Captain Herschel Burton 0-1287473

Captain Herschel Newton Burton O-1287473 US Army. He was born on December 13, 1904, in Moberly, Missouri, the son of Waller J. Burton and Osie Newton Burton. He married Virginia Montgomery on September 16, 1927, in Moberly, Missouri. In 1930 he was working as a Fireman for the railroad. On December 5, 1942 he married Dorothy E Thompson in Austin, Texas and they had one son together. He enlisted in the US Army on February 19, 1941. At the time of his enlistment he was 6 feet tall weighed 165 pounds had Brown Hair and Blue Eyes. He would go on to receive a commission. From October 18, 1943 until February 18, 1944 he served as the S3 in Headquarters Company, 253rd Infantry regiment, 63rd Infantry Division. On February 18, 1944 Captain Burton was transferred into L Company, 253rd Infantry regiment, 63rd Infantry Division. He served as the Company Commander of L Company until June 27, 1945 when he transferred to the 36th Infantry Division. During almost all of L Company’s time in combat he only left the company for a few days when he was wounded in February 1945.

He earned his 1st Bronze Star Medal on January 5, 1945 in the Vicinity of Gros Rederching France Captain Bruton was accompanying his forward group in an attack he unexpectedly came upon a German Light Tank.  Captain Bruton ordered a base of fire and started a flanking movement. In the exchange of fire, he captured two prisoners, and then closed in on the tank and dropped hand grenades in it, putting the tank out of action.

He earned his 2nd Bronze Star Medal and Purple Heart medal when he received a gunshot wound to the left side on Feb 19, 1945 although he was wounded, he waited to be hospitalized so that he could remain with his men.

Although he did not receive a medal for his actions in April 1945 they are notable “On the afternoon of April 6, 1945 a task force was made up of: All of L Company, 253rd Infantry, tanks from the 753rd Tank Battalion, and Tank Destroyers from the 822nd Tank Destroyer Battalion, 1 anti-tank platoon of the 3rd Battalion 253rd Infantry, and men from A Company, 263rd Combat Engineer Battalion (A/263). The author (Malone) has named this task force, “Task Force Bruton” after L Companies Company Commander at the time of the action Captain Herschel N. Bruton this is not the official name of the taskforce and the author does not know if this task force was ever given an official name.”

“The mission of Task Force Bruton was to cross the Kocher River and establish a vital bridgehead. But it was determined that at the moment it was more important that the task force would be used to fill the gap between 1st and 2nd Battalions. The 1st and 2nd Battalions had too large of a gap between them, and were still engaged in close quarter combat with the 17th SS Division and the 553rd Volksgrenadier Division. Therefore at 1755 hours (5:55PM) Task Force Bruton received new orders to make its way to the ground between G company and C company and make a defensive position. At the same time 3rd Battalion (minus Company L) was moved to the town of Herbolzheim as a reserve. Once elements of 3rd Battalion had arrived in Herbolzheim, this allowed for B Company to leave the town. B Company was detached from 1st Battalion and attached to 2nd Battalion and sent down to Buchhof arriving around 1900 (7:00PM). After helping to clear the town B Company dug in a defensive position, between F Company and G Company.” On the Night of April 6, 1945 Task Force Bruton held the vital ground between Kressbach and Buchhof preventing the 17th SS from encircling either or both 1st Battalion 253rd Infantry at Kressbach and 2nd Battalion 253rd Infantry at Buchhof.

After Victory in Europe day Captain Burton was transferred to the 36th Infantry Division on June 27, 1945. He was discharged on March 11, 1946. After the war Burton was superintendent for Norfolk and Western Railroad. He was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church. He was a member of the Moberly Masonic Lodge 344 AF&AM, the Moberly Chapter 79 of the Royal Arch, Tandred commandery #25, Central Council #34, Ararat Shrine Temple of Kansas City, and Coon Creek Shrine Club. Burton was one of four persons to be named a life-member of the Trinity Men’s Club. The selection was based on outstanding dedication to the church. He died on January 18, 1995, in Moberly, Missouri, at the age of 90, and was buried in Moberly, Missouri.

 

 

 

 

The Springfield News-Leader Springfield, Missouri · Tuesday, September 07, 1993

the 1910 United States Federal Census

the 1920 United States Federal Census

the 1930 United States Federal Census

the 1940 United States Federal Census

the 1950 United States Federal Census

U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947

the U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010

The Wichita Beacon Wichita, Kansas · Wednesday, February 19, 1941

63rd Infantry Division Records