Henry Nadeau

18Sep1925 – 13Jan1945

Edison Days

The only connection to Edison found to date is Henry’s inclusion in the “In Memoriam” section of the 1946 Wizard yearbook.

Military Service

Rank: Private

Branch: United States Army

Unit: 120th Infantry Regiment – 30th Infantry Division

Henry’s path to the army is unknown.

The 120th Infantry Regiment landed on Omaha Beach on 11Jun1944, 5 days after the D-Day Invasion. Their first combat was on 15Jun1944. Fellow Edison Hero Gordon Stoen was also a member of the 120th Infantry regiment. With 3,000 to 3,300 men in the regiment, it is unknown if they were aware of each other.

Henry was wounded in July 1944. Records indicate that he suffered a broken collarbone from “Aerial Bomb Blast Effects”. It is possible that he was wounded by friendly fire as the 120th suffered 14 killed and 65 wounded on 24July1944 when Allied planes dropped their bombs short of the intended targets. Total allied losses that day were 111 killed and over 500 wounded.

Henry spent August, September, and October recovering from his wounds. Sometime in November he was returned to his unit.

On 1Dec1944 the 120th was in a defensive position in and around Erberich, Germany. There was not much enemy activity in the area, so the men were able to rest and train.

On 16Dec1944 the Germans launched the Ardennes offensive, also known as the Battle of the Bulge. At midnight the next day the 120th was headed to join the battle. On the 18th of December two battalions of the 120th moved through Malmedy, Belgium to take up defensive positions outside the town which marked approximately the north flank of the German penetration. The 120th was involved in heavy fighting over the next 3-1/2 weeks.

Attack plans involving the 120th had been drawn up for the 13th of January. The strategy of the operation was a double strike, one from each flank of the Regimental zone aimed at the enemy’s probable strongpoints. From the right flank near Malmedy the 3d Battalion was to move forward to take Huyer, the high ground southwest of Baugnez, while the 2d Battalion from Weismes planned to take the settlement of Thirimont and Haussart. The attack was hampered by deep snow and heavy German resistance. It was during this attack that Henry was killed. The circumstances of his death are unknown.

Henry is buried at the Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery in Hombourg, Belgium