- SURNAME
Toensjost
- FORENAME
Fred Monroe, Jr.
- UNIT
504th Parachute infantry Regiment
- RANK
Private
- NUMBER
19075164
- AWARD
Silver Star
- PLACE
Germany, 4th April 1945
- ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
born 28.08.1915 St. Louis, Missouri, USA
father Fred Toensjost (1884-1963)
mother Pauline (nee Potthoff) Toensjost (1893-1925)
1 year high school
civil occupation Electrical engineer
employed by Percy Dyer, Monroe Bakery, Monroe, Snohomish County, Washington
resided Columbia Street, Monroe, Snohomish County, Washington (draft card)
16.10.1940 draft card Snohomish County, Washington (draft card shows D.O.B. 26.08.1915)
single with dependents upon enlistment
10.02.1942 entered service
09.1943 WIA Italy
04.1945 WIA Germany
29.10.1948 married Gundula Helma (nee Fricke) (1926-????)
sons Ralph Frederic Toensjost (1948-2011) & Freddy
01.10.1962 discharged as Sergeant First Class
died 26.08.1977 (Aged 61) Seattle, King County, Washington
Willamette National Cemetery, Portland, Multnomah County, Oregon, USA. Section O, Site 725
CITATION:
Silver Star : The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Private Fred Toensjost, Jr. (ASN: 19075164), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with Headquarters Company, 3d Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82d Airborne Division, in action on the night of 4 April 1945, near ****, Germany. After crossing the Rhine River, the patrol of which Private Toensjost was a member was met by close range fire from three machine guns and he was wounded. Despite this, he advanced on the enemy and silenced two of the machine guns, enabling the patrol to reorganize. Private Toensjost continued as advance scout for a distance of two thousand yards through the enemy positions. The mission completed, the patrol returned to the river through an increasingly active enemy. Private Toensjost fought a delaying action in the rear until the patrol was embarked. His gallant conduct and courageous aggressiveness throughout this action permitted the patrol to secure important information and reflect credit on the man and the Airborne Forces of the United States Army.
WEB LINKS:
• https://valor.militarytimes.com/recipient/recipient-114780/recipient-114780-3ss-1-2/recipient-91725-3ss-1/FINDAGRAVE:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/3939893/fred-toensjost
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