Ira Meredith (1914 - 1944)

Born 2 Dec 1914 in Elizabethton, Carter, Tennessee, United States

Died 9 Jun 1944 at age 29 in France

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Biography

Ira Meredith was born in Appalachia, in Tennessee.

Ira Meredith is a Military Veteran.
Served in the United States Army 1942-1944
Served in WW2

Staff Sergeant Ira Meredith was Killed in Action during World War II.

Ira Lynn Meredith was born on 2 December 1914 to William G. Meredith Jr., and Lizzie Hammett. His mother died in 1936 and his father married Lucinda Bishop. Ira had four sisters and one brother. He was killed in action on 9 June 1944 in France. Buried at Meredith Cemetery, Elizabethton, TN

Staff Sergeant 4th Infantry Division, 8th Infantry Regiment, Company L

Ira was a member of the 4th Infantry Division and was killed in France on D-Day plus 3. He was awarded (posthumously) the Distinguished Service Cross for his heroic action taken on June 9, 1944. He was wounded by German gunfire; yet he continued to fight despite his wounds. He killed the crew of a machine gun nest that had his men pinned down. He received more gunshot wounds but continued to assault another machine gun nest. He finally went down and died from his numerous wounds. –Submitted by Rick Meredith

The Johnson City Press-Chronicle, October 27, 1944 Posthumous award of the Distinguished Service Cross of Staff Sgt. Ira Lynn Meredith, who was killed in France June 9, has been announced to his father, William G. Meredith of Elizabethton, Route 4. The medal is the first of its kind known to have been presented a Carter Countian during this war. Meredith today was awaiting word from the Fourth Service Command in Atlanta, Ga., on arrangement for formal presentation of the medal. The message from the adjutant general said the medal would be sent to the commanding general, who would sen dan officer make the presentation. The citation read: “For extraordinary heroism in action against the enemy on 9 June 1944 in France. As the first and second platoons of Staff Sergeant Meredith’s company were advancing upon a hill, the enemy opened up with machine gun mortar and rifle fire upon them from both flanks. Staff Sergeant Meredith, although wounded by rifle fire, without delaying to think of his own personal safety charged a machine gun position and succeeded in killing several of the enemy and destroying the gun. In his assault, Staff Sergeant Meredith was again wounded but valiantly continued to advance upon the enemy until he fell dead. The complete devotion to duty, gallantry and heroic determination to destroy the enemy, even at the cost of his own life, reflects great credit upon himself and was in keeping with the highest traditions of the armed forces.” Sergeant meredith, who was 29 years old, was among first Allied forces to land in France. A member of an infantry outfit, he had been in England since January of this year. After entering the Army ar Fort Oglethorpe, Ga., January 17, 1942, he trained at Camp Wheeler and Camp Gordon, Ga., Fort Dix, N.J., and Fort Jackson, S.C. He went to England last January. Surviving besides the father are a stepmother; a brother, Elbert Meredith of Johnson City, Route 5; four sisters, Mrs. Hobart Taylor and Misses Marie and Jeanette Meredith, all of Elizabethton, Route 4 and Mrs. Frank Eugene Verran of Elizabethton, whose husband, Radioman First Class Frank Eugene Verran, was killed in a naval plane crash near Montauk Point, L.I., August 18, 1943.

Rank: Staff Sergeant

Date of birth: 2 December 1914

Date of death: 9 June 1944

County: Carter

Hometown: Elizabethton

Service Branch: Army/Army Air Forces

Division/Assignment: 4th Infantry Division, 8th Infantry Regiment, Company L

Theater: Europe

Conflict: World War II

Battles: Normandy Campaign

Awards: Distinguished Service Cross, Purple Heart

Burial/Memorial Location: Meredith Cemetery, Elizabethton, TN

Location In Memorial: Pillar VII, Bottom Panel

Sources

• "United States Census, 1920", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MNGW-BZL : Wed Oct 04 04:13:02 UTC 2023), Entry for Willie Meredith and Lizzie Meredith, 1920.
• "United States Census, 1930", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:SPWW-2Y3 : Fri Oct 06 17:19:58 UTC 2023), Entry for William G Meredith and Lizzie Meredith, 1930.
• "United States Census, 1940", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K448-KM7 : Wed Oct 04 06:59:58 UTC 2023), Entry for Will Meredith and Lucinda Meredith, 1940.
• "United States World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K8TP-635 : 5 December 2014), Ira L Meredith, enlisted 17 Jan 1942, Ft Oglethorpe, Georgia, United States; citing "Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, ca. 1938-1946," database, The National Archives: Access to Archival Databases (AAD) (http://aad.archives.gov : National Archives and Records Administration, 2002); NARA NAID 1263923, National Archives at College Park, Maryland.
• "United States, Cemetery Abstracts, 1949-1969", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPT6-JKTS : 1 July 2021), Ira Lynn Merdith, 1944.
• https://www.etvma.org/veterans/ira-l-meredith-7572/