Edward entered the service from Wayne County, Michigan. The first of two men from the Van Meer/Shingleton area to lost his life in World War II. His wife and baby were living with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Len Cobb, almost across the road from Mrs. Hattie Syers, Gold Star mother of Alvin Courter (killed in action March 4, 1945 in Germany).

In the month that Edward was killed, the Big Red One (the 1st Infantry Division) was involved in fights close to and into German territory ... The division closed upon objectives in the vicinity of Namur Sept. 8 and found the path to Liege open. Although opposition was light, the Germans were beginning to organize a defense. Their problem, however, was to gain time to set up an effective line. Mines were reported for the first time near Verviers. As the division crossed the Meuse at Liege and moved on towards Herve, the enemy maintained a heavy reconnaissance screen. Hostile artillery appeared for the first time since the entry into Belgium.

After the fall of Liege, and as the division pushed on toward Aachen and the Siegfried Line, more rehabilitated enemy units reappeared. The advance began to bog down. Resistance was ineffectual. Co. C, 16th Inf., pushed to the Siegfried Line September 12, 1944 and at 1515 crossed the last frontier. Deployment of division forces on this day was international-a battalion in Germany, an outpost in Holland, the main body of the division in Belgium, a rear echelon in France. A reinforced battalion continued the drive forward, and the same day pierced the first belt of defenses six kilometers west of Aachen.

Some pillboxes were fully occupied, more were under-manned, a few were unoccupied. Apparent, too, was that some of the troops were not trained to fight in fixed fortifications. Some PWs were found digging hasty field fortifications alongside perfectly emplaced and serviceable pillboxes. Progress was slow. The division cleared the dragon's teeth, part of the defenses of the second belt east of Aachen, Sept. 14. Next day the Siegfried Line was entirely breached. The break came at a fortuitous time. Enemy defenses were being built up, artillery was more active, new units were appearing, repeated counter-attacks were launched.

A new German division, the 12th Inf., appeared September 17 and immediately attempted a powerful counter-attack. The objective was high ground east of Eilendorf. The attack was beaten off with heavy enemy losses. Next day another unsuccessful counter-attack was tried south of Verlautenheide.

Meanwhile, the 1st's own punch into Stolberg was being heavily opposed. The defense was well-coordinated and stubborn, the terrain well-suited to delaying tactics. Every house in Stolberg was contested. Enemy artillery was more and more in evidence. Division patrols were blocked as soon as they crossed the lines. Yet in one attack by the 18th Inf. in the Eilendorf sector, Sept. 19, a single company neutralized 19 pillboxes while seizing its objective, Crucifix Hill.

In spite of the enemy's tenacious defense, reports of PWs and deserters indicated morale was not sound. Defeatism was spreading among smaller, makeshift units, little groups were prepared to surrender at the proper opportunity. Even so, the Germans continued to launch local counter-attacks ... It was in these attacks that Edward most probably lost his life. Thousands of miles waway from his wife and baby. It wasn't until weeks later that his wife learned about his death.

These days Edward J Wright rests in the beautiful American Military Cemetery at Henri-Chapelle ... He is remembered and honored by his his entire family, by every visitor of the American Cemetery Normandy and by every visitor of the In Honored Glory website.

If you have any more information regarding Edward J Wright, or even pictures, then please make sure that you contact us as soon as possible. Thank you very much !

Special thanks to Edward's family and to Mrs Loraine Koski