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\n GUILFORD, Conn. \u2013 A Connecticut Nationwide Guard Soldier assigned to Firm M, 102nd Infantry Regiment, who perished in World Battle I posthumously obtained the Purple Coronary heart throughout a ceremony on the Guilford city inexperienced Could 24, 2024, greater than 100 years after his loss of life.<\/p>\n
U.S. Military Sgt. Paul Maynard, of Torrington, Connecticut, was killed in motion on the final day of the warfare whereas serving in France and is documented because the final service member from Connecticut to be killed within the warfare. <\/p>\n
U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) offered the Purple Coronary heart to Rick Maynard, Paul\u2019s grandnephew.<\/p>\n
Additionally in attendance had been a number of present members of the 102nd Infantry Regiment, which is without doubt one of the oldest lively items within the U.S. army, with a heritage that dates again to the colonial militia.<\/p>\n
In keeping with Maynard, the ceremony introduced his household closure after their journey to be taught extra about their great-uncle\u2019s life and army service started in 2010 after they found a package deal of letters he\u2019d despatched dwelling from the warfare whereas cleansing out their father\u2019s basement.<\/p>\n
\u201cI opened it up and noticed about three dozen letters written from Paul to my grandfather from the battlefields of France,\u201d Maynard mentioned. \u201cI began studying these letters and mentioned, \u2018Oh my goodness! That is superb!\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Since their discovery, Sgt. Maynard\u2019s household has labored with historians to piece collectively his story. And, with the assistance of Christine Pittsley, the particular tasks curator on the Connecticut State Library, they had been even capable of pinpoint the precise coordinates of the place he died on the battlefield.<\/p>\n
\u201cI believe Paul was very proud to put on the American uniform and even prouder to serve his nation,\u201d mentioned Lisa Ann Maynard in a 2015 documentary about Sgt. Maynard offered by the American Battle Monuments Fee. \u201cAll people put loads on the road, and I\u2019m actually hoping that Paul would be the catalyst for folks to say, \u2018let\u2019s look extra into our historical past on this.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Through the ceremony, Maynard talked about how his great-uncle was a patriot and one of many first folks to enlist to serve within the warfare from his hometown. He described him as selfless, all the time sending dwelling his army pay to assist his household with their payments as he didn\u2019t want the cash over there. And he shared excerpts from the letters, together with one from his final letter, dated Nov. 4, 1918, to his brother, only one week earlier than he was killed by a German artillery strike.<\/p>\n
\u201cProperly, Glen, I believed an excellent many occasions I by no means would be capable to write dwelling once more. We’ve got had a tough time on this entrance and we\u2019ll be glad when it\u2019s over with. Write typically and don\u2019t neglect your outdated chum.\u201d<\/p>\n
Maynard was compelled to share this specific excerpt as a result of he felt the ultimate line encapsulated the true that means of Memorial Day, which People had been making ready to have a good time a couple of days later. \u201cDon\u2019t neglect your outdated chum\u201d. Don\u2019t neglect the women and men who\u2019ve given their lives to guard our nation. Don\u2019t neglect the brothers and sisters who by no means returned dwelling.<\/p>\n
\u201cLots of people don\u2019t notice that the Purple Coronary heart represents that you just spilled blood for the USA, and also you had been prepared to offer your life for it,\u201d mentioned John Alberghini, a veteran and Purple Coronary heart recipient, in an interview with WTNH.<\/p>\n
The 102nd Infantry Regiment has a storied historical past throughout World Battle I. They had been the primary American unit to see heavy fight within the Battle in the course of the battle of Seichprey. In addition they participated within the battles of Champagne-Marne, Aisne-Marne, and the Battle of Verdun, simply to call a couple of. Sergeant Maynard and Firm M fought in a few of the warfare\u2019s most intense battles, such because the Battle of Belleau Wooden, the Saint-Mihiel Marketing campaign, and the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. <\/p>\n
He was killed on the final day of the warfare as he labored to drag his males again from the entrance line and is buried within the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery, Plot D Row 24, Grave 26.<\/p>\n
He was 21 years outdated. <\/p>\n
| Date Taken:<\/td>\n <\/p>\n | 05.24.2024<\/td>\n
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| Date Posted:<\/td>\n <\/p>\n | 05.28.2024 15:21<\/td>\n
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| Story ID:<\/td>\n <\/p>\n | 472364<\/td>\n
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| Location:<\/td>\n <\/p>\n | GUILFORD, CT, US<\/td>\n
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