US PARAS Zwingman, Otto Karl

John Robertson

Administrator
Staff member
  • SURNAME
Zwingman
  • FORENAME
Otto Karl
  • UNIT
508 Parachute Infantry Regiment (Company D)
  • RANK
Private First Class
  • NUMBER
32815665
  • DATE OF DEATH
23rd December 1944
  • AGE
29
  • GRAVESITE
Ardennes American Cemetery, Neupre, Belgium Plot B Row 44 Grave 52
  • ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
from Bronx, New York
born 21.07.1915 Hamburg, Germany
entered service 25.2.1943 New York, New York
awards D.S.C., Bronze Star
KIA Belgium
Pvt Lockwood, Cpl Roberts and Pfc Zwingman were all logged as missing in action and were subsequently determined to be POWs.
Roberts was returned to U.S. Control on 28 March 1946 and Lockwood was handed over on 6 June 1945. The names of their POW camps are unknown.
Zwingman, however, died in captivity according to National Archive records, in Stalag 12A to 9B Limburg An Der Lahn Hessen-Nassau, Prussia 50-08.
In fact, various records document what may have been hundreds of American POW deaths attributed to a raid of 52 British Lancaster bombers on the Diez railroad marshalling yards. A POW train standing in the yard was apparently hit as were some buildings in the nearby XIIA Limburg POW camp. Pfc Zwingman was apparently one of the casualties.
In a cruel twist of fate, Otto died in his native Germany, just 300 miles from where he had been born.
 

DATE OF DEATH:

23-Dec-1944

AWARD:

https://www.specialforcesroh.com/index.php?threads/zwingman-otto-k.38974/

CITATION:

Distinguished Service Cross : The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Private Otto K. Zwingman (ASN: 32815665), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving with Company D, 2d Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82d Airborne Division, in action against enemy forces on 6 June 1944, in France. After landing by parachute before dawn on D-Day and joining a composite group which proceeded to carry out a battalion mission, Private Zwingman and two comrades served as an outpost in a building on the edge of Guetteville. When a battalion of German infantry, reinforced by tanks, approached from the west and placed machine guns and mortars in position, those three valiant men immediately opened fire on the enemy. Ordered to leave the post, they determined to hold out until the 30 men in the town had withdrawn. Private Zwingman assisted in holding the hostile force at bay for two hours, killing 15 Germans and wounding many others. His voluntary and courageous action delayed the enemy sufficiently to permit the main body of parachute troops to establish defensive positions to the east from which they were able to deny overwhelming German forces the opportunity of crossing the Merderet River. Private Zwingman is missing as a result of this action. His superb heroism and unselfish devotion to duty exemplifies the highest traditions of the military forces of the United States and reflect great credit upon himself, the 82d Airborne Division, and the United States Army.

WEB LINKS:

https://valor.militarytimes.com/hero/22828

FINDAGRAVE:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56361792/otto-karl-zwingman
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