NAME: Theodore R. Houghton
ASN: 33513160
PLACE OF BIRTH: Lancaster, PA
DATE OF BIRTH: 04 Mar 1924
DATES OF SERVICE: 17 Jul 1943 - 19 Dec 1945
UNITS ASSIGNED:
C CO 509th PIB
HHC 509th PIB Pathfinders
508th Parachute Infantry Regiment
CAMPAIGNS: Rome-Arno, Southern France, Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, Central Europe
AWARDS: Combat Infantryman Badge, Parachutist Badge with Combat Jump Star, Pathfinder Badge, Bronze Star Medal-CIB 1947, Purple Heart Medal with one oak leaf cluster, Good Conduct Medal, EAME Campaign Medal with arrowhead device and five bronze campaign star devices, WWII Victory Medal, Distinguished Unit Badge with two oak leaf clusters, Sharpshooter Badge - M1 Rifle, Expert Badge - M1 Carbine, Belgian Forraguerre, French Legion of Honor, Three Overseas Service Bars (1yr, 9mo, 2days)
SUMMARY OF SERVICE:
17 Jul 1943 - Enlisted at Harrisburg, PA - NARA Enlistment Record
| ARMY SERIAL NUMBER | 33513160 | 33513160 |
| NAME | HOUGHTON#THEODORE#R##### | HOUGHTON#THEODORE#R##### |
| RESIDENCE: STATE | #2 | Undefined Code |
| RESIDENCE: COUNTY | 071 | Undefined Code |
| PLACE OF ENLISTMENT | 3252 | HARRISBURG PENNSYLVANIA |
| DATE OF ENLISTMENT DAY | 17 | 17 |
| DATE OF ENLISTMENT MONTH | 07 | 07 |
| DATE OF ENLISTMENT YEAR | 43 | 43 |
| GRADE: ALPHA DESIGNATION | PVT# | Private |
| GRADE: CODE | 8 | Private |
| BRANCH: ALPHA DESIGNATION | NO# | No branch assignment |
| BRANCH: CODE | 02 | No branch assignment |
| FIELD USE AS DESIRED | # | # |
| TERM OF ENLISTMENT | 5 | Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law |
| LONGEVITY | ### | ### |
| SOURCE OF ARMY PERSONNEL | 0 | Civil Life |
| NATIVITY | 32 | PENNSYLVANIA |
| YEAR OF BIRTH | 24 | 24 |
| RACE AND CITIZENSHIP | 1 | White, citizen |
| EDUCATION | 4 | 4 years of high school |
| CIVILIAN OCCUPATION | 685 | Semiskilled welders and flame cutters |
| MARITAL STATUS | 6 | Single, without dependents |
| COMPONENT OF THE ARMY | 7 | Selectees (Enlisted Men) |
| CARD NUMBER | # | # |
| BOX NUMBER | 0670 | 0670 |
| FILM REEL NUMBER | 1.187 | 1.187 |
31 Jul 1943 - Entered Active Service at New Cumberland, PA
Qualified as Sharpshooter on M1 Garand, qualified as Expert on M1 Carbine
29 Jan 1944 - Graduated from Parachute School
13 Mar 1944 - Departed US for Italy
08 Apr 1944 - Arrived in Italy
17 Jul 1944 - Pvt. Theodore R. Houghton 33513160, 17-Jul-44SO 51 Placed on Temporary Duty with Radar School (Pathfinder)
15 Aug 1944 - Pvt. Theodore R. Houghton 33513160 HHC 509th PIB Pathfinder Southern France page 14 book First Airborne Task Force by Michel De Trez
15 Aug 1944 - Pvt. Theodore R. Houghton 33513160 Pathfinder Team Southern France page 77 book American Airborne Pathfinders in World War II by Jeff Moran Pathfinder Plane 1
22 Aug 1944 - Wounded in Action vicinity Napoule, France
24 Dec 1944 - Wounded in Action vicinity Parkers Crossroads Belgium
01 Mar 1945 - 509th PIB disbanded, S/Sgt Houghton reassigned to 508th PIR
29 Mar 1945 - Small Pox, Typhoid, Typhus and Tetanus shot
03 Dec 1945 - Departed France for US
14 Dec 1945 - Arrived in US
19 Dec 1945 - Honorably discharged as Staff Sergeant at Seperation Center I GMR, PA with 2 years, 5 months 3 days.
Click Here - Brochure given to Theodore Houghton recruiting him into the Paratroops
Click Here - Enemy proproganda leaflet dropped behind Allied Lines
Theodore Houghton reads a letter from home
Theodore Houghton seated on bench
Theodore Houghton displays pipe
Theodore Houghton reads a letter from home
Theodore Houghton with local French girl
Theodore Houghton with dog
Theodore Houghton with local French children
Theodore Houghton walks through town
(ALL IMAGES AND INFORMATION ON THIS PAGE IS PROPERTY OF THE HOUGHTON FAMILY AND MAY NOT BE USED WITHOUT PERMISSION. PLEASE CONTACT THE WEBMASTER AT THE E-MAIL BELOW)
©2006 509thgeronimo.org. All Rights Reserved.