As many of you know, I am always honored to find more items from Kentucky veterans in my collecting. Recently, I received these uniforms from a fellow University of Kentucky alumni who died in the first few days of the Invasion of Normandy.

 

His full article here: https://www.36thdivisionarchive.com/pa-eto-howard

 

Lt John J Howard was born in Ashland, Kentucky to a rail yard brakeman. Even with the lowly upbringing, he and his two older brothers all were able to attend college, Howard selecting the University of Kentucky. Here he was bright and respected student, joining the ROTC and being selected as a member of the Pershing Rifles, whom he trained with for several years. Among his classmates in C Company of the ROTC was none other than William T. young, who any Lexingtonian will immediately recognize. Eventually, he graduated with a degree in metallurgical engineering from the College of Engineering in 1940.

 

In January 1942, after working a few years with the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad alongside his father, he volunteered to serve in the U.S. Army just a month and a half after Pearl Harbor. With a degree and ROTC background, he received a commission and was assigned to the 90th Infantry Division as the executive officer of I Company, 357th Infantry Regiment. He spent years with the company training around the US. before traveling to England in the spring of 1944.

 

On June 8, 1944, Howard led the company’s 3rd Platoon ashore to Utah Beach in an LCVP. One vet recalled him saying: 

 

“Well, men this is the nitty gritty. We’re all together now, but we won’t all come back together.”

 

Tragically, his prediction hit too close to home. 

 

Two days later, on June 10, Howard entered combat alongside most of the division for the first time after pushing through the 82nd Airborne at La Fiere. His battalion took the town of Amfreville and moved up the road towards German positions of the 91st Infanterie Division. Before long, fire erupted from the thick hedgerows and threw the battalion into chaos.

 

Shortly after the fighting began, a mortar round landed right next to Howard, the company CO, and the company first sergeant. The latter two survived, but Howard was killed instantly. Howard gave his life mere hours into combat. He was one of the very first killed of the 90th Division.

 

Howard was buried a week later in the St Mere Eglise Cemetery No. 1 and rested between two 82nd Airborne troopers before coming home in 1948. He was permanently laid to rest back in Ashland, Kentucky where he remains to this day. 

 

He was one of three UK alumni killed during the landings in Normandy and is honored among several university publications and memorials as one of its over 300 dead in WWII. His name is permanently engraved outside of the university’s Memorial Coliseum, alongside the names of all other Kentucky KIAs in WWII.

 

The last photos I took bringing the uniforms back to campus, one in front of Memorial Hall, where Howard would pose for his ROTC photos, and then in front of the postwar Memorial Coliseum, dedicated to the UK and Kentucky KIAs.

Dear 36thAlex, Thank you for sharing the artifacts and story of this soldier.  You demonstrate the care and research that these service members deserve for their sacrifice to our great nation.  Cheers, Armygas

A really nice write-up and display.  Thank you for sharing his story.

Thanks for sharing your collection. I appreciate the care and dedication you've taken to honor this soldier.

Both great uniforms and your detailed research is outstanding.  I've been the historian for Pershing Rifles for decades and have never seen the ribbon on the left, which clearly has the Pershing Rifles crest on it.  Perhaps he was on regimental staff.  The ribbon in the right is the pre-WWII Pershing Rifles membership ribbon.  Kevin

On 4/25/2026 at 2:35 PM, ehrentitle said:

Both great uniforms and your detailed research is outstanding.  I've been the historian for Pershing Rifles for decades and have never seen the ribbon on the left, which clearly has the Pershing Rifles crest on it.  Perhaps he was on regimental staff.  The ribbon in the right is the pre-WWII Pershing Rifles membership ribbon.  Kevin

Thanks a lot for your insight! I had trouble finding any reference to what the ribbons were, not a lot of historical guides I could find to their decorations over time. Do let us know if you ever are able to figure out the red one, I’m quite curious.

Thank you very much for posting this!