GARRABRANDT, JOHN RICHARD “DICK” – CAPTAIN, USA

GARRABRANDT, JOHN RICHARD “DICK” – CAPTAIN, USA

GARRABRANDT, JOHN RICHARD “DICK” – CAPTAIN, USA

Class of 1936
Service: U.S. Army
Service Dates: 1941-44
Rank: CAPTAIN
MOS: INFANTRY
Notable: Distinguished Service Cross, KIA
Capt. Dick Garrabrant, 8th Infantry Regiment, 4th Division, KIA in Normandy, June 1944. On Dec. 15, 1944, at Wilmington's First Presbyterian Church, the Fort Bragg commanding general presented the Distinguished Service Cross to Emily Garrabrant, widow of Wilmingtonian Capt. John Richard "Dick" Garrabrant. The Distinguished Service Cross is the Army's highest award for valor. Citing "extraordinary heroism in action against the enemy on 10 June 1944, in France," the general talked of how the commanding officer of Company C, 8th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division "volunteered to lead a patrol to seek out and destroy a hidden enemy strong point which was holding up the advance and inflicting heavy casualties upon the men." Exposing himself to fire, Capt. Garrabrant successfully assaulted the position while losing his life – four days after landing on Normandy's Utah Beach on D-Day. It took a long time for the family to learn of his death. By mid-July, brother Bill Garrabrant remembered, "We hadn't heard, but lots of other families had heard from their men by mail. Dick never wrote in those four days. He never wrote from France. You realize others are receiving mail and you're not, and you haven't heard from the War Department either. It was excruciating because it was such a protracted time." The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to John R. Garrabrant (0-351519), Captain (Infantry), U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving with the 8th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division, in action against enemy forces on 10 June 1944. Captain Garrabrant's outstanding leadership, personal bravery and zealous devotion to duty at the cost of his life, exemplify the highest traditions of the military forces of the United States and reflect great credit upon himself, the 4th Infantry Division, and the United States Army. Headquarters, First U.S. Army, General Orders No. 32 (1944) Home Town: New Hanover County, North Carolina
Accolades: Distinguished Service Cross

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