Sgt Harold Parnell, 34th Inf Div, 135th Inf Rgt
#5

Here is his burial info from the ABMC site. The newspaper article says he died of wounds received on 9 April. Could 15 April be the day he died?

 

Harold G. Parnell

Sergeant, U.S. Army

Service # 20708092

135th Infantry Regiment, 34th Infantry Division

Entered the Service from: Minnesota

Died: 15-Apr-43

Buried at: Plot C Row 7 Grave 1

North Africa American Cemetery

Carthage, Tunisia

 

The 135th Infantry Regiment was involved with the attack of Fondouk Pass on April 8th at 0430. The 135th Regiment moved on the right with the 133rd Regiment on the left. They halted their advance to wait for air strikes and they were pinned down in the open plain of poppies during the night. Their assault the next day was halted by artillery fire. During the night of 9th, they inflitrated the German lines on Hill 306. The 1st Battalion of the 133rd had captured the hill by 0115 on the 10th.

On the 10th, the 135th Regiment with the 1st & 2nd Battalions leading, launched a final attack. The 1st Battalion advanced on Fondouk Gap while the 2nd Battalion advanced on the 3 hills to the rear. Colonel Miller's troops swept thru the gap. The 168th Regiment relieved the 135th. (Col. John Miller would distinguish himself in later battles in N. Africa and he returned home where he was later an advisor for the Ernie Pyle movie "The Story of GI Joe".)

The above was paraphrased from "The History of the Famous 34th Infantry Division"which refers to this battle as the Second Fondouk. It lists the losses for the 2 battles as:

135th Infantry Regiment

Officers ..KIA 10 ...WIA 20 ...MIA 1

Enlisted ..KIA 91 ...WIA 340 ...MIA 17

POW 1

Total 480

 

"An Army at Dawn" states American losses in 3 days totaled 439, including more than 100 killed.

 

There doesn't seem to be any battles on the 15th April. That is not to say he was in battle on that day.

 

Steve

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Messages In This Thread
Sgt Harold Parnell, 34th Inf Div, 135th Inf Rgt - by Custermen - 08-11-2006, 12:49 PM

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