T/5 Charles Douglas Moody 36874772

1939

Technician Fifth Grade (T/5) Charles Douglas Moody 36874772 US Army KIA was born on December 12, 1921, in Janesville, Wisconsin. He was the son of Charles T Moody and Jessie C Horton Moody of 901 west Mt Hope Avenue Lansing Michigan. He had a sister Rachel Moody and a brother Howard Moody. Charles was a 1939 graduate of Central High School in Lansing Michigan. In civilian life Charles worked for General Motors Corporation as an inspector at Oldsmobile division. He married Mable Virginia Summers on May 30, 1941, in Lansing, Michigan. They had one son Robert Wayne Moody. Charles entered the US Army in 1943. At the time of his enlistment, he was 5 foot 10 inches tall weighed 159 pounds had blue eyes and brown hair. On September 9, 1943 he was sent to Camp Van Dorn Mississippi and assigned to A Battery 861st Field Artillery battalion. He went overseas to Europe in the winter of 1944. He earned his first Bronze Star Medal on February 18,1945 in the vicinity of Auersmacher Germany earned the Bronze Star Medal. Although under constant and intense enemy rifle, mortar, and artillery fire, T/5 Moody in an artillery observation post held his exposed position and relayed important fire commands to his artillery battalion enabling the forward observer to keep in communication with his battalion.

On April 5, 1945 First Lieutenant James E. Robinson, Jr., Forward Observer team was PFC John C. Sullivan, and T/4 Robert G. Wilkins both men were wounded on April 5, 1945. Lt. Robinson was assigned T/5 Charles D. Moody, and PVT Lacy Tackett as his Forward Observer team. They were imbedded with Company A, 253rd Infantry Regiment, 63rd Infantry Division. At 0400 hours on April 6, 1945 they started advancing from Untergriesheim (this is point (1) on the map) with A Company, 253rd Infantry Regiment, 63rd Infantry Division. At 1155 hours the company was at point (10) on the map below between the towns of Herbolzhei, and Kressbach First Lieutenant James E. Robinson, T/5 Charles D. Moody, and Private Tackett were all occupying an exposed position in order to direct artillery fire on the enemy. T/5 Charles D. Moody was serving as the reconnaissance sergeant. In the face of intense enemy fire, and without regard for personal safety, T/5 Moody held his position and assisted the forward observer in directing artillery fire on the enemy emplacements until resistance ceased. At 1155 Moody was killed by a Sniper. Tackett took over Moody’s roll as a reconnaissance sergeant and continued to occupy these exposed positions until he was shot in the Penis, testicles, and leg by most likely the same sniper that had just killed Moody. First Lieutenant James E. Robinson, Jr. took the 78 pound SCR 610, radio from Moody and Tackett knowing that Robinson would have to call in artillery support. Private Tackett was evacuated from the field quickly. This action that coast T/5 Charles Douglas Moody his life was one of many events that resulted in First Lieutenant James E. Robinson, Jr. earning his Medal of Honor on April 6, 1945. 

The advance from Untergriesheim to Kressbach is probably best summed up by General Charles Morton, Young Jr.  then Young was serving as a Captain in A/861. Late on that afternoon, of April 6, 1945,  Captain Young followed the path of the A/253 attack looking for T/5 Charles D. Moody’s body. Young’s conclusion of the battlefield was: “This action may have been one of the most brutal, bloodiest, continual, prolonged days of battle encountered by a single rifle company during the war in Germany.”

He was awarded the the Silver Star Medal, the Bronze Star Medal with V and Oak Leaf cluster, the Purple Heart Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, The American Theater of operations, the European Theater of Operations Medal ETO with 2 battle star, and the World War Two Victory Medal. He died on April 6, 1945 at the age of 23.

Lansing State Journal 23 Aug 1948, Mon · Page 14

1939 Central High School

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

the Michigan, U.S., Marriage Records, 1867-1952

63rd Division Records

Tim Malones research for his A 253rd Infantry Book

On February 18,1945 in the vicinity of Auersmacher Germany earned the Bronze Star Medal. Although under constant and intense enemy rifle, mortar, and artillery fire, T/5 Moody in an artillery observation post held his exposed position and relayed important fire commands to his artillery battalion enabling the forward observer to keep in communication with his battalion.