Private Frank Brown 44015713 US Army KIA
Private Frank Brown 44015713 US Army KIA. He was born on June 1, 1919, in Catawba County, North Carolina. He was the son of Emilus Burton Brown and Florida Margaret Augusta Helms Brown. He grew up in Sherrills Ford, Catawba County, North Carolina. in 1940 he was 6 foot 1 inch tall weighed 188 pounds had blue eyes and blond hair and was living in Sherrills Ford, Catawba, North Carolina. Frank married Martha Elizabeth Brown on March 23, 1940, in Catawba, North Carolina. They had two children during their marriage Howard Edmond Brown in 1941 and Frankie Elizabeth Brown Starnes in 1944. He entered the US Army on Aug. 18, 1944. He served in A Company, 253rd Infantry, 63rd Infantry Division. On February 12, he was hospitalized for a NBC (Non-battle Casualty). He died on April 7, 1945, at the age of 25 fighting for the small town of Kressbach Germany. A Company.
The fighting of April 6, 7, 8, 1945 was the most fierce fighting that A Company 253rd and C Company, 753rd Tank BN expanded in WW2. On April 6, 1945 the 17th SS present defensive position was part of the key to the 40 mile long; “Heilbronn Line.” A/253rd line of battle was from Untergriesheim, Germany to Kressbach Germany was along the high ridge between the Jagst & Kocker Rivers. It generally followed the old Romanic Road. It was a little more that 4.5 miles long or 7.3 KM. The company was not up to full strength at the beginning of the action. Many of the men only remember seeing one tree between the 2 towns. It was mostly open wet muddy newly plowed fields. This advance took A Company nearly 12 hours to achieve and resulted in over 75% casualties for A Company. This advance is also the action that 1st Lieutenant James E. Robinson KIA earned the Medal of Honor. After midnight on the morning of April 7, 1945 A Company left the town of Kressbach. After sun rise on April 7, 1945 A Company, 253rd Infantry, C Company, 253rd Infantry, and C Company, 753rd Tank BN fought an all day long battle to retake Kressbach. They left the town on the night of April 7, 1945. On April 8, they attacked Kressbach again and added B Company, 253rd Infantry to the attack. The 3rd day of attack allowed for the to town to be taken for good.
Private Frank Brown was Awarded the Combat Infantry Badge, the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart Medal, The American Theater of operations, the European Theater of Operations Medal ETO with 2 battle star, and the World War Two Victory Medal. His body was returned to the United States in 1948.
.
1- 63rd Infantry Division Records
2- Photos from danbrown221 on ancestry The colorized photos are representative from the black and white
3- https://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-detail.jsp?dt=893&mtch=1&cat=all&tf=F&q=44015713&bc=sl,sd&rpp=10&pg=1&rid=8477632
4- World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947
5- U.S., Headstone Applications for Military Veterans, 1925-1970
