Honoring Veterans: Army Veteran George “Russell” Caldwell - VA News

Early in September 1944, the 9th Infantry Division began a continuous battle from the German town of Lammersorf to Germeter. Being the first infantry division to capture a German town, Caldwell was in the middle of the struggle. The battalion took nearly four days to make it through the dense forest between themselves and Germeter. A German counterattack took place on Oct. 13, 1944, including tank fire and heavy artillery barrages. Tragically, Caldwell succumbed to artillery shrapnel injuries on the same day, just 11 days after his 31st birthday. Casualties from this day caused G Company a total of 10 fatalities, six wounded and 16 missing.

Caldwell was buried in the Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery in Belgium, and was later repatriated in the Woodmere Memorial Park in Huntington in 1947. His wife never remarried, and she used his insurance money to help buy a small West Virginia farm and raise their children. Two of their sons also served in the U.S. military.

He gave up all his tomorrows for us. Thank you will never be enough.