Arthur Broedel

ASN:32493210

Arthur L. Broedel registered for the draft on June 30,1942.  Born January 21, 1922 he was from Utica, New York. His place of employment was Savage Arms, Utica, New York.  This twenty-year-old was 5-11, 170 pounds with a light complexion, hazel colored eyes and brown hair.

Enlisted in the Army on September 21, 1942, Arthur Broedel received his training at Fort Bragg, North Carolina and later assigned to A-Battery, 319th Field Artillery Group, 82nd Airborne Division. Along with fellow Glidermen, Private Broedel traveled to northern Africa in May 1943. He fought in six (6) battles and campaigns; Sicily, Naples-Foggia, Normandy, Holland, Ardennes, and Central Europe. 

Company Morning Reports (CMR) were produced every morning by the individual Army units to record personnel matters.  The following events were reported:  March 1, 1944 Private Broedel was demoted from Private First Class to Private effective February 29, 1944. On July 23, 1944, reported on furlough to Manchester, England. Arthur Broedel returned to duty 5 days later on the 29th of July. 

Company Morning Reports

The CMR of September 30, 1944 reported Private Broedel as slightly wounded in action with a facial wound.

The December 5th CMR records Broedel assigned to sick quarters until several weeks later, December 17th, he returned to duty from sick quarters at 0930 that day. 

In reviewing the available Morning Reports it appears Private Broedel was always an A-Battery soldier until the end of his service.

In June, 1945 the 319th was stationed in Epinal, France. The battalion provided photo opportunities for enlisted men and officers. (see Private Broedel below)

Private Broedel pictured below with fellow soldier Bob Storms (standing right) and posing for a photo wearing captured German headgear.

Private Broedel (kneeling right), Bob Storms (kneeling center) wearing a Police shako (hat) and unidentified soldier. Courtesy of the Covais collection

He also appeared in the A-Battery group photo taken June 20, 1945 in Epinal, France.

The Adjusted Service Rating Score (ASR) was a system the U.S. Army used at the end of the war to determine when soldiers were eligible for discharge. Private Broedel was one of many “High Point” soldiers with a score over 85 points and discharged from the military on September 19, 1945.

For his service he was awarded 6 Bronze Battle Stars, Bronze Arrowhead, Good Conduct Medal, the Belgian Fourragere, Presidential Unit Citation Badge with Oak Leaf Cluster, World War II Victory Medal, Purple Heart, Glider Badge, and the European-African-Middle Eastern Theatre Ribbon.

Arthur L. Broedel, 52, died February 6th, 1974. God Bless this hero.

STL Archive Records