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| birth_date = {{birth date|1918|09|27|mf=yes}}
  
| birth_date = {{birth date|1918|09|27|mf=yes}}
 
| death_date = {{death date and age|1995|01|21|1918|09|27|mf=yes}}
  
| death_date = {{death date and age|1995|01|21|1918|09|27|mf=yes}}
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| birth_place = [[Luzerne County, Pennsylvania]]
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| birth_place = Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
 
| death_place = Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
  
| death_place = Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
 
| placeofburial=
  
| placeofburial=
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| laterwork = Tax Collector, Director of Pupils, and teacher in the Wilkes-Barre high school district
  
| laterwork = Tax Collector, Director of Pupils, and teacher in the Wilkes-Barre high school district
 
}}
  
}}
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First Lieutenant '''Harry F. Welsh''' (September 27, 1918 – January 21, 1995)<ref>[http://ssdi.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/ssdi.cgi?ssn=192-12-1247 Social Security Death Index record]</ref> was a [[commissioned officer]] with [[E Company, 506th Infantry Regiment (United States)|Easy Company]], 2nd [[Battalion]], [[506th Infantry Regiment|506th Parachute Infantry Regiment]], in the [[101st Airborne Division]] during [[World War II]]. Welsh was portrayed in the [[HBO]] miniseries ''[[Band of Brothers (TV miniseries)|Band of Brothers]]'' by [[Rick Warden]].
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First Lieutenant '''Harry F. Welsh''' (September 27, 1918 – January 21, 1995)<ref>[http://ssdi.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/ssdi.cgi?ssn=192-12-1247 Social Security Death Index record]</ref> was a [[commissioned officer]] with [[E Company, 506th Infantry Regiment (United States)|Easy Company]], 2nd [[Battalion]], [[506th Infantry Regiment|506th Parachute Infantry Regiment]], in the [[101st Airborne Division]] during [[World War II]]. Welsh was portrayed in the HBO miniseries ''Band of Brothers'' by [[Rick Warden]].
   
 
==Youth==
  
==Youth==
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After graduating OCS, Welsh was transferred to the [[101st Airborne]], and was assigned to [[Easy Company]], [[506th Parachute Infantry Regiment]], and quickly became friends with 1st Lieutenant [[Richard Winters]].
  
After graduating OCS, Welsh was transferred to the [[101st Airborne]], and was assigned to [[Easy Company]], [[506th Parachute Infantry Regiment]], and quickly became friends with 1st Lieutenant [[Richard Winters]].
   
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Welsh jumped into [[Normandy]] on [[D-Day]] and didn't find Easy until the next morning, shortly before Easy was given the task of taking [[Carentan]]. When he joined the rest of his company, he was placed in charge of 1st [[platoon]] after Richard Winters took charge of the company.
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Welsh jumped into [[Normandy]] on [[D-Day]] and didn't find Easy until the next morning, shortly before Easy was given the task of taking Carentan. When he joined the rest of his company, he was placed in charge of 1st [[platoon]] after Richard Winters took charge of the company.
  ⚫
On June 12, 1944, he led his [[platoon]] on a direct assault into Carentan.<ref name="Winters 103-108">Winters, pp.103-108.</ref> He was pinned down until the rest of Easy Company moved into the town,<ref name="Winters 103-108"/> and after taking the town, the Company moved against a German counterattack south of [[Omaha Beach]].<ref name="Winters 103-108"/> His platoon held the line with Easy Company,<ref name="Winters 103-108"/> and during the [[Battle of Bloody Gulch]], Welsh ran into the open field with an [[enlisted]] gunner, [[John McGrath (soldier)|John McGrath]], and knocked out a [[Sturmgeschütz III]], a German armored vehicle, with a [[bazooka]].<ref name="Winters 103-108"/> Elements of the [[U.S. 2nd Armored Division|2nd Armored Division]] arrived in force and drove off the remaining Germans.<ref name="Winters 103-108"/>
   
  ⚫
After holding the line for another month, Welsh and the rest of Easy Company were relieved and shipped to England for refitting and replacements. He became [[Executive Officer]] of Easy Company.<ref>Winters, p. 117.</ref>
⚫
On June 12 1944, he led his [[platoon]] on a direct assault into [[Carentan]].<ref name="Winters 103-108">Winters, pp.103-108.</ref> He was pinned down until the rest of Easy Company moved into the town,<ref name="Winters 103-108"/> and after taking the town, the Company moved against a [[Germany|German]] counterattack south of [[Omaha Beach]].<ref name="Winters 103-108"/> His platoon held the line with Easy Company,<ref name="Winters 103-108"/> and during the [[Battle of Bloody Gulch]], Welsh ran into the open field with an [[enlisted]] gunner, [[John McGrath (soldier)|John McGrath]], and knocked out a [[Sturmgeschütz III]], a German armored vehicle, with a [[bazooka]].<ref name="Winters 103-108"/> Elements of the [[U.S. 2nd Armored Division|2nd Armored Division]] arrived in force and drove off the remaining Germans.<ref name="Winters 103-108"/>
  
   
  ⚫
On September 1944, Welsh dropped into the Netherlands for [[Operation Market Garden]] and remained there for the duration of the operation. After the failure of the operation, Welsh and the rest of Easy Company returned to [[Mourmelon-le-Grand]], France to await the next assignment.
⚫
After holding the line for another month, Welsh and the rest of Easy Company were relieved and shipped to [[England]] for refitting and replacements. He became [[Executive Officer]] of Easy Company.<ref>Winters, p. 117.</ref>
  
   
  ⚫
On December 16, 1944, German [[armoured warfare|armored]] divisions broke through American lines in the [[Ardennes Forest]]. By this point, Welsh had been re-assigned to Headquarters Company of 2nd Battalion,<ref>[http://www.101airborneww2.com/bandofbrothers5.html Band of Brothers]</ref> and his Division was assigned to defend the town of Bastogne. During battle on Christmas Day, Welsh was severely wounded.<ref>Winters, p.178.</ref><ref>Ambrose, p.240.</ref> Welsh was awarded two [[Bronze Stars]] for valor during his combat action, and two purple hearts for being wounded.<ref name="Winters p.276">Winters, p.276.</ref>
⚫
On September 1944, Welsh dropped into the [[Netherlands]] for [[Operation Market Garden]] and remained there for the duration of the operation. After the failure of the operation, Welsh and the rest of Easy Company returned to [[Mourmelon-le-Grand]], [[France]] to await the next assignment.
  
−  
⚫
On December 16, 1944, German [[armoured warfare|armored]] divisions broke through American lines in the [[Ardennes Forest]]. By this point, Welsh had been re-assigned to Headquarters Company of 2nd Battalion,<ref>[http://www.101airborneww2.com/bandofbrothers5.html Band of Brothers]</ref> and his Division was assigned to defend the town of [[Bastogne]]. During battle on Christmas Day, Welsh was severely wounded.<ref>Winters, p.178.</ref><ref>Ambrose, p.240.</ref> Welsh was awarded two [[Bronze Stars]] for valor during his combat action, and two purple hearts for being wounded.<ref name="Winters p.276">Winters, p.276.</ref>
  
   
 
==Medals and decorations==
  
==Medals and decorations==
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==Later years==
  
==Later years==
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Welsh returned home and married his awaiting lover Catherine "Kitty" Grogan.<ref name="Ambrose 305">Ambrose, p.305.</ref> For her wedding dress, she used silk from Welsh's reserve parachute.<ref name="Ambrose 305"/> They had one son, Kevin, who predeceased Welsh. Welsh spent time after the war at different jobs including a teacher at [[Wilkes-Barre]] area schools, a tax collector for [[Luzerne County, Pennsylvania|Luzerne County]], and finally became a director of pupils for the [[Wilkes-Barre]] area. He retired in 1983. Welsh died of heart failure on January 21, 1995, on his good friend [[Richard Winters]]' 77th birthday.<ref name="Winters p.276"/> His wife Catherine died three years later in 1998.<ref>Winters, p.277.</ref> He is buried in the Wilkes-Barre City Cemetery.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=19082214|title=Lieut Harry "Welshy" Welsh|work=findagrave.com|accessdate=December 8, 2011}}</ref>
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Welsh returned home and married his awaiting lover Catherine "Kitty" Grogan.<ref name="Ambrose 305">Ambrose, p.305.</ref> For her wedding dress, she used silk from Welsh's reserve parachute.<ref name="Ambrose 305"/> They had one son, Kevin, who predeceased Welsh. Welsh spent time after the war at different jobs including a teacher at [[Wilkes-Barre]] area schools, a tax collector for Luzerne County, and finally became a director of pupils for the [[Wilkes-Barre]] area. He retired in 1983. Welsh died of heart failure on January 21, 1995, on his good friend [[Richard Winters]]' 77th birthday.<ref name="Winters p.276"/> His wife Catherine died three years later in 1998.<ref>Winters, p.277.</ref> He is buried in the Wilkes-Barre City Cemetery.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=19082214|title=Lieut Harry "Welshy" Welsh|work=findagrave.com|accessdate=December 8, 2011}}</ref>
   
 
==References==
  
==References==
 
{{reflist|2}}
  
{{reflist|2}}
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==Bibliography==
  
==Bibliography==
 
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*{{cite book
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*[http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSmcid=46904304&GRid=19082214& Find A Grave]
  
*[http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSmcid=46904304&GRid=19082214& Find A Grave]
   
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{{Wikipedia|Harry Welsh}}
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{{Band of Brothers (miniseries)}}
  
   
 
{{DEFAULTSORT:Welsh, Harry}}
  
{{DEFAULTSORT:Welsh, Harry}}
 
[[Category:1918 births]]
  
[[Category:1918 births]]
 
[[Category:1995 deaths]]
  
[[Category:1995 deaths]]
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[[Category:American military personnel of World War II]]
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[[Category:United States Army personnel of World War II]]
 
[[Category:Band of Brothers characters]]
  
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[[Category:Deaths from heart failure]]
  
[[Category:Deaths from heart failure]]

Latest revision as of 03:04, 10 January 2021

Harry Welsh
Harry-Welsh-Kaprun-45
Nickname Welshy
Born (1918-09-27)September 27, 1918
Died January 21, 1995(1995-01-21) (aged 76)
Place of birth Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
Place of death Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
Years of service 1942-1945
Rank US-O2 insignia First Lieutenant
Unit E Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division
Awards
Relations -Catherine (wife)
-Kevin (son, predeceased)
Other work Tax Collector, Director of Pupils, and teacher in the Wilkes-Barre high school district

First Lieutenant Harry F. Welsh (September 27, 1918 – January 21, 1995)[1] was a commissioned officer with Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, in the 101st Airborne Division during World War II. Welsh was portrayed in the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers by Rick Warden.

Youth

Welsh came from Luzerne County, Pennsylvania and enlisted in the paratroopers in 1942. He was assigned to Fort Benning with the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment as part of the 82nd Airborne Division. While an enlisted man, Welsh was reportedly made a Sergeant and then "busted" (demoted) to private six times for fighting. Three of his commanding officers saw his potential and recommended him for Officer Candidate School.

Military service

After graduating OCS, Welsh was transferred to the 101st Airborne, and was assigned to Easy Company, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, and quickly became friends with 1st Lieutenant Richard Winters.

Welsh jumped into Normandy on D-Day and didn't find Easy until the next morning, shortly before Easy was given the task of taking Carentan. When he joined the rest of his company, he was placed in charge of 1st platoon after Richard Winters took charge of the company. On June 12, 1944, he led his platoon on a direct assault into Carentan.[2] He was pinned down until the rest of Easy Company moved into the town,[2] and after taking the town, the Company moved against a German counterattack south of Omaha Beach.[2] His platoon held the line with Easy Company,[2] and during the Battle of Bloody Gulch, Welsh ran into the open field with an enlisted gunner, John McGrath, and knocked out a Sturmgeschütz III, a German armored vehicle, with a bazooka.[2] Elements of the 2nd Armored Division arrived in force and drove off the remaining Germans.[2]

After holding the line for another month, Welsh and the rest of Easy Company were relieved and shipped to England for refitting and replacements. He became Executive Officer of Easy Company.[3]

On September 1944, Welsh dropped into the Netherlands for Operation Market Garden and remained there for the duration of the operation. After the failure of the operation, Welsh and the rest of Easy Company returned to Mourmelon-le-Grand, France to await the next assignment.

On December 16, 1944, German armored divisions broke through American lines in the Ardennes Forest. By this point, Welsh had been re-assigned to Headquarters Company of 2nd Battalion,[4] and his Division was assigned to defend the town of Bastogne. During battle on Christmas Day, Welsh was severely wounded.[5][6] Welsh was awarded two Bronze Stars for valor during his combat action, and two purple hearts for being wounded.[7]

Medals and decorations

Combat Infantry Badge Combat Infantryman Badge
Cp2j Parachutist Badge with two combat stars
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze Star ribbon
 Bronze Star with one Oak Leaf Cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Purple Heart BAR
 Purple Heart with one Oak Leaf Cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Presidential Unit Citation ribbon
 Presidential Unit Citation with one Oak Leaf Cluster
American Defense Service ribbon American Defense Service Medal
Arrowhead
Bronze star
Bronze star
Bronze star
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign ribbon
 European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with three service stars and arrow device
World War II Victory Medal ribbon World War II Victory Medal
Army of Occupation ribbon Army of Occupation Medal

Later years

Welsh returned home and married his awaiting lover Catherine "Kitty" Grogan.[8] For her wedding dress, she used silk from Welsh's reserve parachute.[8] They had one son, Kevin, who predeceased Welsh. Welsh spent time after the war at different jobs including a teacher at Wilkes-Barre area schools, a tax collector for Luzerne County, and finally became a director of pupils for the Wilkes-Barre area. He retired in 1983. Welsh died of heart failure on January 21, 1995, on his good friend Richard Winters' 77th birthday.[7] His wife Catherine died three years later in 1998.[9] He is buried in the Wilkes-Barre City Cemetery.[10]

References

  1. ↑ Social Security Death Index record
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Winters, pp.103-108.
  3. ↑ Winters, p. 117.
  4. ↑ Band of Brothers
  5. ↑ Winters, p.178.
  6. ↑ Ambrose, p.240.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Winters, p.276.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Ambrose, p.305.
  9. ↑ Winters, p.277.
  10. ↑ "Lieut Harry "Welshy" Welsh". findagrave.com. http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=19082214. Retrieved December 8, 2011. 

Bibliography

  • Winters, Major Dick, with Cole C. Kingseed (2006). Beyond Band of Brothers: The War Memoirs of Major Dick Winters. Berkley Hardcover. ISBN 978-0-425-20813-7. 
  • Ambrose, Stephen E. (1992). Band of Brothers: Easy Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne from Normandy to Hitler's Eagle's Nest. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 978-0-7434-6411-6. 

External links

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