Wintzer, Antoine E

Antoine Eugene Wintzer was born on September 16, 1918 in West Grove, Pennsylvania to C.R. and Bessie Wintzer.  Antoine was one of seven children.

Antoine attended Central High School, where he became of the Avon Grove football team.

Antoine entered service in the National Guard September 16, 1940. He received basic training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, the advanced training at Camp Blanding, Florida, and Camp Atterbury, Indiana. He was promoted to the rank of Technical Sergeant and spent two years training new recruits.
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Antoine was sent overseas to England in January, 1944. He continued training for the upcoming “D-Day” June 6th landing in Normandy, France – the liberation of Europe. Antoine went ashore on the Normandy beaches on June 15th with the 30th Infantry (“Old Hickory”) division.

Antoine’s division spearheaded the capture of St. Lo on July 19th. On July 25th the division participated in the breakout from St Lo and the Normandy Peninsula. The 30th division was attacked by five German armored givisions, which bogged down the breakthrough.

Sergeant Antoine Wintzer was killed in action on July 26th. He died liberating the area of France where his grandfather, Antoine Wintzer was born. Sergeant Wintzer received the Expert Rifleman Medal and Good Conduct Medal, and was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously.

Credits

 
Research by Ricky Litchford and Lee Hearn of Avon Grove High School