Marker photo Courtesy of Daniel Couch
 

T/5 Richard Byron Legg
U. S. Army
Ser. # 38416808

January 23, 1924 - April 14, 1945
Lorraine American Cemetery

Gold Star Mother
Carrie Ethel Lowe Legg

Find A Grave Memorial

Technician Fifth Grade Richard “Dick” Byron Legg, U.S. Army [January 23, 1924 - April 14, 1945] was born to Richard Hubert Legg [October 8, 1898 - December 19, 1958] and Carrie Ethel (Lowe) Legg [July 16, 1907 - July 14, 1965] at Bay City, Matagorda County, Texas. He attended Jefferson Davis Elementary School and Bay City High School. On February 22, 1943, at the age of 19,  he answered his country’s call to duty and enlisted in the U.S. Army at Houston, Texas. After entering in the Army he was trained in the Medical Department at Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas. After graduating from Fort Sam he was assigned to the 324^th Infantry Regiment, 44^th Infantry Division. Before leaving for Europe he was stationed for a while at Fort Lewis, Washington. The 44^th landed in France via Cherbourg  on September 15, 1944 and trained for a month before entering combat on October 18^th, when it relieved the 79^th Division in the vicinity of Foret de Parroy, (Forest of Parroy) east of Lunéville, France, to take part in the Seventh Army drive to secure several passes in the Vosges Mountains. Within six days the division was hit by a heavy German counterattack on October 25 - 26. The attack was repulsed and the 44^th continued its active defense. On November 13^th, it jumped off in an attack northeast, forcing a passage through the Vosges Mountains east of Leintrey to Dossenheim, took Avricourt on November 17^th, and pushed on to liberate Strasbourg, along with the 2^nd French Armored Division. After regrouping, the division returned to the attack, taking Ratzwiller and entering the Ensemble de Bitche in the Maginot Line.  Fort Simserhof fell on December 19^th. Displacing to defensive positions east of Sarreguemines, December 21 - 23, the 44^th threw back three attempted crossings by the enemy on the Blies River. An aggressive defense of the Sarreguemines area was continued throughout February 1945 and most of March.  Moving across the Rhine at Worms on March 26^th, in the wake of the 3^rd Division, the 44^th relieved the 3^rd on March 26 - 27, and crossed the Neckar River to attack and capture Mannheim, March 28 - 29. Shifting to the west bank of the Main, the division crossed that river at Gross-Auheim in early April, and engaged in a 3-week training period. Attacking April 18, after the 10^th Armored Division, the 44^th took Ehingen on April 23, crossed the Danube, and attacking southeast, took Füssen, Berg and Wertach in a drive on Imst, Austria. Dick was Killed in Action while attempting to rescue a fellow soldier on April 14, 1945. He was first interred at a temporary war cemetery located at Bensheim (Hesse), Germany, at the edge of the Odenwald Mountains, then, after his parents declined to have his remains repatriated to the United States, he was interred at the Lorraine American Cemetery, St. Avold France, Plot E, Row 30, Grave 42. Dick was awarded the Bronze Star with Oak Leaf Cluster (2^nd Award), the Purple Heart and the Combat Medical Badge. In the seven months Dick was with the 44^th, the division took 44,044 prisoners, including 7 German generals, captured such famous German cities as Mannheim and Ulm, and liberated thousands of American and Allied Prisoners of war from German camps. At the time of his death his family was living in Bay City and he was survived by his parents, Richard and Carrie, four sisters, Neva, Norma, Margie and Billie Joye; and two brothers: Albert L. and Luster Vernon.
 

Richard Legg Awarded Bronze Star

WITH THE 44TH INFANTRY DIVISION OF THE SEVENTH ARMY, AUSTRIA--T/5 Richard B. Legg of Bay City, Texas, has been awarded the Bronze Star Medal for "meritorious service in action against the enemy," according to an announcement made by Major General William F. Dean, Commanding General of the 44th Division.

T/5 Richard Legg won the Bronze Star for his combat achievement with the 44th in the campaign that saw the Division fight its way from Lunsville, France, to the Rhine, across Germany, then deep into Austria, and climaxed on VE day with the 44th making contact with the Fifth Army, fighting in Italy, along the Italian border.

In its seven months of combat in Europe the 44th Division took 44,044 prisoners, including seven German generals, captured such famous German cities as Mannheim and Ulm, and liberated thousands of American and Allied Prisoners of War from German camps.

The 44th Division is now stationed in the Austrial Tyrol, in what is often called, "the most beautiful section of Europe."
 

CPL. RICHARD LEGG KILLED IN ACTION GERMANY APRIL 14

Tech./5 Richard B. Legg, 21, of the Medical Detachment of the 324 Infantry, was killed in action in Germany, April 14, according to a wire received Sunday by his mother, Mrs. Carrie E. Legg of 2321 Tenth St., Bay City.

The wire from J. A. Ullo read--"The Secretary of War desires me to express his deep regret that your son, Tech./5 Richard B. Legg, was killed in action in Germany, 14 April 1945. Confirming letter follows."

Richard Legg was born in Bay City, January 23, 1924. He attended the Bay City schools and enlisted in the army in February 1943. Besides his parents, Mr. and Mrs. R. H. Legg, he is survived by two brothers, Albert and Luster Vernon and four sisters, Neva, Norma, Billie Joy[e], and Margie. Also surviving are several aunts and uncles.

Matagorda County Tribune, May 3, 1945
 

View of Lorraine American Cemetery while still under construction.
 

Wreaths Across America 2019

Photo courtesy of Kenneth L. Thames
 

Mrs. Legg, 57, Rites Friday

Mrs. Carrie Ethel Legg, 57, of 1520 Ave. G, passed away in Matagorda General Hospital Wednesday afternoon.

She was a native of Ottine, Texas, and had been a resident of Bay City for the past 43 years. She was a member of First Baptist Church.

Funeral services will be Friday at 2 p.m. at Taylor Brothers Funeral Home Chapel with interment in Cedarvale Cemetery, Rev. Don Larick and Dr. William B. Williams officiating.

Survivors include four daughters, Mrs. Neva Myers, Amarillo, Mrs. Norma Cartwright, Bay City, Mrs. Margie Quinn, Bay City and Mrs. Billie Joye Suffling, Bay City; two sons, Albert L. Legg, Old Ocean and Luster Vernon Legg, Bay City; one brother, E. B. Lowe, Dallas.

Pallbearers are H. H. Ray, Otha Birkner, Otis Birkner, J. C. Slone, M. M. Cartwright, and R. R. Stridde.

Honorary pallbearers will be Ralph McGlothlin, J. B. Lane, Joe N. Cannon, Jr., Edwin Hibbs, H. E. Harvey, J. A. Birkner, Joe Birkner, Jr., Carmel Lozano, J. T. Reeves, Milton Gray, J. R. Myers, Sr., Sam Quinn, and T. F. Adams.

The Daily Tribune, July 15, 1965
 

Services Held Monday For Richard H. Legg

Funeral services for Richard Hubert Legg of Bay City, brother of E. R. Legg of Palacios, were held Monday morning at 10 p.m. at the Taylor Brothers Funeral Home, with the Rev. F. R. Weedon and the Rev. Tom Pumbley officiating. Interment was in Cedarvale Cemetery.

Palacios Beacon, December 25, 1958
 

Richard H. Legg Dies At Home

Richard Hubert Legg of Bay City, age 60, died Saturday, at the home, 1520 Ave. G.

Funeral services were held this morning at 10 o'clock at Taylor Brothers Funeral Home, with the Rev. F. R. Weedon and the Rev. Tom Pumbley officiating. Interment was in Cedarvale Cemetery.

Deceased is survived by his wife, Mrs. Carrie Legg of Bay City and four daughters, Mrs. John R. Myers of Amarillo, Mrs. H. W. Cartwright, Mrs. W. R. Quinn, and Miss Billie Joye Legg, all of Bay City; two sons, Albert L. of Markham and Luster V. of Bay City; one sister, Mrs. Maudie Atkins of Dallas; three brothers, E. K. of Bay City. E. R. of Palacios and C. O. of Markham.

Pallbearers were P. P. Terry, R. R. Stridde, H. H. Ray, H. E. Harvey, Joe Birkner, and George Hatchett.

The Daily Tribune, December 22, 1958
 

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