kanemono Posted April 10, 2014 Share #1 Posted April 10, 2014 PFC Burton L. Houseknecht was a member of the 82nd Airborne Division, HQ Company, during WWII. He entered the service on December 15, 1942 and was wounded on June 6, 1944 at Ste Mere Eglise where the Forward echelon of Division Headquarters and Headquarters Company earned a PUC. They landed by parachute and glider on D-Day, 6 June 1944, prior to H-hour, on the Cotentin Peninsula. Houseknecht was later killed in action during the Battle of the Bulge on December 21, 1944. His personnel records were destroyed in the fire at the National Archives in St. Louis, however, Redbird Research was able to obtain some of his records from various sources. Those records combined with items belonging to Houseknecht’s that were sent home to his Mother along with the medals sent to the family gives a very good idea of where he served during WW2. One of the items sent home is a silver ring engraved with KAIROAN, Africa and 1943. Another item sent home is an English made ribbon bar with four stars drawn on the EAME Campaign ribbon. I believe these stars were drawn on by Houseknecht, and if so, he was in four campaigns before he was killed. The EAME Campaign Medal sent home with his Purple Heart (with OLC), named GCM and Victory medal has a silver star and an arrowhead. The 82nd Airborne served in North Africa, Sicily, Italy, Normandy, Market Garden and the Battle of the Bulge where Houseknecht was killed in action. With his records destroyed I am just making an educated guess until I can find more information. An interesting side note concerns the pair of DUI’s to the 319th Glider Field Artillery Battalion that are part of the group. Houseknecht was infantry with a CIB. Any and all help would be appreciated to keep PFC Burton L. Houseknecht’s memory and history alive for future generations. Dick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tarbridge Posted April 10, 2014 Share #2 Posted April 10, 2014 Thanks for posting.Great grouping to a Brave 82nd Soldier.Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kanemono Posted April 10, 2014 Author Share #3 Posted April 10, 2014 next... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kanemono Posted April 10, 2014 Author Share #4 Posted April 10, 2014 next... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kanemono Posted April 10, 2014 Author Share #5 Posted April 10, 2014 next.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kanemono Posted April 10, 2014 Author Share #6 Posted April 10, 2014 next.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted April 10, 2014 Share #7 Posted April 10, 2014 Dick, another fine group you have posted here.Thanks for sharing this with the forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johannes Posted April 10, 2014 Share #8 Posted April 10, 2014 Very nice group. His page on the Adoption graves database: http://www.adoptiegraven-database.nl/index.php/henri-chapelle/american-war-cemetery-henri-chapelle-h/2416-houseknecht-burton-l Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kanemono Posted April 10, 2014 Author Share #9 Posted April 10, 2014 Thanks for the comments. Here are the documents that go with the medals. Dick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USdog Posted April 10, 2014 Share #10 Posted April 10, 2014 Wow! Awesome group! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Dentino Posted April 10, 2014 Share #11 Posted April 10, 2014 Another outstanding grouping. Very nice that you have all the paperwork to compliment the medals, especially that PH certificate! RIP PFC Houseknecht . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katieony Posted April 10, 2014 Share #12 Posted April 10, 2014 Outstanding and rare group...thanks for posting! Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raidercollector Posted April 11, 2014 Share #13 Posted April 11, 2014 Now that is a Awesome group you found Dick. Thanks for posting. Hope you find more research, Maybe some can shed some more light on this group. Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kanemono Posted April 11, 2014 Author Share #14 Posted April 11, 2014 Thanks to everyone for your comments. I would very much appreciate any additional information on the service of PFC Burton L. Houseknecht. Thanks, Dick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fstop61 Posted April 12, 2014 Share #15 Posted April 12, 2014 What a great group! Thanks for sharing. RIP PFC Houseknecht Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bellasilva Posted April 13, 2014 Share #16 Posted April 13, 2014 Incredible. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Baker Posted April 13, 2014 Share #17 Posted April 13, 2014 Definitely the center piece of any collection. Airborne, D-Day, the Bulge, and very complete. Congratulations, and thank you for sharing this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kanemono Posted June 5, 2014 Author Share #18 Posted June 5, 2014 I wanted to renew this thread to PFC Burton L. Houseknecht because of the anniversary of D-Day. Houseknecht was wounded as a member of the Forward echelon of Division Headquarters and Headquarters Company when he landed by glider on D-Day, 6 June 1944, prior to H-hour, on the Cotentin Peninsula in the area surrounding Ste Mere Eglise, France. The enemy opposed the landing with intense anti-airborne landing groups which attacked with machine guns, mortars, and artillery. Shortly after 0200, a division command post was established west of Ste Mere Eglise. Dick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BROBS Posted June 5, 2014 Share #19 Posted June 5, 2014 We remember him and everyone else who gave their lives, either in part or in full, to preserve our freedom. Thanks for sharing, and certainly pertinent to this day. -Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kanemono Posted December 13, 2014 Author Share #20 Posted December 13, 2014 I brought this back up for the anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge. Dick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobgee Posted December 13, 2014 Share #21 Posted December 13, 2014 Outstanding, Dick! R.I.P. PFC Houseknecht........Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philliephanatic Posted August 26, 2017 Share #22 Posted August 26, 2017 Mr. Kanemono, I am wondering how you acquired Pfc Houseknecht's medals and paper work. He was my grandmother's brother and I would really be interested in getting his medals and papers back in the family. I was very young and my grand mother told me that one of her family members got rid of the materials. She was very upset that his medals and papers were sold. I am wondering if you would make an offer to sell this grouping. Any information you can give would be appreciated. Thank you. Brent Stauffer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kanemono Posted August 27, 2017 Author Share #23 Posted August 27, 2017 PM sent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aerialbridge Posted August 27, 2017 Share #24 Posted August 27, 2017 Phenomenally historic and compelling grouping, Dick, even including his .45 that he fired. I missed this one the first time around. There is no one, I'd rather see be the caretaker of this group than you, since no one would preserve it and share it with those interested better than you have. All the best, AB. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kanemono Posted August 27, 2017 Author Share #25 Posted August 27, 2017 AB, The Colt and knife were not Houseknecht's. I used them to hold down the papers when I photographed everything because the scroll kept rolling up on me. I wish they were owned by him but I have no ID on either of them. Dick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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