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Contact Info
Home Town Detroit, MI
Last Address Detroit, MI
Date of Passing Jul 11, 1999
Location of Interment Arlington National Cemetery (VLM) - Arlington, Virginia
Award of Bronze Star Medal Private First Class Brendan E. McIntyre
82d Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Armored Division
Private First Class Brendan E. McIntyre, 16065174, 82d Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, United States Army. For heroic achievement in action against the enemy on 10 October 1944 in Germany. At approximately 1100A two platoons of Company "A", 82d Armored Reconnaissance Battalion were outputted southeast of Oidweilder, Germany, when a heavy artillery barrage wounded four men of an adjacent tank unit. With absolute disregard for his own personal safety, Private First Class McIntyre and three men left the safety of their fox holes and went to the aid of these men. Although the three other men were wounded by a following barrage, Private First Class McIntyre continued to give aid to all seven until they were evacuated to the rear. At approximately 1300A the same day, his Platoon Sergeant was wounded by artillery fire. Although he had been relieved from outpost, Private First Class McIntyre again went forward and evacuated the Platoon sergeant to the rear. During, the entire time, Private First class Mclntyre displayed extreme courage and initiative beyond the call of duty.
Other Comments:
McIntyre was in Company A, 3rd Platoon, 82nd Reconnaissance Batallion, 2nd Armored Division. He served in the following Campaign's, Africa, Sicily Normandy, (Omaha Beach - D+2); Northern France, Rhineland and the Ardennes. Battle of the Bulge. He was wounded on Christmas Day, 1944, in I think he called it Foy Notre Dame, near Dinant, Belgium taking a severe wound to the left thigh that left him disabled for life.
Having been wounded 2 times before, this one was almost mortal. Thanks to the field medics who stopped the hemorrhaging. He was awarded the Bronze star for saving a group of men who were pinned down in a barrage (and wounded). Dad also lost his brother on a B-17 Flying fortress over Germany. His final request was that he be buried at Arlington National Cemetery, were he rests today.
He often told me that the only hero's in War were the ones that were buried in the battlefields on conflict. Thanks, Michael P. McIntyre ( his son )
McIntyre, Brendan E.
My father, ASN, 16-065-174, passed away on 11 July 1999. He was in Company A, 3rd Platoon, 82nd Reconnaissance Batallion, 2nd Armored Division. He often talked about the horrors of war, and the loss of close friends. He served in the following Campaign's, Africa, Sicily Normandy, (Omaha Beach - D+2); Northern France, Rhineland and the Ardennes. Batle of the Bulge. He was wounded on Christmas Day, 1944, in I think he called it Foy Notre Dame, near Dinant, Belgium taking a severe wound to the left thigh that left him disabled for life.
Having been wounded 2 times before, this one was almost mortal. Thanks to the field medics who stopped the hemorrhaging. He was awarded the Bronze star for saving a group of men who were pinned down in a barrage (and wounded). Dad also lost his brother on a B-17 Flying fortress over Germany. His final request was that he be buried at Arlington National Cemetery, were he rests today.
He often told me that the only hero's in War were the ones that were buried in the battlefields on conflict. After watching "Saving Private Ryan" I understood. And I cried like a baby. I have a number of photos, war records, citation papers, etc. if anyone is interested. Please post this notice on the Taps Page.
MCINTYRE, BRENDAN EDWARD
PFC US ARMY
WORLD WAR II
DATE OF BIRTH: 11/14/1921
DATE OF DEATH: 07/11/1999
BURIED AT: SECTION 68 SITE 2836
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
WWII - European Theater of Operations/Sicily Campaign (1943)/Operation Husky
From Month/Year
July / 1943
To Month/Year
August / 1943
Description The decision to invade Sicily was agreed by the Western Allies at the Casablanca Conference in January 1943. 'Operation Husky' was to be a combined amphibious and airborne attack scheduled for that summer under the supreme command of General Dwight D. Eisenhower.
The Allies began air attacks on targets in Sicily and Italy in the early summer of 1943. They also attacked the Italian island of Pantellaria, which surrendered to the British 1st Division who arrived there on 11 June.
The Allied convoys concentrated near Malta on the 9 July and headed for Sicily's southern beaches. The careful planning of the landings was slightly hindered by a storm, which slowed down the landing craft. The Italian defenders believed such weather conditions would deter any attempt of an invasion and were on a low state of alert.
The British 1st Airlanding Brigade mounted in 137 gliders, were the first to land. They were to seize the Ponte Grande Bridge south of Syracuse. These landings were, on the whole, unsuccessful. Of the 137 gliders, 69 came down in the sea, drowning some 200 men. A further 56 landed in the wrong area of Sicily and just 12 reached the target area and managed to take the bridge. The US paratroopers had difficulties too, the pilots were inexperienced and dust and anti-aircraft fire resulted in the 2,781 paratroopers being scattered over an area 80km radius.
The main amphibious landings involved three British divisions in the east and two US divisions in the west, all supported by heavy fire from off shore warships.
The British did not meet strong resistance from the Italian coastal troops and were able to bring tanks and artillery ashore ahead of schedule. By the end of the day 13th Corps had taken Syracuse and 30th Corps had secured Panchino.
The US divisions had a far more difficult landing, with stiff resistance from the Italians and German air attacks. Later in the day the Hermann Goering Panzer Division, with it's 56 ton Tiger tanks, joined the defence, but the US 2nd Armored Division and US 18 Regimental Combat Team landed in the evening and the Americans managed to stand firm against the fierce fighting. Eventually, naval supporting gunfire forced the tanks to disperse.
The sudden appearance of so many paratroopers gave the appearance of a much greater invasion and the Axis defenders called for reinforcements.
By 12 July, the British had captured Augusta and Montgomery decided to head northwards, to the east of Mount Etna, to take Messina. The Commander of the US 7th Army, Lieutenant-General George S Patton, unhappy with this change of plan, was to fight westwards, towards Palermo. The Americans advanced well. They captured 53,000 prisoners and also the port of Palermo on July 22. This enabled the US 9th Division to land there, instead of on the southern beaches, and was valuable for receiving Allied supplies. Alexander ordered Patton to advance to Messina.
Meanwhile the British Eighth Army was making slow progress. The German paratroopers, with 88mm anti-tank guns, were a formidable enemy and the mountainous Sicilian countryside was hard to negotiate. The Highlanders fought hard for Biancavilla and the XIII Corps eventually took Catania and then Paterno.
The Canadians of Lord Tweedsmuir's Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment managed to take the hill town of Assoro by scaling a cliff and taking their enemy completely by surprise and advanced to Leonforte, which fell to them on 22 July.
By August, the invasion of Sicily was almost complete. The race for Messina continued; the British were helped greatly by airborne forces landing ahead and saving bridges from destruction by the Axis troops. On 17 August, the US 3rd Division entered Messina at 10am, just 50 minutes before the arrival of the British Army. The Germans had been evacuated, but had left huge amounts of weapons, ammunition and fuel. The historic city of Messina had been ravaged by Allied bombs and after the invasion, by shells from the Italian mainland.
Operation Husky was a success. The Allies achieved their goal - the 'soft underbelly' of Europe had been exposed and the Mediterranean could be fully used as a sea route. The cost of casualties was high, though less than anticipated. The Allies lost more than 16,000 men and estimated that 164,000 Axis troops were either killed or taken prisoner.
