Burrell and Gene
At
One of our baseball games

High School Staff
Burrell went into the Army in 1942
at the age of 28.  He attended 
Infantry O.C.S. in Georgia and was 
commissioned a second lieutenant.
 He shipped to the E.T.O. where he was assigned to the 30th Infantry Division (a Tennessee outfit).  His assignment as a company communications officer earned him two Bronze Stars for extraordinary performance of duty under fire.  With two enlisted men he strung telephone wire between his company's C.P. and the C.P.s of adjoining companies during combat.

     The 30th Division freed the Dutch city of Maastricht from the Germans.  Later in the war, Burrell's assignment was to set up a displaced persons camp near there for Dutch civilians.  He won a commendation for this work.
     During the "Battle of the Bulge" in December 1944, the 30th Division was thrown into the Ardennes Forest to help stem the German counteroffensive.  This was during the worst winter that Europe had experienced in this century.
 
 
 

As reported by long time friend Gene Herbener who obtained this information form Burrell's widow on May 31, 2003.

See Story below

From the: Allegan County News ....November 12, 2003

FENNVILLE-A book has been donated to the Fennville Area Library as a tribute to a former Fennville High School teacher. Gene Herbener has presented a book of World War II memoirs to the library in memory of Burrell H. DeYoung, who taught in Fennville in the late 1940s and early 50s. The book, "Through the Valley and Back: Memoirs of an Infantryman," was written by Frank M. Buckingham, who served with DeYoung in that war.

According to Todd Reed, Fennville Area Library director, the typewritten pages in the book have been professionally bound with a hard cover by Sue Toth*.  Reed said the library has not decided whether the book will be loaned out or kept for reference purposes.

On the dedication plate, Herbener has written, "This gift is dedicated by Gene Herbener to the memory of the late Burrell H. DeYoung (MAJ. MNG. RET), a friend and fellow teacher 1948-1953, and who taught Professor Herbener more about the art of teaching than did all those Teacher Education Courses in teacher's college."

Also on the dedication page is a well-worn WW II photo of Maj. Gen. Leland S. Hobbs pinning the Bronze Star on the chest of 1st Lt. DeYoung, Route1, Hamilton, Mich., in Magdenburg, Germany in 1944..SEE photo above.

DeYoung served with Buckingham in the 30th Infantry Division (Old Hickory), Ninth U.S. Army, through the Battle of the Bulge in 1944. Lt. DeYoung earned two Bronze Stars for his combat role in the war to liberate "Festung Europa." Later he received a commendation for his role as officer-in-charge of repatriation of Dutch displaced persons in the Maastricht area.

Herbener said that DeYoung never once mentioned his wartime exploits to him in the years they taught together. He learned of them from DeYoung's widow Mintie. She was the one who suggested that the book should be in the Fennville Library. DeYoung's stepdaughter, the former Sharren K. McCallister, and a 1960 Fennville High School graduate, agreed. She is now a school administrator in Lansing.

Herbener said it is ironic that the library in Fennville stands now on the location where he and DeYoung taught. DeYoung went on to teach at West Ottawa High School.

After the war, DeYoung and Buckingham were faithful participants in the reunion activities of the 30th Division until they died.

* Sue Toth, "owner of Books Bound to be Used, Edwardsburg. (616)641-7545 :: fx(616)641-7545 :: BksBd2BUsd@aol.com" -


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