Paul Folk graduated from Hicksville High School, Hicksville, OH in 1939 and joined the National Guard shortly after. He was assigned to Company A, 148th Infantry Regiment, 37th Infantry Division. He was with the 37th when it was federalized in September of 1940 and traveled with the unit to Camp Shelby, Mississippi for training. He made Corporal in August of 1941 and was promoted to Sergeant in January 1942.
As the 37th was nearing the end of training and preparing for deployment overseas, he was accepted for Officer Candidate School. He attended classes at Fort Benning, GA and upon completion of the course, was made a Second Lieutenant. He was placed in the finance branch and remained at Fort Benning to serve.
For some unknown reason, he signed his commission and returned to Hicksville. In January 1944, he reenlisted in the Army and trained as a paratrooper at Camp Blanding, FL and Fort Meade, MD. In August of that year, Folk was sent to Europe as a replacement paratrooper and was then assigned to the 11st Airborne Division as a Private First Class.
By late November 1944, Folk was again moved, this time to Company E, 39th Infantry Regiment, 9th Infantry Division. On December 4th, the 9th received orders to leave for Eschweiler to relieve the 1st Division along the edge of the Huertgen Forest. The Division moved out on December 5th with the command post situated at Bergrath, Germany. By the evening of December 7th, the unit was in place west of the Knozendorf-Ehta-Schlikch-Merode area.
On December 10th, 1944, the 39th Regiment was to attack east from the vicinity of Jungersdorf along a rail line which paralleled a highway. Their objective was to capture the town of D'Horn and the Regiment began to move forward at 3:15PM. Fighting was fierce, and while the town was secured by nightfall, Folk was seriously wounded during the advance.
He was evacuated to a field hospital and later transported to the 40th General Hospital. His right foot was amputated to stem the spread of gangrene, but on December 22, 1944, Fold died of his wounds. Official cause of death was listed as gas gangrene, and he was buried in an Allied cemetery in Solers, France. In September of 1948, Folk was reinterred at Epinal American Cemetery, at Epinal, France. (Kent Miller, The Hicksville News-Tribune)
As the 37th was nearing the end of training and preparing for deployment overseas, he was accepted for Officer Candidate School. He attended classes at Fort Benning, GA and upon completion of the course, was made a Second Lieutenant. He was placed in the finance branch and remained at Fort Benning to serve.
For some unknown reason, he signed his commission and returned to Hicksville. In January 1944, he reenlisted in the Army and trained as a paratrooper at Camp Blanding, FL and Fort Meade, MD. In August of that year, Folk was sent to Europe as a replacement paratrooper and was then assigned to the 11st Airborne Division as a Private First Class.
By late November 1944, Folk was again moved, this time to Company E, 39th Infantry Regiment, 9th Infantry Division. On December 4th, the 9th received orders to leave for Eschweiler to relieve the 1st Division along the edge of the Huertgen Forest. The Division moved out on December 5th with the command post situated at Bergrath, Germany. By the evening of December 7th, the unit was in place west of the Knozendorf-Ehta-Schlikch-Merode area.
On December 10th, 1944, the 39th Regiment was to attack east from the vicinity of Jungersdorf along a rail line which paralleled a highway. Their objective was to capture the town of D'Horn and the Regiment began to move forward at 3:15PM. Fighting was fierce, and while the town was secured by nightfall, Folk was seriously wounded during the advance.
He was evacuated to a field hospital and later transported to the 40th General Hospital. His right foot was amputated to stem the spread of gangrene, but on December 22, 1944, Fold died of his wounds. Official cause of death was listed as gas gangrene, and he was buried in an Allied cemetery in Solers, France. In September of 1948, Folk was reinterred at Epinal American Cemetery, at Epinal, France. (Kent Miller, The Hicksville News-Tribune)
Paul Folk graduated from Hicksville High School, Hicksville, OH in 1939 and joined the National Guard shortly after. He was assigned to Company A, 148th Infantry Regiment, 37th Infantry Division. He was with the 37th when it was federalized in September of 1940 and traveled with the unit to Camp Shelby, Mississippi for training. He made Corporal in August of 1941 and was promoted to Sergeant in January 1942.
As the 37th was nearing the end of training and preparing for deployment overseas, he was accepted for Officer Candidate School. He attended classes at Fort Benning, GA and upon completion of the course, was made a Second Lieutenant. He was placed in the finance branch and remained at Fort Benning to serve.
For some unknown reason, he signed his commission and returned to Hicksville. In January 1944, he reenlisted in the Army and trained as a paratrooper at Camp Blanding, FL and Fort Meade, MD. In August of that year, Folk was sent to Europe as a replacement paratrooper and was then assigned to the 11st Airborne Division as a Private First Class.
By late November 1944, Folk was again moved, this time to Company E, 39th Infantry Regiment, 9th Infantry Division. On December 4th, the 9th received orders to leave for Eschweiler to relieve the 1st Division along the edge of the Huertgen Forest. The Division moved out on December 5th with the command post situated at Bergrath, Germany. By the evening of December 7th, the unit was in place west of the Knozendorf-Ehta-Schlikch-Merode area.
On December 10th, 1944, the 39th Regiment was to attack east from the vicinity of Jungersdorf along a rail line which paralleled a highway. Their objective was to capture the town of D'Horn and the Regiment began to move forward at 3:15PM. Fighting was fierce, and while the town was secured by nightfall, Folk was seriously wounded during the advance.
He was evacuated to a field hospital and later transported to the 40th General Hospital. His right foot was amputated to stem the spread of gangrene, but on December 22, 1944, Fold died of his wounds. Official cause of death was listed as gas gangrene, and he was buried in an Allied cemetery in Solers, France. In September of 1948, Folk was reinterred at Epinal American Cemetery, at Epinal, France. (Kent Miller, The Hicksville News-Tribune)
As the 37th was nearing the end of training and preparing for deployment overseas, he was accepted for Officer Candidate School. He attended classes at Fort Benning, GA and upon completion of the course, was made a Second Lieutenant. He was placed in the finance branch and remained at Fort Benning to serve.
For some unknown reason, he signed his commission and returned to Hicksville. In January 1944, he reenlisted in the Army and trained as a paratrooper at Camp Blanding, FL and Fort Meade, MD. In August of that year, Folk was sent to Europe as a replacement paratrooper and was then assigned to the 11st Airborne Division as a Private First Class.
By late November 1944, Folk was again moved, this time to Company E, 39th Infantry Regiment, 9th Infantry Division. On December 4th, the 9th received orders to leave for Eschweiler to relieve the 1st Division along the edge of the Huertgen Forest. The Division moved out on December 5th with the command post situated at Bergrath, Germany. By the evening of December 7th, the unit was in place west of the Knozendorf-Ehta-Schlikch-Merode area.
On December 10th, 1944, the 39th Regiment was to attack east from the vicinity of Jungersdorf along a rail line which paralleled a highway. Their objective was to capture the town of D'Horn and the Regiment began to move forward at 3:15PM. Fighting was fierce, and while the town was secured by nightfall, Folk was seriously wounded during the advance.
He was evacuated to a field hospital and later transported to the 40th General Hospital. His right foot was amputated to stem the spread of gangrene, but on December 22, 1944, Fold died of his wounds. Official cause of death was listed as gas gangrene, and he was buried in an Allied cemetery in Solers, France. In September of 1948, Folk was reinterred at Epinal American Cemetery, at Epinal, France. (Kent Miller, The Hicksville News-Tribune)
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Entered the Service from Indiana.
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