338thRCT Posted April 14, 2013 Share #1 Posted April 14, 2013 I was at a monthly in-door flea market here in Florida a few months ago and while perusing the tables , I see a photograph sitting on its edge among a box of post cards. It shows a US Army Paratroop Officer on his wedding day with his stunning bride. I picked it up and looked it over; no identification on back. The lady that owned the booth stated that she picked up the picture along with some others on the east coast [of Florida] but, that she hadn't brought the others along. So, the following month, I returned and picked up some others of this officer, one of which had his name penciled on the back. The group belonged to Cecil Olsen Fuquay of Palm Beach,FL and not until I began researching him, did I find out that this was another man for us not to forget. He began his US Army career as an enlisted man in Co. C. 62nd Inf Bde/124th Infantry a part of the Florida national Guard. He went on to OCS at Ft. Benning ,received his 2nd Lt bars and was assigned to the 359th Inf/90th Inf Div. He later went on the Airborne School and was assigned to the 501st PIR/101st Abn Div. Apparently, he did not participate in the Normandy jump. According to his obituary he was in the Carentan battle. As a platoon leader of 2ndPlt/Co A. 1st/501st he is mentioned in two after action reports [that I have been able to find] and both are from the Market Garden Campaign. Lt Fuquay was killed as his unit fought in the Eerde area in what is known as the Sand Dunes. According to reports his platoon was moving against German defenses and cleared the dunes area of enemy troops. As they cleared what was the largest of the dunes, they came to an open area where a German Tiger Tank opened fire on them, killing Lt Fuquay, a squad leader Sgt. Kraska, and terribly wounding Sgt. Kushner. His name and picture is on the Honor Rolls of the 101st and his body now rests in Palm Beach, FL. I am so glad, that I was able to find these photographs and share them with the forum members. I believe that they may have been in the estate of his wife Mary Ruth Hardin, who remarried later and stayed in the East Coast of Florida area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
338thRCT Posted April 14, 2013 Author Share #2 Posted April 14, 2013 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
338thRCT Posted April 14, 2013 Author Share #3 Posted April 14, 2013 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
338thRCT Posted April 14, 2013 Author Share #4 Posted April 14, 2013 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
338thRCT Posted April 14, 2013 Author Share #5 Posted April 14, 2013 Circled area is approximate position of platoon when Lt Fuquay was KIA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
338thRCT Posted July 20, 2013 Author Share #6 Posted July 20, 2013 Went to a monthly flea mkt. today and the lady that I purchased the previous photos from , had discovered a few more of Lt Fuquay. First shows him as a Buck Sgt. in the Florida National Guard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
338thRCT Posted July 20, 2013 Author Share #7 Posted July 20, 2013 This may have been after he went to OCS and was with the 90th Inf Div. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
338thRCT Posted July 20, 2013 Author Share #8 Posted July 20, 2013 With his mother in Florida. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lgawlik Posted September 5, 2013 Share #9 Posted September 5, 2013 Thank you for sharing these wonderful photos. I've seen a few of them in the past, but many are new. I'd love to learn more about other items you may have stumbled upon. I'm Cecil's eldest Grandson, by his first wife Rennie, and I've always been intrigued by my Grandfathers short life. I have a few items that have been handed down over the years (like a 501st Geronimo patch, 101st Screaming Eagle patch, and an Allied Airborne patch, service caps, and dress jacket), but to me seeing new photos of Cecil are wonderful. Thank you also for the write up you've done for Cecil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lgawlik Posted September 5, 2013 Share #10 Posted September 5, 2013 I did have a single correction on the assumption he did not make the Normandy jump. I have a letter from his commanding officer to one of my cousins written in 1954 where CPT Stack talks about Cecil and clearly indicates Cecil jumped at Normandy in June with the 501st and made his way back from France in late July. Cecil had been attached to a service company, but he requested to be assigned to a rifle company upon returning to England; COL Johnson assigned Cecil to Co. A 501st. According to CPT Stack, Cecil received his Silver Star for actions on Sept 20th, 1944 while fighting in the "Heeswijk attack". Cecil would again be recommended for a Silver Star for his bravery and deeds (actions) on Sept 23rd, 1944. I've added a photo of Cecil from July 5th 1941, while he was still a SGT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
338thRCT Posted March 29, 2015 Author Share #11 Posted March 29, 2015 Found another earlier shot of Cecil when with the 90th Div. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ngrovcam Posted March 29, 2015 Share #12 Posted March 29, 2015 SO awesome, God rest this hero! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DogTCollect Posted October 22, 2015 Share #13 Posted October 22, 2015 http://valor.militarytimes.com/recipient.php?recipientid=84212 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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