1st Lieutenant Louis Hughes Magin O1323334 KIA

1st Lt. Louis Hughes Magin O-1323334 US Army KIA. He was born on June 27, 1913 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He was the son of REV. DR.  Louis R Magin and Faith Myrtle Hicks Magin. His brother was Dr. Robert Magin of Winston-Salem North Carolina. Louis graduated from Washington High School in Portland Oregon and attended Willamette University in Salem Oregon where he was manager of the college newspaper. As a member of the school philharmonic choir he was one of those who represented Oregon at the Chicago Fair in 1933. He graduated from Boston University in 1936 and while taking post graduate courses in business administration at Columbia University he served as director of boys work in the Madison square church house.

At the time of his enlistment he was 5 foot 6 inches tall, he weighed 140 pounds had blue eyes and brown hair. On September 1, 1944 he was assigned to L Company, 253rd Infantry,  63^rd Infantry Division he served as the executive officer of L Company and as the temporary Commanding officer of L Company on January 7, 1945. On March 18, 1945 he was transferred to A Company, 253rd Infantry,  63^rd Infantry Division. On March 28, 1945 Capt. Hubert M. Nance O-1290292 received a non-battle casualty making the new Company Commander 1/Lt. Robert J. Tierney O-1044130. On April 5, 1945, 1^st Lt. Louis H. Magin took Command of A Company and Lt. Robert J. Tierney  became the executive officer.

The 17^th SS present defensive position was part of the key to the 40 mile long; “Heilbronn Line.” A/253^rd line of battle to Kressbach was along the high ridge between the Jagst and Kocker Rivers. It generally followed the old Romanic Road. The company was not up to full strength at the beginning of the Action, on April 6. Many of the men only remember seeing one tree between the towns of Untergriesheim and Kressbach. It was mostly open, wet, muddy, newly plowed, fields. 

At 0400 hours on April 6, 1945 Lt. Magin the company commander of A Company, gave his last minute instructions for the attack. At 0430 hours on April 6, “A” Company led the attack with 3rd platoon Company C / 753rd tank Battalion commanded by Lt. Anthony F. Daskevich,  and A forward observer team commanded by Lieutenant James E Robinson and his 2 replacements Moody and PFC Tackket. The company had a very deadly and slow start to the day. By 1130 the Company was about 1000 meters southeast of Herbolzheim at point (9) on the map. The Sniper fire was intense at point (9) there was a bridge and a draw. The draw had become deadly and casualties were placed under the bridge at this point for protection. The company had intended reorganization in the draw at this point but this was impossible because of the hail of enemy fire. At 1145, Lieutenant Magin, was shot through the head by a sniper at (9) on the map Lieutenant Magin died immediately which made 2nd Lieutenant Guy “Bill” William Adams the 2^nd platoons, Platoon leader the only infantry officer near by, this made Lt. Adams the new company commander.

On April 6, 1945 Lt. Magin was able to advance the company half way to its objective. Lieutenant James E Robinson finished what Lt. Magin started earning Robinson the Medal of Honor on April 6, 1945. Robinson also died on April 6, 1945. Lieutenant Magin died at the age of 31. He was awarded the Combat Infantry Badge, the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart Medal, The American Theater of operations Medal, 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, he is interred at Long Island National Cemetery in New York. His date of death is wrong on his gravestone it should be April 6, 1945.

 

The Brooklyn Daily Eagle May 1, 1945

Newsday (Suffolk Edition) May 2, 1945

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

Memory of Paul Vermillion A/253

Memory of William Brown A/253

Memory of Don Boehm A/253

63rd Infantry Division records

Photograph from DAVID SLABAUGH