Henry Kelton Kirkpatrick

S/Sgt. Henry Kirkpatrick - taken in Italy in 1943 after promotion. Patch is 5th Army which was only worn for a short time in late 1943 until mid 1944

NAME: Henry Kelton Kirkpatrick

ASN: 34171244

PLACE OF BIRTH: Alamance, NC

DATE OF BIRTH: 10 May 1914 or 1915

DATES OF SERVICE: 03 Oct 1941 - 21 Jun 1945

UNIT ASSIGNED: B Company, 8th Battalion, Camp Wheeler, GA

HQ Svc Co, 504th Parachute Battalion

HQ Svc Co. 2nd Battalion, 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment

HQ Svc Co. 2nd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment

HQ Svc Co, 2nd Bn, 509th PIR

CAMPAIGNS: Naples-Foggia, Anzio, Rome-Arno, Southern France

AWARDS: Combat Infantry Badge, Parachutist Badge, EAME Campaign Medal with arrowhead and two campaign stars, Good Conduct Medal, World War II Victory Medal

SUMMARY OF SERVICE:

10 May 1914 - Born in Alamance, NC to H. E. Kirkpatrick

03 Oct 1941 - Enlisted at Fort Bragg, NC - NARA Enlistment Record

Field Title	Value	Meaning
ARMY SERIAL NUMBER	34171244	34171244
NAME	KIRK#AT###K#HE#R##K#####	KIRK#AT###K#HE#R##K#####
RESIDENCE: STATE	#6	Undefined Code
RESIDENCE: COUNTY	001	Undefined Code
PLACE OF ENLISTMENT	4625	FT BRAGG NORTH CAROLINA
DATE OF ENLISTMENT DAY	03	03
DATE OF ENLISTMENT MONTH	10	10
DATE OF ENLISTMENT YEAR	41	41
GRADE: ALPHA DESIGNATION	PVT#	Private
GRADE: CODE	8	Private
BRANCH: ALPHA DESIGNATION	BI#	Branch Immaterial - Warrant Officers, USA
BRANCH: CODE	00	Branch Immaterial - Warrant Officers, USA
FIELD USE AS DESIRED	#	#
TERM OF ENLISTMENT	0	Undefined Code
LONGEVITY	###	###
SOURCE OF ARMY PERSONNEL	0	Civil Life
NATIVITY	46	NORTH CAROLINA
YEAR OF BIRTH	15	15
RACE AND CITIZENSHIP	1	White, citizen
EDUCATION	5	1 year of college
CIVILIAN OCCUPATION	170	Sales clerks
MARITAL STATUS	6	Single, without dependents
COMPONENT OF THE ARMY	7	Selectees (Enlisted Men)
CARD NUMBER	#	#
BOX NUMBER	0763	0763
FILM REEL NUMBER	1.280	1.280

06 Nov 1941 - Conducts rifle qualification at Camp Wheeler

00 Dec 1941 - Writes home shortly after Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor to tell family not to worry

17 Jan 1942 - Pvt. Henry Kirkpatrick assigned to HQ 504th Parachute Battalion and placed on Special Duty with 6th Training Battalion, 1st Student Training Regiment, ISSC, The Infantry School to attend The Parachute School

00 Feb 1942 - Not listed in the 504th PB unit album, possibly was unavailable due to attending The Parachute School during this time.

24 Feb 1942 - 504th Parachute Battalion redesignated 2nd Battalion 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment

24 Feb 1942 - Returned to Duty

02 Mar 1942 - Assigned to Service Company 2nd Bn 503rd PIR

29 Mar 1942 - Relocated to Fort Bragg, NC

01 Apr 1942 - Promoted to Tech 5

29 May 1942 - 2nd Bn 503rd PIR moves to New York Port of Embarkation

31 May 1942 - Tech 5 Henry K. Kirkpatrick 34171244, War Department Identification issued

05 Jun 1942 - 2nd Bn 503rd PIR departs US for England

10 Jun 1942 - First American Parachute Battalion to deploy overseas arriving in Glasgow, Scotland and stationed at Chilton Foliat, England

02 Nov 1942 - 2nd Battalion 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment redesignated 2nd Battalion 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment

Possibly on Rear Detachment in England during the invasion of North Africa

25 Mar 1943 - T5 Henry K. Kirkpatrick 34171244 Svc Co, 2nd Bn, 509th PIR SO 27 - Promoted to SSgt. (Temp.)

14 Sep 1943 - S/Sgt. Henry K. Kirkpatrick 34171244 Svc. Co, 2nd Bn, 509th PIR assigned Rear Det in Sicily

22 Jan 1944 - Participated in OPERATION SHINGLE the amphibious invasion of Anzio, Italy

29 Feb 1944 - Writes letter home from Anzio

05 Apr 1944 - S/Sgt Henry Kirkpatrick 509th PIB GO #4 Awarded Good Conduct Medal

20 Apr 1944 - S/Sgt Henry Kirkpatrick 509th PIB GO #8 Award of Combat Infantry Badge

15 Aug 1944 - S/Sgt. Henry K. Kirkpatrick participates in amphibious landing during OPERATION DRAGOON the invasion of Southern France as part of 509th PIB 2nd Rear (Truck) Echelon of 4 officers and 50 enlisted men

26 Feb 1945 - Transferred to 508th PIR

21 Jun 1945 - Honorably Discharged

Operated a Dairy Farm in Swepsonville, NC

21 Jul 1984 - Passed away with Alzheimer’s at the VA in Salisbury, NC

Henry Kirkpatrick - Draft Card

Photo taken with parents in early 1942 on home on leave from Camp Wheeler, GA

S/Sgt. Henry Kirkpatrick - taken in Italy in 1943 after promotion

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