank support while on outpost duty in a building at Haut Gueutteville.
Remaining at their posts these troopers held off the enemy attack for two
hours allowing the main body of Lt Col Shanley's force to establish an
all-around defense at Hill 30.
! The 508th continued their ferocious fight as infantrymen for 33 days
after landing at Normandy. They had choked off reinforcements for the
Axis forces defending the French coast. On 13 July 1944, the Red Devils
returned to England after suffering 1,061 casualties out of 2,056
paratroopers of which 307 were Killed-In-Action (KIA). Included among the
KIA was Lt.Col Batcheller, commanding officer of the 1st Battalion. For the
remainder of WW II the 508th would remain attached to the 82nd Airborne
Division.
! Operation Market Garden
On 9 September 1944 Field-Marshal Montgomery proposed a plan, called
Operation Market Garden, to secure a bridgegehead across the Rhine. The
operation called for a combined armor and airborne assault to seize and
hold key bridges and roads deep behind German lines in Holland. The
airborne phase of the operation consisted of capturing five bridges ahead
of the armored force. The 504th now back at full strength rejoined the
82nd, while the 507th went to the 17th Airborne Division.
! At approximately 1330 hours on 17 September 1944, the Red Devils
jumped into Holland as part of Operation Market Garden. Although initial
resistance was light, heavy fighting ensued for days.
! On September 18, 1SG Leonard A. Funk, Jr., led elements of Co. C in a
fierce counterattack to clear the LZ of attacking Wehrmacht infantry and
anti-aircraft artillery to allow the landing of reinforcing gliderborne
troopers and artillery of the 319th, 320th and 456th FA Battalions. For his
actions, 1SG Funk received the Distinguished Service Cross.
! The 508th established and maintained a defensive position along the main
line of resistance which measured over twelve thousand yards in length
against heavy German resistance. The regiment then seized Bridge #10 and
prevented its destruction by destroying the apparatus for the demolition
of the Nijmegen Bridge across the Waal River. This action contributed to
the successful completion of the 82nd Airborne's mission.
! Meanwhile, the regiment also seized, occupied, and defended the Berg EN
Dalkamp Hill mass terrain which controlled the Groesbeek-Nijmegen area.
They cut Highway K, preventing the movement of enemy reserves, or
escape of enemy along this important international route.
! Finally, the regiment withstood and repulsed the major enemy efforts at
Wyler and Beek to penetrate the Division position and assault units to the
north. While accomplishing these missions, the regiment captured 483
prisoners. During this period of combat the regiment suffered 139 KIA,
479 WIA, and 178 MIA. No Red Devils were captured by the enemy.
! On November 10, the 508th was relieved by a British Brigade. They
immediately retuned to Nijmegen and eventually to Camp Soissone, France
on November 14th.
! Battle of the Bulge - The Ardennes Offensive
On 16 December 1944 the entire 82nd Airborne was thrust into Ardennes
Forest in the largest battle of World War II - Battle of the Bulge
! The Germans smashed through the thin US screen in the Ardennes. SHAEF
reserve forces were alerted. The 101st Airborne was sent into Bastogne
to try and hold the southern shoulder of the penetration while the 82d was
ordered to Werbomont to pinch in the northern shoulder.
! On December the 18th the 508th moved and by the 19th had set up
positions in the vicinity of Chevron. The regiment held positions against the
Germans until the 24th at which time they were ordered to withdraw to
establish a new line of resistance. The regiment held it position until
January 3, 1945 when the 82nd Airborne Division counterattack.
! On January 7th the Red Devil's launched an attack with the 504th in the
vicinity of Thier-du-Mont where it suffered heavy casualties. Again, the
regiment was withdrawn from the line and placed in reserve until January
21st when it replaced elements of the 2d Infantry Division.
! On January 24th the regiment was placed in Corp reserve, but was quickly
back in action on January 26th.
! On January 29, 1945 First Sergeant Leonard Funk, Jr. of Braddock
Township, Pennsylvania, Company C, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment
won the Congressional Medal of Honor (CMH) for action at Holzheim,
Belgium. After leading his unit and capturing 80 Germans, the enemy, by
means of a ruse, captured the four American guards, freed the prisoners
and prepared to attack the understrength Americans. Funk, walking around
a building into their midst, had a machine pistol thrust into his stomach by
a German officer. Pretending to comply with a surrender demand, he slowly
unslung his Thompson submachine gun and with lightning fast motion,
riddled the officer and led his men in resisting the enemy, killing 21 in the
process.
! On February 22, The Regiment moved back to Camp Sissonne where it
became part of SHAEF reserve. The regiment performed maintenance,
trained and refitted.
! On April 5 the regiment was relieved from attachment to the 82d
Airborne Division and placed under the direct control of First Allied
Airborne Army. The regiment moved to Chartres with a contingency
mission to liberate POW camps in Germany by airborne assault if the
situation demanded. The 508th remained at Chartres until late May, 1945.
After a brief stay at Sissonne, the 508th was moved to Frankfort-Am-Main
for occupation duty and served as guard to General Eisenhower's SHAEF
Headquarters. In December 1945, LTC Otho E. Holmes assumed command
of the regiment
!========================================
82nd - OVERALL
Operation Neptune -the airborne invasion of Normandy. The operation was
part of Operation OVERLORD, the amphibious assault on the northern coast
of Nazi-occupied France.
! In preparation for the operation, the division was reorganized. Two new
parachute infantry regiments, the 507th and the 508th, joined the division.
However, due to its depleted state following the fighting in Italy, the 504th
Parachute Infantry Regiment did not take part in the invasion.
! On June 5-6, 1944, the paratroopers of the 82nd's three parachute
infantry regiments and reinforced glider infantry regiment boarded
hundreds of transport planes and gliders and, began the largest airborne
assault in history. They were among the first soldiers to fight in Normandy,
France.
! The division dropped behind Utah Beach, Normandy, France between Ste
Mere-Englise and Carentan on June 6th, 1944. They were reinforced by the
325th GIR the next day. The division remained under strong German
pressure along the Merderit River. Eventually, the 325th GIR crossed the
river to secure a bridgehead at La Fiere on June 9th. It was during this
action that Pfc Charles N. DeGlopper single-handedly defended his platoon's
position and subsequently was awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroism.
! The next day the 505th PIR captured Montebourg Station and on June
12th the 508th PIR crossed the Douve at Beuzeville-la-Bastille and reached
Baupt. They established a bridgehead at Pont l'Abbe on June 19th. The
division then attacked down the west coast of the Cotentin Peninsula and
captured Hill 131 on July 3rd. The following day the 82nd seized Hill 95
overlooking La Haye-du-Puits.
! By the time the All-American Division was pulled back to England on July
13, 1944, it had seen 33 days of bloody combat and suffered 5,245
paratroopers killed, wounded or missing. The Division's post battle report
read, "...33 days of action without relief, without replacements. Every
mission accomplished. No ground gained was ever relinquished."
! Following the Normandy invasion, the 82nd became part of the newly
organized XVIII Airborne Corps, which consisted of the U.S. 17th, 82nd, and
101st Airborne Divisions.
! Operation Market Garden
In September, the 82nd began planning for Operation Market Garden in
Holland. The operation called for three-plus airborne divisions to seize and
hold key bridges and roads deep behind German lines. The 504th now back
at full strength rejoined the 82nd, while the 507th went to the 17th
Airborne Division.
! On September 17, the 82nd Airborne Division conducted its fourth combat
jump of World War II into Holland. Fighting off ferocious German
counterattacks, the 82nd captured the Maas Bridge at Grave, the
Maas-Waal Canal Bridge at Heumen and the Nijmegen-Groesbeek Ridge. The
next day attempts to take Nijmegen Highway Bridge failed.
! On 20 September the 504th carried out an heroic assault crossing the
Waal. With artillery support the first wave of the 504th assaulted, in
twenty-six assault boats, under intense fire, taking 200 casualties in the
process. Finally on D+4 the 504th finally secured their hold on the bridge,
fighting off another German counterattack just before noon.
! It was in this skirmish that Pvt. John Towle won the Medal of Honor. Its
success, however, was short-lived because of the defeat of other Allied
units at Arnhem. The gateway to Germany would not open in September
1944, and the 82nd was ordered back to France.
! Battle of the Bulge - The Ardennes Offensive
Suddenly, on December 16, 1944, the Germans launched a surprise
offensive through the Ardennes Forest which caught the Allies completely
by surprise. Two days later the 82nd joined the fighting and blunted General
Von Runstedt's northern penetration in the American lines.
! The 82nd moved into action on December 17th in reponse to the German's
Ardennes Counteroffensive. On December 20th the 82nd attacked in the
Vielsalm-St. Vith region and the 504th PIR took Monceau. This fiece attack
forced the German units back across the Ambleve River the next day.
! However, further German assaults along the Salm hit the 505th PIR in the
Trois Ponts area on December 22nd and by December 24th the division lost
Manhay. On December 25th, 1944 the division withdrew from the Vielsalm
salient then attacked northeast of Bra on December 27th reaching Salm by
January 4th, 1945.
! On January 7th the 508th PIR Red Devil's launched an attack with the
504th in the vicinity of Thier-du-Mont where it suffered heavy casualties.
The 508th was then withdrawn from the line and placed in reserve until
January 21st when it replaced elements of the 2d Infantry Division.
! On January 29, 1945 First Sergeant Leonard Funk, Jr. of Company C,
508th Parachute Infantry Regiment won the Congressional Medal of Honor
for action at Holzheim, Belgium. After leading his unit and capturing 80
Germans.
! On February 7th, 1945 the division attacked Bergstein, a town on the
Roer River. The 82nd crossed the Roer River on February 17th. During
April, 1945 the division performed security duty in Cologne until they
attacked in the Bleckede area and pushed toward the Elbe River. As the
504th PIR drove toward Forst Carrenzien, the German 21st Army
surrendered to the division on May 2, 1945.
! Occupation
Following the surrender of Germany, the 82nd was ordered to Berlin for
occupation duty. In Berlin General George Patton was so impressed with the
82nd's honor guard he said, "In all my years in the Army and all the honor
guards I have ever seen, the 82nd's honor guard is undoubtedly the best."
Hence the "All-Americans" became known as "America's Guard of Honor."
! The 82nd returned to the United States January 3, 1946. Instead of being
demobilized, the 82nd made its permanent home at Fort Bragg, North
Carolina and was designated a regular Army division on November 15, 1948.
Family/Spouse: Betty Hessinger. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]
|
1872 - 1958 (85 years)
