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Scott, Edward A. (607th)

Eddie A Scott 3Edward A. Scott

Biography: Edward Arnold Scott, ‘Eddie’, was born in 1917 in Louisiana, the son of Neal Scott and Clara Sullivan. He had one brother and three sisters. Eddie’s mother, Clara, was an orphan and was raised by John Sullivan and Alma McGriore.

Neal passed away in 1926, and Clara remarried William L. Sherwood. As a result of this marriage, Eddie also had two step-brothers and two step-sisters. His enlistment record indicates he worked at farming.

Service Time: Eddie entered the Army on April 7, 1941, at the Jacksonville Army Airfield, Jacksonville, Florida. He was evantually assigned to the 608th Tank Destroyer Battalion. The unit was formed at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, and trained there until moving to Camp Atterbury, Indiana, on June 9, 1943. Training continued but on December 20, 1943, the unit was de-activated and all of the personnel were transferred to different tank destroyer units. On December 28, two hundred and thirty three 608th men arrived at the 607th Tank Destroyer Battalion, stationed at Camp Cooke, California.  Corporal Scott was assigned to the 3rd Platoon of Company B.  The unit also trained at Camp San Luis Obispo, and the Desert Training Center in California, along with Camp Hood in Texas.

Eddie A Scott 4

They shipped out from the U.S., arriving at Liverpool, England, on April 21, 1944. Disembarking at Utah Beach, Normandy, France, June 17-23, with towed 3” anti-tank guns, they were soon supporting the advance on Cherbourg and fought along the Seves River in July. They participated in the drive to Le Mans and the envelopment of the Falaise Pocket in August.

Advancing to the Moselle River in September, they supported operations against Metz through November, converting to a self-propelled battalion equipped with M36 tank destroyers in time for the final assault. They joined the drive toward the Saar River, the capture of Saarlautern, and subsequent fight against the Siegfried Line in December. Eddie was promoted to Sergeant on December 26th. On January 18, 1945, in the vicinity of Tettingen, Germany, Eddie was lightly wounded. At the time, Company B was attached to the 94th Infantry Division. Deployed to the Ardennes sector in January, 1945, they were committed against the Siegfried Line again in February in the Schnee Eifel.

On March 4, 1945, Eddie was commanding a tank destroyer assisting the infantry of the 346th Infantry Regiment, 87th Infantry Division, who were assaulting the village of Kerschenbach, Germany. The TD was hit by enemy artillery fire and burned. Eddie and one of his crew members, Corporal Edward L. Bane, were both killed during this action. He was credited with four of the unit’s campaigns; Normandy, Northern France, Ardennes-Alsace and Rhineland. He earned the American Defense, Good Conduct, EAME and American Theater medals and the Purple Heart medal with Oak Leaf Cluster.

Eddie A Scott 2Eddie is buried in the Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery and Memorial, Hombourg, Belgium, Block H, Row 2, Grave 8. We would like to thank Eddie’s niece, Kelle, for providing some of the information used in this tribute. Also thank you to Des Philippet for use of the grave marker photo.

Corporal Bane is buried in the same cemetery, Block H, Row 1, Grave 25. Thank you to both men for making the ultimate sacrifice for their country.