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name
GAUTNEY, David Lavern - Date of
birth
27 July 1922 -
Age
22 - Place of
birth
Cassville, Barry County, Missouri -
Hometown
Barry, Barry County, Missouri
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
37236276 -
Rank
Private First Class -
Function
Rifleman -
Unit
I Company,
3rd Battalion,
504th Parachute Infantry Regiment,
82nd Airborne Division
-
Awards
Purple Heart
Death
-
Status
Died of Wounds - Date of
death
28 September 1944 - Place of
death
Bedburg-Hau, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| D | 4 | 30 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Teat D. Gautney (father)
Pansy (Hobbs) Gautney (mother)
Doyle Gautney (brother)
Bethyl Gautney (brother)
More information
Pfc Gautney was severely wounded when elements of the German Panzer Brigade 108, supported by an array of infantry units, overran the I Company positions at Den Heuvel farm, along the Wylerbaan near Groesbeek. This took place on 27 September 1944.Pfc Robert Hedberg served in the same platoon and was captured along with Gautney. Hedberg took Gautney on his shoulders and carried him a couple of hundred yards until the guard ordered Hedberg to leave Gautney in an open field, shouting "Kaputt, kaputt!"
Apparently Gautney was later picked up by German medics, who took him to the hospital at Bedburg-Hau, where he died the next day (28th) of his wounds. He was initially buried at the cemetery of Bedburg-Hau.
Source of information: Terry Hirsch, www.ancestry.com - WWII Draft Card / 1930 US Census
Photo source: Irene Gautney (niece-in-law) - courtesy of Kathy McDermott