Stanley Bender (1909 - 1994)

Born 31 Oct 1909 in Carlisle, Fayette, West Virginia, United States

Died 22 Jun 1994 at age 84 in Oak Hill, Fayette, West Virginia, United States

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Biography

Stanley Bender was awarded the Medal of Honor.

Stanley Bender was awarded the Bronze Star Medal.

Stanley Bender was awarded the Purple Heart.

Stanley Bender was awarded the Croix de Guerre 1939-1945 (France).

Staff Sergeant Stanley Bender served in the United States Army in World War II
Service started: 9 Dec 1939
Unit(s): Company E, 2d Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3d Infantry Division
Service ended: 10 Jun 1945

Stanley was born 31 October 1909 in Carlisle, West Virginia. He was the son of Arthur Bender and Eva Seinkiewicy

He married Ruth Smith 19 August 1937 in Porter, Indiana.^[1] They must have divorced by 1940 as Stanley is listed as single in the 1940 census.

He married Marie Tincher 9 April 1945 in Chicago, Illinois.^[2]

He passed away 22 June 1994 in Oak Hill, West Virginia.^[3]

Medal of Honor Citation

The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Staff Sergeant Stanley Bender, United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with Company E, 2d Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3d Infantry Division. On 17 August 1944, near La Lande, France, Staff Sergeant Bender climbed on top of a knocked-out tank, in the face of withering machinegun fire which had halted the advance of his company, in an effort to locate the source of this fire. Although bullets ricocheted off the turret at his feet, he nevertheless remained standing upright in full view of the enemy for over two minutes. Locating the enemy machineguns on a knoll 200 yards away, he ordered two squads to cover him and led his men down an irrigation ditch, running a gauntlet of intense machinegun fire, which completely blanketed 50 yards of his advance and wounded four of his men. While the Germans hurled hand grenades at the ditch, he stood his ground until his squad caught up with him, then advanced alone, in a wide flanking approach, to the rear of the knoll. He walked deliberately a distance of 40 yards, without cover, in full view of the Germans and under a hail of both enemy and friendly fire, to the first machinegun and knocked it out with a single short burst. Then he made his way through the strong point, despite bursting hand grenades, toward the second machinegun, 25 yards distant, whose two-man crew swung the machinegun around and fired two bursts at him, but he walked calmly through the fire and, reaching the edge of the emplacement, dispatched the crew. Signaling his men to rush the rifle pits, he then walked 35 yards further to kill an enemy rifleman and returned to lead his squad in the destruction of the eight remaining Germans in the strong point. His audacity so inspired the remainder of the assault company that the men charged out of their positions, shouting and yelling, to overpower the enemy roadblock and sweep into town, knocking out two antitank guns, killing 37 Germans and capturing 26 others. He had sparked and led the assault company in an attack which overwhelmed the enemy, destroying a roadblock, taking a town, seizing intact three bridges over the Maravenne River, and capturing commanding terrain which dominated the area.^[4]

Sources

1. ↑ Marriage: "Indiana Marriages, 1811-2019"
   citing Line: 1; Digital film/folder number: 007740891_002_M9ZR-1QL; Image number: 261
   FamilySearch Record: Z6K2-ZSMM (accessed 29 February 2024)
   FamilySearch Image: 3Q9M-C91C-L3ZY-T
   Stanley F Bender marriage to Ruth Smith on 19 Aug 1937 in Porter, Indiana, United States.
2. ↑ Marriage: "Cook County, Illinois Marriage Index, 1930-1960"
   Cook County Clerk; Chicago, Il; Cook County Genealogy Records (Marriages)
   Ancestry Record 1500 #1587150 (accessed 29 February 2024)
   Stanley Bender marriage to Marie Tincher on 9 Apr 1945.
3. ↑ STANLEY BENDER: "Newspapers.com"
   Daily News (New York, New York) Sun, Jun 26, 1994, page 34
   Newspapers Clip: 142345182 (accessed 28 February 2024)
4. ↑ The Hall of Valor Project - Stanley Bender

• 1910 Census: "United States Census, 1910"
  citing Affiliate Name: The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Affiliate Publication Number: T624; Digital film/folder number: 005157565; FHL microfilm: 1375692; Image number: 1001; Sheet number: 10; Sheet letter: A; Packet letter: A; Indexing batch: N03577-0
  FamilySearch Record: MPNP-BTM (accessed 29 February 2024)
  FamilySearch Image: 33S7-9YBM-9D9
  Steone Bendar (0), single son, in household of Andy Bendar (44) in Fayetteville, Fayette, West Virginia, United States. Born in West Virginia.
• 1920 Census: "United States Census, 1920"
  citing Affiliate Name: The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Affiliate Publication Number: T625; Line: 29; Digital film/folder number: 004969009; FHL microfilm: 1821947; Image number: 1067; Sheet number: 23; Sheet letter: A; Packet letter: A; Indexing batch: N03097-5
  FamilySearch Record: MNLZ-521 (accessed 29 February 2024)
  FamilySearch Image: 33SQ-GRVM-3N3
  Stanley Bender (10), single son, in household of Andrew Bender (56) in Fayette, West Virginia, United States. Born in West Virginia.
• 1930 Census: "United States Census, 1930"
  citing Affiliate Name: The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Affiliate Publication Number: T626; Line: 2; Digital film/folder number: 004950422; FHL microfilm: 2340170; Image number: 669; Sheet number: 4; Sheet letter: A; Packet letter: A; Indexing batch: N03777-8
  FamilySearch Record: XSLH-7BM (accessed 29 February 2024)
  FamilySearch Image: 33S7-9R4D-4M1
  Stanley Bender (19), single boarder, in household of Walter Cudziszewski (37) in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, United States. Born in West Virginia.
• 1940 Census: "United States Census, 1940"
  citing Affiliate Publication Number: T627; Line: 60; Digital film/folder number: 005460327; Image number: 651; Sheet number: 83; Sheet letter: B
  FamilySearch Record: K99N-S8J (accessed 29 February 2024)
  FamilySearch Image: 3QS7-89MB-YDXR
  Stanley Bender (30), single in Vancouver, Clark, Washington, United States. Born in West Virginia.
• Medal Of Honor Given Sergeant By Patch: "Newspapers.com"
  The Evening Sun (Baltimore, Maryland) Tue, Jan 23, 1945, page 3
  Newspapers Clip: 142380044 (accessed 29 February 2024)
• Too Old to Fight' Wins Medal of Honor: "Newspapers.com"
  The Journal News (White Plains, New York) Mon, Feb 19, 1945, page 2
  Newspapers Clip: 142380315
  2nd Part of Article Newspapers Clip: 142380444 (accessed 29 February 2024)
• AMERICAN HEROS OF WORLD WAR II: "Newspapers.com"
  Chicago Tribune (Chicago, Illinois) Sun, Dec 2, 1945, page 95
  Newspapers Clip: 142380763 (accessed 29 February 2024)
• S. W. SIDE YANKS TO TALK AT LITH BOND MEETING: "Newspapers.com"
  Chicago Tribune (Chicago, Illinois) Sun, Dec 9, 1945, page 41
  Newspapers Clip: 142381033 (accessed 29 February 2024)
• Tribute Is Paid Beckley's Stanley Bender In Bridge Program at Turnpike Dedication: "Newspapers.com"
  The Raleigh Register (Beckley, West Virginia) Mon, Nov 8, 1954, page 12
  Newspapers Clip: 142344030 (accessed 28 February 2024)
• Stanley Bender’s Medal of Honor Award: "Newspapers.com"
  Beckley Post-Herald (Beckley, West Virginia) Mon, Dec 24, 1962, page 4
  Newspapers Clip: 142342476 (accessed 28 February 2024)
• Stanley Hender Appointed VFW Aide-De-Camp: "Newspapers.com"
  The Raleigh Register (Beckley, West Virginia) Fri, Oct 1, 1965, page 16
  Newspapers Clip: 46035994 (accessed 28 February 2024)
• Stanley Bender To Retire From VA Hospital Staff: "Newspapers.com"
  The Raleigh Register (Beckley, West Virginia) Thu, Oct 30, 1969, page 9
  Newspapers Clip: 142342837 (accessed 28 February 2024)
• Memorial: Find a Grave (has image)
  Find A Grave: Memorial #7190235 (accessed 28 February 2024)
  Memorial page for Stanley Bender (31 Oct 1909-22 Jun 1994), citing High Lawn Memorial Park, Oak Hill, Fayette County, West Virginia, USA (plot: Section A, Lot 360, Grave 7); Maintained by Find a Grave.
• Congressional Medal of Honor Society - STANLEY BENDER
• Wikipedia - Stanley Bender