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- Paul
Attebery, Jr. was born August 7, 1921, near Parsons, KS.
After high school,
- Paul worked as a
farmer and also at the local ammunition plant while going to
school
- at Parsons
Community College.
He married Mary Plummer on May 12, 1941.
- 1 year later he
became the proud father of Paul E. (Sonny) Attebery, III.
-
- Paul was
drafted into service on December 3rd, 1942 and reported
to
- Camp Claiborne, LA for basic
training. He was
assigned to Company G of the
- 409th and moved with the
Division to Camp Howze, TX, where he was
- promoted to ‘Commo’ Sergeant.
Mary and Sonny moved to Gainesville to be
- with him.
-
- On October
6th, 1944, Attebery boarded the USS Monticello for the
ETO.
- On December 15th,
G-Company was on the move.
The Company Commander
- organized a patrol under the
leadership of Sgt Chan Rogers who asked for
- volunteers.
The objective was to cross over a hill mass and scout the
German
- strength in the next town,
Obberhoffen, France. Although
another radioman had volunteered to accompany the patrol, Attebery
‘bumped’ him so that he could test
- a new radio.
As the patrol approached the hilltop, they sustained a fierce
mortar
- barrage.
Everyone dove for cover, but Attebery was struck in the head
and
- killed instantly.
He was temporarily interred at Hochfelden Cemetery.
- He was 24 years old.
-
-
- In a
letter received by the family, Captain Roger H. Craddock wrote;
- “Sgt. Attebery was operating a
radio for a daylight patrol that was sent out to
- gain certain information.
The entire patrol was caught in a terrific mortar
- barrage and Attebery was killed
instantly, therefore he made no requests.
- As a man and as a soldier he was
the best, always performing his duties in
- a superior manner.
Also he was always the first to volunteer for such missions
- as the one he was on when he was
killed. He was the type
of soldier that will
- never be replaced in this
organization.”
-
-
Beloved Husband and Father, Staff Sergeant Paul E. Attebery, Jr.
rests in
honor at Memorial Lawn Cemetery in Parsons, KS.
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