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16th Infantry D-Day +1 SSM recipient uniform grouping


ww2guymandude
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ww2guymandude

Hi all, I recently got this uniform grouping in and couldn’t be happier with it! All the included items are attributed to Capt. Paul B. Phinney, HQ Co. 1st Bn. 16th Infantry.

 

Before enlisting, Phinney was an esteemed track runner in his home state of Massachusetts. He was the state half-mile champion and through his results earned a scholarship to run track at the University of Illinois. However, due to the outbreak of WWII, he decided to enlist instead of pursuing his track career, and was eventually sent overseas to see his first bout of action in the landings at North Africa. After Operation Torch, Phinney landed at Sicily on July 10th. He would see intense combat here, fighting against snipers and heavily fortified positions. After four days of combat at Troina, the men of the 16th Infantry captured the town and soon after this the Sicilian Campaign was over. Almost a year after last seeing combat, Phinney found himself aboard the USS Samuel Chase on June 6, 1944 heading towards Easy Red sector of Omaha Beach. Luckily Pvt. (at the time) Phinney survived the initial landings unscathed, and on following day he was awarded the Silver Star Medal for gallantry in action within the vicinity of Colleville-Sur-Mer. Although his actions weren’t recorded in his citation, the 16th Infantry operational reports state provide a detailed description of how he earned his Silver Star. On June 7th 1944, “As Private Phinney, Battalion runner, returned from Regimental Headquarters, he was fired upon by enemy snipers as he passed in the vicinity of the First Battalion Motor Pool. This same enemy was harassing the personnel of the Motor Pool. Sergeant Cameron, Battalion Motor NCO had reconnoitered the area and designed a plan of attack upon the well entrenched and well concealed enemy. Sergeant Cameron with volunteers from the Motor Pool including Supply Sergeant Petrosino and Battalion runner Phinney, tactically maneuvered in assault upon the enemy strongpoint. The enemy noting the steady determined advance, and hopelessness of their situation, raised the white flag in surrender. Twenty nine (29) men and one (1) officer came from the position. Through Private Phinney’s and Corporal Strauss’s knowledge of German, it was learned that two (2) enemy wounded were still in the emplacement. Private Phinney, using the German officer as a shield, entered the dugout while Sergeant Petrosino covered him. On orders from the German officer one (1) able bodied German soldier came forward with hands raised. The two (2) wounded enemy were then carried out by the German officer and enlisted man. Sergeant Cameron and his volunteer group returned, well pleased with their thirty three (33) prisoners and small arms booty.”

 

Phinney would be awarded his Silver Star for his actions that day, as well as a Bronze Star most likely. Later in the Normandy Campaign, Phinney would be wounded when the calf muscles in his left leg were blown off by a German 88mm shell fired from a panzer. This injury effectively ended his front line combat exposure. After the war, Capt. Phinney continued to run track, defying all odds, and used the number 88 in lieu of the 88mm shell that almost ended his life. In an interview conducted in 2004, he explained that 88 was his, “... lucky number because the Germans didn’t get [him].”. He would coach track for another 52 years, unfortunately dying in a car crash in 2004.

 

 

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I had my eyes on this one too, but I got a message someone already wanted it ;)

Glad you got it and congrats with a nice find!

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