Kenneth R. Shaker

NAME: Kenneth R. Shaker

ASN: O-1303961

PLACE OF BIRTH: Springfield, MA

DATE OF BIRTH: 19 Jan 1916

DATES OF SERVICE: ?? ??? ???? -

UNIT ASSIGNED: A CO 509th PIB

CAMPAIGNS: Naples-Foggia, Anzio, Rome-Arno, Southern France, Ardennes

AWARDS: Combat Infantryman Badge, Parachutist Badge, Silver Star Medal, EAME Campaign Medalwith arrowhead device and four campaign stars, WWII Victory Medal

SUMMARY OF SERVICE:

19 Jan 1916 - Born in Springfield, MA to a Jewish family

Graduated from Weaver High School

Attended Hartford Federal College for 1 yr as a Single Student

28 Jan 1937 - Received passport# 448273, listed his address as 32 Winchester Street, Hartford, CT

18 Apr 1937 - Sailed aboard the Paris

01 Sep 1937 - Arrived in Spain and served with the XV BDE, Lincoln-Washington BN, Section Leader to fight in the Spanish Civil War

Served with Lincoln-Washington BN, Machine gun Company, rank Cabo

Fought at Fuentes de Ebro, Teruel, Seguro de los Baños, Retreats and Ebro Offensive

24 Aug 1938 - WIA, Captured during Retreats but escaped

15 Dec 1938 - Returned to the US aboard the Paris

09 Sep 1943 to 19 Oct 1943 - Participated in the Ventotene Island Raid

14-15 Sep 1943 - 1st Lt. Kenneth R. Shaker O-1303961 Combat Team Group 80.4 participated in the amphibious invasion of the Island of Procida, Italy

22 Jan 1944 - Participated in Operation SHINGLE the amphibious invasion if Anzio, Italy

28 Feb 1944 - 1st Lt. Kenneth R. Shaker O-1303961 GO 31 Commendation for action 9 Sep 1943 - 19 Oct 1943

10 Apr 1944 - 1st Lt. Kenneth R. Shaker O-1303961 A Co, 509th PIB, GO 5 - The following named Officers and Enlisted Men of Companies indicated having fulfilled all requirements as set forth in Par #3. a&b, Section I, WD Circular #269, dated 27 October 1943, are hereby announced as Combat Infantrymen and are entitled to wear the badge as specified in WD Circular above.

24 Jul 1944 - 1st Lt. Kenneth R. Shaker O-1300961 A Co 509th PIB Platoon Leader, Listed on jump manifest for Operation DRAGOON (RUGBY) Southern France, Bn Plane: 7, A Co Plane: 7 Seat: 1

15 Aug 1944 - 1st Lt. Kenneth R. Shaker O-1300961 A Co 509th PIB Platoon Leader, participated in Operation DRAGOON (RUGBY) the airborne invasion of Southern France

11 Oct 1944 - 1st Lt. Kenneth R. Shaker GO 17 HQ 1st ABTF Award of Silver Star

Silver Star page 384 book Stand in the Door by Charles H. Doyle and Terrell Stewart

Lt. Kenneth Shaker A CO 509th PIB Platoon Leader Southern France page 103 book First Airborne Task Force by Michel De Trez

Ken Shaker Battle of the Bulge page 271 - 273 book Beyond Valor by Patrick O'Donnell

28 Jan 45 - 509th PIB with a reporting strength of only 45 men was ordered to attack and secure high ground in vicinity of St. Vith. Maj. Tomasik was in command. Battalion HQ consisted of about 10 men and the other 35 men were under the command of Lt. Ken Shaker. From the house in the wooded area Maj. Tomasik and Lt. Shaker reviewed the map showing the hill down the road from their position. After moving a short distance down the road Lt. Shaker moved off the road to the right to avoid detection and proceeded to parallel the road. They soon came to a fire trail, after the lead scout crossed the road a shell landed between the scout and the main body of the patrol. The rest of the patrol quickly crossed the road by low crawling to avoid detection. Once across, they turned left and came to the edge of a clearing where they were able to observe the hill they were suppose to attack. The hill had a grouping of trees at the top with clear fields down the slope covered with heavy snow. From this position it would have been impossible to conduct a successful attack. Lt. Shaker and another Soldier went off to the right to determine if there was another approach that afforded more cover. About six hundred yards they saw off to the right a valley with four or five american tanks and men. Further ahead Lt. Shaker found a covered approach and returned to the patrol. Lt. Shaker sent one Sgt. and four other men to patrol up the covered route and see if anything was on the top of the hill. The five man patrol made it up most of the way when they encountered a German machine gun position. After an exchange of fire several Germans retreated and one surrendered. Unfortunately, radioman Ed Wojick was killed. The German prisioner was brought to Lt. Shaker and they attempted to get the German to tell how many were on the hill. He refursed to talk. The German prisoner was take to the battalion command post where an interrogation team questioned the prisoner. Finally the prisoner told them that there was a 160 man company. Word finally got back to Lt. Shaker around 1600, who had been delaying the attack, to return to the battalion command post the attack had been called off. The remnants of the 509th PIB, now 44 men, loaded on trucks and moved out to Trois-Ponts, Belgium.

18 Jul 1948 - Ken Shaker, Hollywood, CA on Reunion LIST D

- Kenneth R. Shaker passed away

Lt. Kenneth Shaker O-1303961 A Co, 509th PIB Platoon Leader, Southern France, listed on page 103 in the book First Airborne Task Force by Michel De Trez