NOTE: The cemetery office has tried to reach his family for a copy of his DD-214 so his marker could be ordered
George C. Baxley, 91, entered into peaceful eternal rest on Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2012, after a valiant battle with pneumonia. A graveside burial service with military honors will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 26, in Waco Memorial Park, Waco.
Waco Tribune-Herald: 1/25/2013
~~•●★~~~•●★~~~•●★●•~~~★●•~~~★●•~~
Fellow Hewitt resident George Chester Baxley, 91, was honored Monday by Hewitt City Council for his service in the 101st Airborne Division. George Chester Baxley, who was stationed in England during his two years in the service, completed two combat jumps during his two years in the Army. Like Essig, he also jumped in Normandy on D-Day, and also was part of Operation Market Garden in Holland.
During the D-Day invasion, Baxley remembers trying to cross a causeway at nighttime while under heavy enemy fire. By daytime, his battalion was trapped, so a colonel ordered the men to charge through with their bayonets to make it to a safe point. "He gave the word, and we made it," Baxley said, noting that it was the only bayonet attack reported in the war. "Of course, we lost some, but so did they.
"I wouldn't take away my experiences, but I would hate to go through it again. (Entering the war), I didn't know much about it, but I learned pretty quick." Baxley enlisted in the Army a month after the Pearl Harbor attack on Dec. 7, 1941. He was the third of four brothers who would serve in World War II at the same time.
His older brother, David, was killed in Italy shortly after Baxley arrived in Europe. Baxley earned two Purple Hearts, one for being injured by shrapnel in Normandy, and the second for again being struck by shrapnel in Holland. "Getting those Purple Hearts, it was pretty hard not to get them where I was," Baxley said. "It was pretty hard to keep from getting one."
Baxley returned to the Waco area after leaving the Army. He worked at the post office for a few years before becoming a salesman for Southwestern Bell, where he retired after 33 years. In 1960, Baxley becomes the first mayor of Hewitt when the city was officially incorporated. He served three terms in office.
Baxley has twice traveled to Europe, visiting England, France, Holland, and Germany. He also has a large collection of books and memorabilia from his military service, including a yearbook-style publication listing the names and photos of all McLennan County residents who were in World War II. "There were things we had to do for our country, and we did them the best we could," Baxley said.
Source: Waco Tribune Newspaper
George C. Baxley, 91, entered into peaceful eternal rest on Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2012, after a valiant battle with pneumonia. A graveside burial service with military honors will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 26, in Waco Memorial Park, Waco.
Waco Tribune-Herald: 1/25/2013
~~•●★~~~•●★~~~•●★●•~~~★●•~~~★●•~~
Fellow Hewitt resident George Chester Baxley, 91, was honored Monday by Hewitt City Council for his service in the 101st Airborne Division. George Chester Baxley, who was stationed in England during his two years in the service, completed two combat jumps during his two years in the Army. Like Essig, he also jumped in Normandy on D-Day, and also was part of Operation Market Garden in Holland.
During the D-Day invasion, Baxley remembers trying to cross a causeway at nighttime while under heavy enemy fire. By daytime, his battalion was trapped, so a colonel ordered the men to charge through with their bayonets to make it to a safe point. "He gave the word, and we made it," Baxley said, noting that it was the only bayonet attack reported in the war. "Of course, we lost some, but so did they.
"I wouldn't take away my experiences, but I would hate to go through it again. (Entering the war), I didn't know much about it, but I learned pretty quick." Baxley enlisted in the Army a month after the Pearl Harbor attack on Dec. 7, 1941. He was the third of four brothers who would serve in World War II at the same time.
His older brother, David, was killed in Italy shortly after Baxley arrived in Europe. Baxley earned two Purple Hearts, one for being injured by shrapnel in Normandy, and the second for again being struck by shrapnel in Holland. "Getting those Purple Hearts, it was pretty hard not to get them where I was," Baxley said. "It was pretty hard to keep from getting one."
Baxley returned to the Waco area after leaving the Army. He worked at the post office for a few years before becoming a salesman for Southwestern Bell, where he retired after 33 years. In 1960, Baxley becomes the first mayor of Hewitt when the city was officially incorporated. He served three terms in office.
Baxley has twice traveled to Europe, visiting England, France, Holland, and Germany. He also has a large collection of books and memorabilia from his military service, including a yearbook-style publication listing the names and photos of all McLennan County residents who were in World War II. "There were things we had to do for our country, and we did them the best we could," Baxley said.
Source: Waco Tribune Newspaper
NOTE: The cemetery office has tried to reach his family for a copy of his DD-214 so his marker could be ordered
George C. Baxley, 91, entered into peaceful eternal rest on Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2012, after a valiant battle with pneumonia. A graveside burial service with military honors will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 26, in Waco Memorial Park, Waco.
Waco Tribune-Herald: 1/25/2013
~~•●★~~~•●★~~~•●★●•~~~★●•~~~★●•~~
Fellow Hewitt resident George Chester Baxley, 91, was honored Monday by Hewitt City Council for his service in the 101st Airborne Division. George Chester Baxley, who was stationed in England during his two years in the service, completed two combat jumps during his two years in the Army. Like Essig, he also jumped in Normandy on D-Day, and also was part of Operation Market Garden in Holland.
During the D-Day invasion, Baxley remembers trying to cross a causeway at nighttime while under heavy enemy fire. By daytime, his battalion was trapped, so a colonel ordered the men to charge through with their bayonets to make it to a safe point. "He gave the word, and we made it," Baxley said, noting that it was the only bayonet attack reported in the war. "Of course, we lost some, but so did they.
"I wouldn't take away my experiences, but I would hate to go through it again. (Entering the war), I didn't know much about it, but I learned pretty quick." Baxley enlisted in the Army a month after the Pearl Harbor attack on Dec. 7, 1941. He was the third of four brothers who would serve in World War II at the same time.
His older brother, David, was killed in Italy shortly after Baxley arrived in Europe. Baxley earned two Purple Hearts, one for being injured by shrapnel in Normandy, and the second for again being struck by shrapnel in Holland. "Getting those Purple Hearts, it was pretty hard not to get them where I was," Baxley said. "It was pretty hard to keep from getting one."
Baxley returned to the Waco area after leaving the Army. He worked at the post office for a few years before becoming a salesman for Southwestern Bell, where he retired after 33 years. In 1960, Baxley becomes the first mayor of Hewitt when the city was officially incorporated. He served three terms in office.
Baxley has twice traveled to Europe, visiting England, France, Holland, and Germany. He also has a large collection of books and memorabilia from his military service, including a yearbook-style publication listing the names and photos of all McLennan County residents who were in World War II. "There were things we had to do for our country, and we did them the best we could," Baxley said.
Source: Waco Tribune Newspaper
George C. Baxley, 91, entered into peaceful eternal rest on Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2012, after a valiant battle with pneumonia. A graveside burial service with military honors will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 26, in Waco Memorial Park, Waco.
Waco Tribune-Herald: 1/25/2013
~~•●★~~~•●★~~~•●★●•~~~★●•~~~★●•~~
Fellow Hewitt resident George Chester Baxley, 91, was honored Monday by Hewitt City Council for his service in the 101st Airborne Division. George Chester Baxley, who was stationed in England during his two years in the service, completed two combat jumps during his two years in the Army. Like Essig, he also jumped in Normandy on D-Day, and also was part of Operation Market Garden in Holland.
During the D-Day invasion, Baxley remembers trying to cross a causeway at nighttime while under heavy enemy fire. By daytime, his battalion was trapped, so a colonel ordered the men to charge through with their bayonets to make it to a safe point. "He gave the word, and we made it," Baxley said, noting that it was the only bayonet attack reported in the war. "Of course, we lost some, but so did they.
"I wouldn't take away my experiences, but I would hate to go through it again. (Entering the war), I didn't know much about it, but I learned pretty quick." Baxley enlisted in the Army a month after the Pearl Harbor attack on Dec. 7, 1941. He was the third of four brothers who would serve in World War II at the same time.
His older brother, David, was killed in Italy shortly after Baxley arrived in Europe. Baxley earned two Purple Hearts, one for being injured by shrapnel in Normandy, and the second for again being struck by shrapnel in Holland. "Getting those Purple Hearts, it was pretty hard not to get them where I was," Baxley said. "It was pretty hard to keep from getting one."
Baxley returned to the Waco area after leaving the Army. He worked at the post office for a few years before becoming a salesman for Southwestern Bell, where he retired after 33 years. In 1960, Baxley becomes the first mayor of Hewitt when the city was officially incorporated. He served three terms in office.
Baxley has twice traveled to Europe, visiting England, France, Holland, and Germany. He also has a large collection of books and memorabilia from his military service, including a yearbook-style publication listing the names and photos of all McLennan County residents who were in World War II. "There were things we had to do for our country, and we did them the best we could," Baxley said.
Source: Waco Tribune Newspaper
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