Thomas D. Howie
Thomas Dry Howie | |
---|---|
Normandy American Cemetery | |
Allegiance | United States of America |
Service/ | Virginia National Guard United States Army |
Years of service | 1929–1944 |
Rank | Major |
Commands held | 2d and 3rd Battalions, 116th Infantry Regiment, 29th Infantry Division |
Battles/wars | World War II
|
Awards | Silver Star Bronze Star Purple Heart Croix de Guerre |
Major Thomas Dry Howie (April 12, 1908 – July 17, 1944) was a United States Army infantry officer and battalion commander in the 29th Infantry Division who was killed in action during the Battle of Normandy in World War II while leading his unit in an effort to capture the strategic French town of Saint-Lô. He became immortalized as "The Major of St. Lo".[1][2][3]
Early life
Howie was a native of
After graduating in 1929, he taught English, served as athletic director and coached sports at Staunton Military Academy in Virginia where his football teams won four Military School State Championships. During his time in Staunton he would meet and marry Elizabeth Payne (1905-1989). A daughter, Sally, was born in 1938. [5]
Military service
After graduation, Howie accepted a commission as a second lieutenant in the
The photo of Howie's flag-draped body in the rubble of the St. Croix Cathedral was widely circulated in the United States and became one of the most iconic images of the war, coming to symbolize the sacrifices of Americans in the European Theater. Because of wartime security, Howie's name could not be revealed and it was only announced that the person in the photograph was "a U.S. Army major." Famed
Postwar honors
Staunton Military Academy honored Howie with a bust placed at Kable Hall, the administration building, and by establishing a drill team called the Howie Rifles, which is now part of the Army ROTC detachment of the Virginia Women's Institute for Leadership at
Awards and decorations
Combat Infantry Badge
|
Silver Star |
Bronze Star
|
Purple Heart |
Presidential Unit Citation |
American Defense Service Medal |
American Campaign Medal |
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
|
World War II Victory Medal |
French Croix de guerre
|
Legion of Honour |
References
- ^ "CAA Admin Tool".
- ^ "Thomas Howie - Baseball's Greatest Sacrifice".
- ^ "116th Infantry Regiment Roll of Honor: MAJ Thomas Dry Howie". 17 July 2016.
- ^ "The Citadel Man Who Became a Legend". 15 July 2014.
- ^ https://thecitadelmemorialeurope.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/remembering-a-forgotten-legend.pdf [bare URL PDF]
- ^ https://thecitadelmemorialeurope.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/remembering-a-forgotten-legend.pdf [bare URL PDF]
- ^ "Thomas Dry Howie: A Hero Who Exemplifies Excellence - The Citadel - Charleston, SC". www.citadel.edu. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03.
- ^ "Thomas Dry Howie".
- ^ "A red jumper & the Major of Saint-Lô: Two sides of 1944". 13 December 2014.
- ^ "S.C. Hall of Fame: Maj. Thomas Dry Howie". 10 November 2017.
- ^ "Maj. Thomas D. Howie Historical Marker".
- ^ https://www.tracesofwar.com/sights/2126/Thomas-D-Howie-Memorial.htm
- ^ "The Thomas Dry Howie Memorial Carillon & Tower".
External links
- Bio and Major Howie in Normandy 1944
- Text of a speech given by Citadel President in 2003
- Staunton Military Academy alumni
- "Cavalcade of America" The Major of St. Lo (1956) at IMDb
- Thomas D. Howie Records, c1940s, Profiles of Honor Digital Collection, Library of Virginia.
- https://www.newsleader.com/story/news/special-reports/2014/07/12/howie-major-st-lo-france-wwii-dday-normandy/12489351/
- https://www.nytimes.com/1944/07/30/archives/thomas-d-howie-major-of-st-lo-army-reveals-the-identity-of-officer.html
- http://www.29thdivisionassociation.com/
- http://www.theofficialschalloffame.com/directlink.html?id=37
- http://warfarehistorynetwork.com/daily/wwii/thomas-d-howie-the-major-of-st-lo/
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HVcj-KvSTA
- https://www.legion.org/memorials/239433/major-thomas-d-howie-memorial-shelby-and-st-lo-france
- http://www.scencyclopedia.org/sce/entries/howie-thomas-dry/
- https://www.radford.edu/content/radfordcore/home/news/releases/2012/september/study-abroad-students-visit-family-history.html
Further reading
- "Last Phase of the Battle". St. Lo. American Forces in Action Series. United States Army Center of Military History. 1994 [1946]. CMH Pub 100-13.
- Hammond, William H. Normandy. The U.S. Army Campaigns of World War II. United States Army Center of Military History.
- Balkoski, Joseph (1989). Beyond the Beachhead: The 29th Infantry Division in Normandy. ISBN 978-0-8117-0221-8.