Harrison C. Summers
{{Short description|American soldier (WW2)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2022}}
{{Infobox military person
|name = Harrison C. Summers
|image =
|caption =
|rank = 8px 1st Lieutenant
|unit= 1st Battalion, 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division
|nickname =
|birth_date = July 12, 1918
|death_date = {{death date and age|1983|8|3|1918|7|12}}
|birth_place = Marion County, West Virginia, U.S.
|death_place = Rivesville, West Virginia, U.S.
|allegiance = {{USA}}
|branch = File:United States Department of the Army Seal.svg United States Army
|serviceyears = 1942–1945
|battles = World War II
|laterwork =
|awards = 30px Distinguished Service Cross
|relations =
}}
Harrison C. Summers (July 12, 1918 – August 3, 1983) was a United States Army soldier and a decorated war veteran. He served with the 1st Battalion, 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division in World War II.
Early life
Summers was born in Marion County, West Virginia, one of six sons to William L. Summers and Florence Swisher.
Summers worked as a coal miner in Rivesville, West Virginia. A bridge there is named in his honor.{{cite web | url=https://marioncvb.com/marion-countys-famous-governament-military-leaders/ | title=Marion County's Famous Government and Military Leaders | date=July 15, 2016 }}{{Cite web |title=Google Maps |url=https://www.google.com/maps/@39.5536983,-80.1196494,3a,39.4y,22.59h,74.75t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sL1fMhVbgf9MCm7wgbFroZQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu |access-date=2023-08-28 |website=Google Maps |language=en}}
Military service
On June 6, 1944, Summers landed as part of the first night drop of troops during the American airborne landings in Normandy. His unit had captured Saint-Germain-de-Varreville, France, near Exit 4 off Utah Beach. Summers and 15 soldiers were ordered by 1st Battalion commander, Lt Col. Patrick Cassidy, to capture a building complex nearby designated "WXYZ" on the field order map. The buildings turned out to be the barracks for 100 or more German soldiers.[http://www.gamespot.com/pages/unions/read_article.php?topic_id=23706395&union_id=1059 Gamespot Paratrooper of the Week – Harrison C. Summers]
Summers led the attack, charging inside with his Thompson submachine gun. He had ordered the others to follow, however only Private William Burt and Private John Camien followed him while the other soldiers stayed behind.[http://flattopshistorywarpolitics.yuku.com/topic/125/Harrison-Summers-The-Sergeant-York-of-World-War-II Harrison Summers: The Sergeant York of World War II] He and the two others cleared out the buildings. Five hours later, the position was clear, and Summers killed more than 30 German soldiers.{{cite book |author=Harrison, Gordon A. |orig-year=1951 |year=2002 |chapter-url=http://www.history.army.mil/books/wwii/7-4/7-4_8.htm |chapter=The Sixth of June (Chapter 8) |title=Cross-Channel Attack |location=Washington, DC |publisher=Office of the Chief of Military History, Center of Military History, United States Army |page=281 |oclc=317512277 |access-date=March 29, 2010 |archive-date=June 2, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150602034240/http://www.history.army.mil/books/wwii/7-4/7-4_8.htm |url-status=dead }}
Summers received an honorable discharge on November 30, 1945, as a 1st Lieutenant. Summers was twice nominated for the Medal of Honor for his efforts that day. However, he was instead awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.
World War II historian Stephen Ambrose described him this way:{{cite book |author=Ambrose, Stephen E. |year=1994 |title=D-Day June 6, 1944: The Climactic Battle of World War II |url=https://archive.org/details/ddayjune6194400ambr |url-access=registration |location=New York, New York |publisher=Simon & Schuster |page=[https://archive.org/details/ddayjune6194400ambr/page/299 299] |isbn=0-684-80137-X }}
Summers is a legend with American paratroopers ..., the Sergeant York of World War II. His story has too much John Wayne/Hollywood in it to be believed, except that more than 10 men saw and reported his exploits.
Death
Summers died of lung cancer on August 3, 1983. He was buried in Beverly Hills Memorial Park in Morgantown, West Virginia.
After his death, his friends and fellow soldiers tried to get him posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor; however the effort failed.
Dramatizations
- Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30, in which the character Sergeant Matt Baker is modeled on Summers and "WXYZ", as well as Purple Heart Lane/Cole's Charge.{{cite news |author=Berardini, César A. |url=http://news.teamxbox.com/xbox/13703/Brothers-in-Arms-Hells-Highway-Comic-Series-Announced/ |title=Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway Comic Series Announced |newspaper=teamxbox.com |publisher=IGN Entertainment, Inc. |date=June 14, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605102001/http://news.teamxbox.com/xbox/13703/Brothers-in-Arms-Hells-Highway-Comic-Series-Announced/ |archive-date=June 5, 2011 }}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
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Category:People from Marion County, West Virginia
Category:Deaths from lung cancer in Virginia
Category:United States Army personnel of World War II
Category:United States Army officers
Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (United States)