William W. Reedy was born in Massachusetts on June 8, 1918. He enlisted in the Army at Fort Devens on February 4, 1943. His grade at enlistment was Tech 5. Based on the content of the IDPF that accompanies this officially machine engraved slot brooch posthumous Purple Heart, it appears that Reedy married a WAC named Marienne just before shipping out. Some correspondence in the file indicates some discord between Reedy's sister and the "war bride". Marienne Reedy was stationed at Fitzsimmons General Hospital in Denver, Colorado in the 113th MAC Hospital Co. in 1945.
The 26th division was assigned to III Corps of the Ninth United States Army, Twelth United States Army Group. It was shipped from the United States directly to France, and was never sent to Britain. The 26th Infantry Division landed in France at Cherbourg and Utah Beach on September 7, 1944, but did not enter combat as a division until a month later. Elements were on patrol duty along the coast from Carteret to Siouville from September 13 to the 30th. The division was reassigned to XII Corps of the Third United States Army. On October 7, the 26th relieved the4th Armored Division in the Salonnes-Moncourt-Canal du Rhine au Marne sector, and maintained defensive positions. The division launched a limited objective attack on October 22, in the Moncourt woods. On November 8, the division went on the offensive, took Dieuze on November 20, advanced across the Saar River to Saar Union, and captured it on December 2, after house to house fighting. Reaching Maginot fortifications on December 5, it regrouped, entering Saarequemines on December 8. Around this time it was reassigned to III Corps.
Rest at Metz was interrupted by the Battle of the Bulge. The division moved north to Luxemburg from December 19 to December 21, to take part in the battle of the Ardennes break-through. It attacked at Rambrouch and Grobrous on December 22, beat off strong German counterattacks, captured Arsdorf on Christmas day after heavy fighting, attacked toward the Wiltz River, but was forced to withdraw in the face of determined German resistance. It was at this point that Tech 4 Reedy was KIA on December 31,1944 during the Battle of the Bulge in Luxemburg.
Spring 2022 sold to a collector.
