Don L. Maxson

NAME: Don L. Maxson

ASN: 39082932

PLACE OF BIRTH: St. Peter, MN

DATE OF BIRTH: 25 Dec 1914

DATES OF SERVICE: 10 Oct 1941 - ?? ??? ????

UNIT ASSIGNED:

HHC 2nd Bn 515th PIR

HHC 1st Airborne Task Force

C Co 509th PIB

CAMPAIGNS: Southern France, Ardennes-Alsace

AWARDS: Combat Infantryman Badge, Parachutist Badge, Silver Star Medal, EAME Campaign Medal, WWII Victory Medal, Distinguished (Presidential) Unit Citation

SUMMARY OF SERVICE:

1931 - Anaheim Union High School

1935 - Attended Fullerton Junior College

Employed with Belridge Oil

Residence: 736 North Olive St. Anaheim, CA

16 Oct 1940 - Registered for the draft at McKittrick, Kern, California, USA

ARMY SERIAL NUMBER	39082932	39082932
NAME	MAXSON#DON#L############	MAXSON#DON#L############
RESIDENCE: STATE	91	CALIFORNIA
RESIDENCE: COUNTY	059	ORANGE
PLACE OF ENLISTMENT	9170	SACRAMENTO CALIFORNIA
DATE OF ENLISTMENT DAY	10	10
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	74	MINNESOTA
YEAR OF BIRTH	14	14
RACE AND CITIZENSHIP	1	White, citizen
EDUCATION	5	1 year of college
CIVILIAN OCCUPATION	685	Semiskilled welders and flame cutters
MARITAL STATUS	6	Single, without dependents
COMPONENT OF THE ARMY	7	Selectees (Enlisted Men)
CARD NUMBER	-	-
BOX NUMBER	1388	1388
FILM REEL NUMBER	6.154	6.154

11 Oct 1941 - Pvt. Don L. Maxson 39082932, CASC Unit No. 1930, Roster of Arrivals, SO 118 Sacramento Selective Service Induction Group D-133, Hour Received 2:00 AM No. of Men 83

03 Nov 1943 - Pvt. Don L. Maxson 39082932, HHC 2nd Bn 515th PIR, Ft. Benning, GA MORNING REPORT: Aboved named 2 EM Dy to Fur 15 days

08 Nov 1943 - Pvt. Don L. Maxson 39082932, HHC 2nd Bn 515th PIR, Ft. Benning, GA MORNING REPORT: Above named 4 EM aptd Cpl per par 27 SO 136 this Hq.

19 Nov 1943 - Cpl. Don L. Maxson 39082932, HHC 2nd Bn 515th PIR, MORNING REPORT: Fur to Dy (Abs 15 days)

15 Dec 1943 - Cpl. Don L. Maxson 39082932, HHC 2nd Bn 515th PIR, Ft. Benning, GA, SO 169 para 15. UP AR 615-5 and upon recommendation of their orgn comdrs flg promotions and apmt of NCO's is announced: To Sergeant (Temp)

29 Feb 1944 - Sgt. Don L. Maxson 39082932, HHC 2nd Bn 515th PIR Camp Mackall, NC, Fr DS at Ft Jackson, SC as armed guard to Dy

17 Apr 1944 - Sgt. Don L. Maxson 39082932, HHC 2nd Bn 515th PIR, Camp Mackall, North Carolina, AO 30 para 6. The three-hundred and seventy-seven (377) EM on the atchd transfer list grades indicated, Co's indicated are trfd in gr effective 16 Apr 1944 to AGF Replacement Depot No 1 Ft George G. Meade Md for shipment No GT 310(a)-A

19 Apr 1944 - Sgt. Don L. Maxson 39082932, Headquarters The Parachute School, Fort Benning, GA SO 94 para. 10. The following named EM, having been atchd to The Prcht Sch, per par 1 SO 82, Hq 13th A/B Div, Cp Mackall, NC dtd 11 Apr 44, are atchd to Hq Spec Trps, Prcht Sch, until notification is received fr AGF to terminate the attachment. Auth: Ltr Hq AGF 352/227 (c) (21 Feb 44) GNACR. "Attachment Prcht Replacements to Prcht Sch for add Pay" (21 Feb 44)

21 Apr 1944 - Sgt. Don Maxson 39082932, Inf Prcht Co B 4th Plat. Headquarters AGF Replacement Depot No. 1 Fort George G. Meade, Maryland, SO 112 para. 2. Off and EM named on the atchd lists, which are part of this order, are reld fr atchd unasgd orgn indic, are trfd in gr eff on dep fr this sta, are asgd Shipment No GT-310(a)-A (Inf ...; Inf Prcht Co A B C), WP * * * o/n 23 Apr 44 reporting to CO. Prcht pers will remain atchd The Prcht Sch Ft Benning Ga until arrival at final destination. Pers involved in this shipment will use APO 15243 c/o Postmaster New York NY as mailing addess until arrival at final destination. Movement will be made by five trains as follows: 5th Train: Inf Co T U; Inf Prcht Co A B C.

10 May 1944 - Sgt. Don L. Maxson 39082932 4th Platoon, 389th Repl Co, Hq 8th Repl Dep, Personnel Ctr #3 SO 130 Par 1. Following Os and EM (Pvts unless otherwise ind) are reld fr asgmt Personnel Ctr #3 and fr atchd repl cos ind, and asgd to proper destination, Task Force GT 310(a)A. WP o/a 11 May 44. TDN, TBA equip carried. Auth: VOTO, AFHQ.

12 May 1944 - Sgt. Don L. Maxson 39082932, 390th Repl Co 7th Bn 8th Replacement Depot, Atch List #1 Page 4, 393 Men (atchd unasgd) trfd to task Force GT-310(a)A at 0900 hours per Depot SO 130 par 1 (All Prcht Inf and Pvts unless otherwise noted:

26 Jul 1944 - Sgt. Don L. Maxson 39082932, HHC 1st Airborne Task Force, APO 758, Atchd and jd fr Hq. ABTC per par 3, SO 110 Hq. ABTC dtd 26 Jul 1944

01 Aug 1944 - Sgt. Don L. Maxson 39082932 HHC Airborne Training Center, Rome, Italy MORNING REPORT: (Atchd unasgd) Dy to DS w 1st A/B Task Force, per SO 110, this hq, per 3, 26 Jul 1944.

15 Aug 1944 - Possibly participated in Operation DRAGOON the airborne invasion of Southern France (Unconfirmed- Would need to see the jump manifest for 1st ABTF)

06 Oct 1944 - Sgt. Don L. Maxson 39082932 HHC 1st Airborne Task Force, Nice, France MORNING REPORT: Trfd to 509th Prcht Inf Bn per par 3, SO 38, this Hq dtd 5 Oct 44

01 Nov 1944 - Pvt. Don L. Maxson 39082932 C Co 509th PIB GO #20 Having fulfilled all requirements as set forth in Par 1 and 2, Section 1 War Department Circular #408, dated 17 October 1944, the following named Officers and Enlisted Men of Companies indicated and hereby announced as COMBAT INFANTRYMAN and are entitled to wear the badge as specified in War Department Circular above:

23 Dec 1944 - Pvt. Don L. Maxson was with C Co 509th PIB at Parkers Crossroads (Baraque de Fraiture) conducting a delaying action against several German units and Armor

29 Dec 1944 - Pvt. Don L. Maxson 39082932 C Co 509th PIB Erezee, Belgium 4690 Durbuy Sheet, MORNING REPORT: Dy to ab sk (NBC) to ____ Hosp

15 Jan 1945 - Pvt. Don L. Maxson 39082932 C Co 509th PIB, HQ XVIII Corps (Airborne) GO 6 - 1. AWARD OF SILVER STAR MEDAL. Under the provisions of AR 600-45, 22 September 1943, as amended, and pursuant to authority contained in paragraph 3 c, Section I, Circular Number 32, Headquarters, European Theater of Operations, United States Army, 20 March 1944, as amended, the Silver Star Medal is awarded the following named enlisted men: DON L. MAXSON, 39082932, Private, Company "C" * * * Parachute Infantry Battalion, United States Army, for gallantry in action on 23 December 1944, near Manhay, Belgium. Acting on his own initiative and without regard for his own personal safety, Private MAXSON moved into intense enemy fire with his machine gun. He fired his weapon from the hip and neutralized two enemy machine guns. Private MAXSON's courage and initiative were keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Army. Entered military service from Wasco, California

HQ XVIII Corps (Airborne) GO 6 AWARD OF SILVER STAR MEDAL

15 Jan 1945 - Pvt. Don L. Maxson 39082932 C Co 509th PIB GO 6 HQ XVIII Corps, Award of Silver Star. Listed on page 384 in the book Stand in the Door by Charles H. Doyle and Terrell Stewart

08 Apr 1960 - Married Elizabeth A. Rumley

22 Feb 2002 - Passed away Fayetteville, AR

509th PIA

Pvt. Don Maxson left with ukn right

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