World War II Honoree

Carl Henry Klein

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Austin, Texas

Honored By

John C. Burkhardt AAG MOPH, Chapter 1919, Austin, Texas

JUNE 20, 1941 HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE ARMY. HE TRAINED AS A MEDIC FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS AND FOUR MONTHS AT FORT SAM HOUSTON, TEXAS; CAMP WOLTERS, TEXAS AND CAMP MCCOY, WISCONSIN. HE WAS A MEDIC ASSIGNED TO THE 2ND BATTALION, 38TH INFANTRY, 2ND INFANTRY DIVISION. ON OCTOBER 19, 1943 HE WAS STATIONED IN IRELAND AND CONTINUED TO TRAIN IN PREPARATION FOR THE INVASION OF MAINLAND EUROPE. THE UNIT WENT ASHORE ON JUNE 7, 1944 (D-DAY PLUS 1) ON OMAHA BEACH. THE UNIT WAS IN COMBAT FOR THE NEXT 303 DAYS IN FIVE CAMPAIGNS BEFORE THE CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES. NINE DAYS AFTER THEIR ARRIVAL IN FRANCE THEY WERE ATTACKING HILL 192, NEAR CERISY-LA-FORET, FRANCE. AS A MEDIC HE WAS ASSIGNED TO THE 3RD PLATOON OF COMPANY G WHEN HIS SQUAD WAS SENT OUT TO REESTABLISH CONTACT WITH A PLATOON THAT HAD BEEN SURROUNDED. THEY CAME UNDER HEAVY FIRE WHICH KEPT THEM PINNED DOWN. IN SPITE OF THE DANGER, HE WENT TO AID THE WOUNDED AND IN THE PROCESS, HE TOO WAS WOUNDED WHILE PASSING THROUGH A GATE. ALTHOUGH HE WAS WOUNDED HE CONTINUED TO AID THE OTHERS. AGAIN, HE WAS WOUNDED. STILL HE CONTINUED TO AID THE WOUNDED. SOON HE WAS HIT A THIRD TIME. THIS TIME BY A MORTAR ROUND WHICH KNOCKED HIM UNCONSCIOUS. HE WAS NOT EVACUATED UNTIL THE COVER OF DARKNESS ALLOWED HIS REMOVAL FROM THE BATTLEFIELD. HE WAS AWARDED THE SILVER STAR AND THE PURPLE HEART FOR HIS HEROIC ACTIONS.