Looking for any buddies in the 359th Regt, 90th Infantry Division who were in the Normandy, Northern France, and Rhineland campaigns.

Hi,
My Uncle Earl B. Bavousett was in Co. B of the 359th, 90th Div. He was killed on July 3, 1944 on hill 122 outside/near St. Lo, France.
Does anyone have any information about this Hill, Battle, situation, friends, etc. that could be shared with me and his brother Lynn Bavousett.
Thanks for the assistance.
My email is: rockinbox@earthlink.net
Take Care!
Rex

Hi, I didn't get your reply and just found it today. My dad is still alive and I've sent your query on to him to read in the morning. We'll help you all we can, though I will say Dad prob. won't remember him personally though he should remember the attack. Their division was one that lost a lot of men constantly and had a big turnover. Dad says that not getting to really know the other guy was a way of protecting yourself from being so hurt as they were killed.
Neva

Neva,
Thanks for your response. I am sorry if I did not see your email.
As mentioned earlier, my Uncle Earl Bavousett was in company B. On July 3 1944 after fighting in Cherbourg, Co. B began the assault against a strong fanatical German unit which surrounded Mont Castre / hill 199. My uncle was 36 years old, and was a Sergent carrying the Radio for his unit. At the very exact start of the offense, he was killed as we are told by a German machine-gunner. By reading info in the 90th division records and from information told to our family, Uncle Earl was killed at an orchard. The 90th division records mention a orchard at Prétot, France which is a small town about 12 km west of Carentan, France which is north of St. Lo about 22 km.

I was hoping that there may be someone who would remember this day, and possibly my uncle (yes it's been 60 years) and could verify any of this info for me.

This summer I am going to France. I have located very distant relatives who live in France and we plan to visit the Normandy area to find where Earl was killed.

Any thing your father may know or recommed will be appreciated.
Has your father made it back to France?
Thanks again.
Rex

Hi, I'm sorry to be so slow in answering your letter. My dad has had many health problems over the past year and I just stay behind on everything. No, my dad doesn't remember your uncle, I'm afraid. The reinforcement guys were sent over to train in England and Ireland, and not told of their mission till just before they landed, which was for my dad, D+2 or 3. When they got off the landing craft, there was no enemy fire, just dead bodies everywhere. They headed out toward the sound of gunfire and joined up with the 90th at that point. somewhere past the hedgerows. They fought their battles, working their way across France. At one point in the summer of 1944, there wasn't enough ammunition or fuel supplies so the 90th stopped for a while till they were replenished. They still had enemy fire at times (with my dad getting injured by a shell that came out of nowhere). By fall they were back on the road again fighting. They had so many casualties by the fall that they stopped making friends with one another as each dead man was replaced with another recruit. There were new faces all the time. On Nov. 11, 1944 they were taken by surprise and attacked. Most all of them were killed or taken prisoner (with my dad being one of those who was wounded, but helped to the train so he wasn't shot on the spot). He wasn't put in a camp with other soldiers from his unit since he spent about 45 days in a German hospital. He was released in April of 1945.
There are Company morning reports to be found in MD and in MO at the National archives there. You may want to try there. A man looked my dad up and I was able to see the pages that listed my dad as MIA.
No, my dad has never made it back to France. I hope you have been able to go and that it was everything that you hoped it would be. God bless on finding more info on your uncle. Neva

Thanks Neva,
Tell your Dad thanks for everything he has done. It was good to get your posting as it brings me closer hearing your fathers tale. Who knows their units may have crossed paths in France.
Thanks for the info on Company morning reports. I will look into it.
I did make it over to France this year. I was visiting French cousins that I met over the internet. It was wonderful. We all went to Utah Beach and follow the path that the 90th took up to the day that my uncle was killed near Mont Castre (hill 122) in Pretot, France on July 3, 1944.

I have photos available on my website at: http://home.earthlink.net/~rockinbox/Webshow/FranceItaly04.h... See the link to Images of Normandy. On my genealogy page there is also a link to family photos where you can see a photo of my uncle Earl Bavousett.

Thanks again.
Rex

Thank you for sharing. I have passed the pictures on to both of my sisters and my dad to look at it today. They're great!

Hi, it's me again. My dad would like me to correct two things that I said, that while he may have said it in the past, it is not quite what he meant. One was that the hedgerows are not near the water, and it was some distance to the battle. The other is that when they were not actively fighting during the summer it was not because there wasn't enough ammunition and fuel but because the higher ups were planning on how to take a certain city. I do know that I have that in my notes somewhere and that he said it, even if it wasn't what he meant to say. I also know that I have read an article about it in the past that talked about them even having to use baby carriages to move what ammunition they had that summer because they didn't have enough fuel to move their trucks and tanks. So, take what I've told you as second-hand history and that it may not be so. Ok? :)

Joe,
My uncle, Sgt. Earl Bavousett was in Company B of the 359th. He was killed the morning of 3 July 1944 near Pretot, France when they began the offensive to take Mont Castre (hill 122). He was machine-gunned with five rounds across his chest just as his company began to advance at the very start of the advance.

Were you familiar with my uncle or any one in Company B?
I went to Utah beach on June 12, 2004. You can see photos I took on my website at:
http://home.earthlink.net/~rockinbox/Webshow/FranceItaly04.h...

If you have any stories to share about the 359th I would be interested in reading them.
Take Care and Thankyou,
Rex Bavousett
rockinbox@earthlink.net

My Dad Alvin E. Wickstrom was with Company A of the 359th from March 26th 1942 to July of 1945. He passed away in 2009 on May 7th.