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Eugene Edward Jackson was born July 29, 1922, in Arnold, Pennsylvania. He enlisted in the Army in Pittsburgh, October, 1940, serving in the Panana Canal, and then the Pacific T.O after the U.S entered WW2.
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In early 1943 after he had just returned from a tour of duty in the Pacific, he decided he wanted to reenlist and volunteer for the paratroopers. He was placed in 2nd platoon, Easy Company, 506th PIR.
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Jackson jumped on D-Day and fought with Easy in Normandy, where he was wounded in the shoulder. He jumped into The Netherlands in September 1944.
In December 1944, Easy headed to Belgium and fought in defense of the town of Bastogne.
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In December 1944, Easy headed to Belgium and fought in defense of the town of Bastogne.
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On January 3, Jackson is credited with stopping a passing jeep just after Easy comrades Bill Guarnere and Joe Toye had been severely wounded during an artillery barrage, allowing them to be brought without delay to an aid station.
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When the 506th was on the line in Haguenau, he was one of the men chosen for a patrol across the River Moder on the night of 14-15 February, in order to obtain German prisoners and destroy outpost buildings.
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In the attack on the buildings, rifle grenades were fired & hand grenades thrown, the men then rushed the building. Jackson was at the front & was hit by shrapnel, some lodging deep in his skull. He was brought back across the river but later died of his wounds that morning.
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Dick Winters wrote to Jackson's mother "His loss hurt everybody very deeply. He was the last man that Easy lost during the war. He was hit by one of our own grenade fragments, which tells me, as a good soldier he was right up front in the charge on the German outpost"
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Eugene's brother, Robert (pictured), who also served in WW2, remembers him as an active kid & daredevil who swam the Allegheny River. Robert sadly passed away May, 2020.
Eugene Jackson was repatriated to the U.S in 1948 and buried at Greenwood Memorial Park, Pennsylvania
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Eugene Jackson was repatriated to the U.S in 1948 and buried at Greenwood Memorial Park, Pennsylvania
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Eugene Jackson was portrayed by @andrewleepotts in #bandofbrothers, with his death being depicted in the episode The Last Patrol.
Currahee to this brave young man on his birthday
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Currahee to this brave young man on his birthday
10/10
@Agrbez a little bio on Eugene Jackson for his birthday
