Marion M. L-E-W-I-S (ASN 38640080) was born on August 1, 1908 in Marion, Ohio. Drafted into the Army in 1942 in his city of birth he attended basic training in Austin, TX. He underwent medical training and was assigned to the Medical Detachment, 407th Infantry Regiment in the 102nd Infantry Division as a combat medic. During his time with the 102nd during the Rhineland and Central-European Campaigns, he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart Medal, and Silver Star Medal. His SSM citations reads he repeatedly crossed and recrossed the Roer River to evacuate those wounded by enemy artillery, mortar, and small arms fire. T/3 L-E-W-I-S also entered an unknown minefield to rescue numerous casualties. After hostilities ceased in the ETO, he was transferred to the 16th Armored Division for occupation duties. His family states that he was presented the French Croix de Guerre by General Charles DeGaulle on October 30th, 1945.
T/3 L-E-W-I-S was married and had two sons. He lived in Cincinnati after the war and retired after many years in the funeral business. He passed away in 2005.
This uniform came to me with a post-war, Vietnam-era nametape of L-E-W-I-S on it so he most likely wore this to reunions or veteran's organizations events. It was sloppily sewn on so I removed it to return it to its correct WWII appearance.
The cross stitching on this uniform is unlike any I've ever seen. Such detail was paid to the stitching of the 16th Armored patch that the thread matches the red, blue, and yellow backing of the patch. Thanks for looking!
