Cary Braddy (1918 - 1945)

Born 21 Dec 1918 in Dublin, Laurens, Georgia, United States

Ancestors

Died 21 Apr 1945 at age 26 in Okinawa-ken, Japan

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Rhett Perry [send private message]

2nd Lieutenant Cary Braddy served in the United States Army in World War II
Service started: 16 Sep1940
Unit(s): 1st Platoon K Company 3rd Battalion 305th Infantry Regiment 77th Infantry Division
Service ended: 21 Apr 1945

Cary Braddy was awarded the Silver Star Medal.

Cary Braddy was awarded the Bronze Star Medal.

Cary Braddy was awarded the Purple Heart.

Cary Braddy was awarded the Army Good Conduct Medal.

Cary Braddy was awarded the American Defense Service Medal.

Cary Braddy was awarded the American Campaign Medal.

Cary Braddy was awarded the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal.

World War II Victory Medal

Cary Braddy was awarded the Philippine Liberation Medal.

Cary Braddy was awarded the Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation.

Cary Braddy was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge.

Biography

Cary Hillard Braddy December 21st, 1918 to April 21st, 1945 Great Great Granduncle (younger brother of Palmer L Braddy above) Perry Side. United States Army 2nd Lieutenant he was drafted into the Georgia National Guard on September 16th, 1940 in Dublin, Georgia SN: 20403320 like his brother Palmer Lee he was originally stationed at Camp Wheeler, Georgia where he was First Sergeant of his company in the 121st Infantry Regiment of the 30th then 8th Infantry Division(s). The fighting in the Pacific was brutal and there was a constant need for good leaders to serve as officers so in March 1944 Cary got his orders that he would be commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant SN: O-2012580 to serve as a Platoon Leader in 1st Platoon K Company 3rd Battalion of the 305th Infantry Regiment of the 77th Infantry Division. On July 21st, 1944 Cary and the 77th ID entered combat against Japanese forces at the Battle of Guam on the island of the same name in the Pacific, earning the Combat Infantryman’s Badge and thus qualifying for the Bronze Star Medal. They successfully captured and then defended the beachhead before pushing forward alongside the 3rd Marine Division, successfully capturing several important bridgeheads. Cary was a leader always at the front no matter how bad the action got. Combat in the Pacific was some of the most if not the most brutal combat in the entire war, faced with an unforgiving environment of extreme heat, disease, and foreign terrain, as well as a fanatical, determined, and well trained enemy who did not follow the rules of war. As a result of their outstanding performance on Guam the Marines there gave the 77th the proud designation of the “77th Marine Division”. Most of the enemy casualties inflicted were made when they would try to infiltrate the lines at night something that happened basically everyday, a terrifying ordeal for Cary and the rest of the men but they met it with staunch resistance and bravery. On August 2nd During the fighting in Barrigada on the island K Company made an assault in fierce combat while having friendly tanks attached and they lost many good men. On August 8th, 1944 the Japanese threat was neutralized on the island with the 77th ID having killed 2,741 Japanese. On November 23rd, 1944 Cary and the 77th landed on the Philippine Island of Leyte where they engaged in some short training and then patrolled in the rear of their corps seeing action in small skirmishes and contacts with Japanese forces until December 6th. While on Leyte the 77th ID killed 19,459 Japanese. On December 10th (still in the Philippines) they landed at Ipil and fought the Japanese in fierce battle all the way up to the east coast of Ormoc Bay with the goal to seize Ormoc which soon after Cary and the 77th managed to do. In order to clear the road systems for Allied use they had to fight the Japanese off them and on December 13th K Company was the second company in the 3rd BN 305th to enter the attack on Highway 2 and after linking up with the other company they came under a fierce Japanese counterattack which they repulsed inflicting heavy losses on the enemy but suffering greatly themselves the lead platoon was 1st Platoon under the command of Cary but they were temporarily replaced as the lead due to the heavy action and fatigue they were suffering. By December 14th they were fighting the Japanese near the Cogon Position where they literally had to fight the Japanese to the last man and it was the bitterest fighting the Division had yet encountered. On Christmas Eve at 2:45 the 305th was attacked by an estimated 200 Japanese and they managed to kill 100 of the Japanese without suffering a single casualty. At 8 in the morning on Christmas Day Cary’s 3rd Battalion 305th took the lead on the attack along Palompon Road during which they came under heavy fire from a Japanese 75mm gun. During the combat Cary’s K Company had killed 100 Japanese. On Leyte they were a calendar day ahead of everyone back in the states so on December 26th every man in the 77th enjoyed a turkey dinner on what was Christmas Day back home in the states. On December 27th Cary and the men of 3rd Battalion 305th burned campfires, sung songs, and shouted proudly. On December 28th after a successful attack on a hill by 3rd Battalion there were 350 dead Japanese lying there. Two days later again during another 3rd Battalion attack they knocked out all Japanese guns and killed 206 Japanese. Between December 31st and January 31st 3rd Battalion killed 1,232 Japanese. They spent January-February 1945 mopping up any remaining Japanese resistance there carrying out daily patrols killing around 20 a day for each Battalion. For every American Soldier killed in the 77th ID at Leyte 36 Japanese were killed, one of the highest divisional kill-death ratios in the entire war. On March 26th, 1945 Cary and the 77th made 15 landings on various small islands off the coast of Okinawa and over the next 3 days they easily captured Kerama Retto and Keise Shima in preparation for the main assault of the island of Okinawa losing 78 killed but killing 530 Japanese. On the day of the landing March 26th Cary’s 3rd Battalion 305th landed on Aka Shima under enemy mortar and rifle fire but to little effect. Things had changed some for Cary now because now not only had he lost his cousin Harvey in combat in Sicily in 1943 but now his own brother Palmer Lee had been recently killed in January 1945 while fighting in the Battle of the Bulge in Belgium. From April 1st through the 15th they were at Sea during which they were under heavy fire from Japanese bombers and even worse suicide attacks from Japanse Kamikazes trying to inflict as many American casualties as possible before Okinawa, which many saw including the Japanses Leadership as the gateway to mainland Japan. On April 16th, 1945 Cary and the 77th ID landed on the island of Le Shima and were met by heavy resistance from the Japanese but managed to capture the island’s airfield. Cary’s 3rd Battalion landed on Red Beach T-1 at 7:59 and his Company (K) was on the Battalion left. The famous war correspondent Ernie Pyle had attached himself to Cary’s Regiment the 305th, and was with the Regiment during the fierce fighting at Government House Hill and Bloody Ridge, where the experienced correspondent was killed. At 8 o'clock that night the Japanese attempted to break into the 3rd Battalion but they were repulsed and lost 152 men. Many of the Japanese blew themselves up during the attack to try and take as many Americans with them as they could and one man from 3rd Battalion had his arm broken by a flying leg of a Japanese soldier. The Day after (April 17th) Cary’s Company K Company was advancing towards a town leading the Battalion (3rd). Leading the Company was 1st Platoon which of course was under the command of Cary, so he and his soldiers were the spearhead for their unit’s advance. When they were about 100 yards from the outskirts of Le town they suddenly became under fire by an intense volume of rifle and machine gun fire forcing them to seek cover. Cary received orders to flank the enemy from the right and after telling his NCOs about the plan Cary led two squads towards the gunfire on the enemy’s right side while he had another squad stay behind to provide covering fire. During the assault a lone Japanese gunman suddenly jumped from a hiding place in an attempt to ambush Cary but Cary quickly shot him dead with his carbine and unfazed continued to lead the two squads to the objective. After he and his lead squad had reached a position about 30 yards away from the enemy position Cary halted his platoon and then gave the order for two squads to attack the Japanese position, which he led himself being in the action during the whole time and during the capture Cary killed 5 more Japanese. The ending of his Silver Star Medal Citation for that action (the 3rd highest award for bravery) reads: “Lieutenant Braddy’s outstanding leadership, courage, and aggressiveness were a source of inspiration to his men. His Conduct was in keeping with the highest traditions of the US Military”. Later that evening, still in combat with his men, Cary was severely wounded by a Japanese mortar. On April 21st, 1945 26 year old 2nd Lieutenant Cary Braddy succumbed to his wounds, the second and last Braddy son to give his life for his country. During the Battle of Le Shima the 77th ID suffered 239 killed including Cary but they killed 4,794 Japanese. On the Sunday Edition of The Atlanta Constitution March 31st, 1946 it was announced that he was posthumously awarded The Silver Star for gallantry KIA From: Bailey, GA Known Awards Below The Silver Star Medal, The Bronze Star Medal, The Purple Heart Medal, The Army Good Conduct Medal, The American Defense Service Medal, The American Campaign Medal, The Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal with bronze arrowhead device denoting participation in a amphibious landing and 3 Campaign Stars for the Western Pacific, Leyte, and Ryukus Campaigns, The World War Two Victory Medal, and The Philippine Liberation Medal with 1 bronze star denoting two awards. He also received the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation

Silver Star Citation: "For gallantry in action at le Town le Shima, RI 17 April, 1945. Lieutenant Braddy was platoon leader of the first platoon company K 305th Infantry. On 17th April his platoon was leading the company, which was preceding the battalion in the advance on le Town. After reaching a position about 100 yards from the outskirts of the town the company was subjected to an intense volume of rifle and machine gun fire and was forced to seek cover. Lieutenant Braddy received orders to flank the enemy from the right. After orienting his squad leader he led two squads around the right flank while the other squad built up a base of fire. While leading the attacking squads Lieutenant Braddy was attacked by a lone enemy rifleman. He killed the Japanese with his carbine then signaled the platoon to continue the advance. After the assaulting squad had reached a position thirty yards from the enemy Lieutenant Braddy halted his platoon. At a given signal the two squads assaulted the enemy machine gun position while the other squad ceased firing. Lieutenant Braddy killed five of the enemy during this assault. He was mortally wounded that night by an enemy mortar shell. Lieutenant Braddy's outstanding leadership, courage, and aggressiveness were a source of inspiration to his men. His conduct was in Keeping with the highest traditions of the military"

Sources