Lincoln Abraham

26Nov1915 – 17Dec1944

Edison Days

Lincoln’s name and photo are included in the 1946 Edison Wizard “In Memorium” pages. His name is also on the memorial plaque. No other documentation of Lincoln’s connection to Edison has been found at this time.

Military Service

Branch: United States Army

Rank: Staff Sergeant

Unit: Company B – 14th Tank Battalion – 9th Armored Division

Lincoln was drafted, and entered into service at Fort Snelling, Minnesota on 4Mar 1941. It is unknown where he took basic training or when he joined the 14th Tank Battalion.

The 9th Armored Division landed at Utah Beach in Normandy, France on2Oct1944, They first went into the line on 23 October 1944, on patrol duty in a quiet sector along the Luxembourg-German border.

The German army launched the Ardennes Offensive on 16 December 1944. Commonly referred to the Battle of the Bulge, the Allied armies were caught off guard by the German attack. The 9th, with little combat experience, suddenly found itself engage in heavy fighting.

On 17 December 1944 in Ligneuville, Belgium, service personnel from the 14th Tank Battalion were surprised when lead elements of the German army group KAMPFGRUPPE PEIPER entered the town. Although a mess sergeant, not a line infantryman, Lincoln Abraham jumped onto a disabled vehicle and manned a heavy machine gun. Firing on the Germans, he enabled several men to escape.

“During this time Service Company of the battalion was in CC ‘B’, 9th Armored Division trains park in the vicinity of Ligneuville, Belgium. At about 1450 hours 17 December 1944, warning reached Service Company by foot messenger that enemy columns were two to three kilometers from Ligneuville and approaching from the north and east. Small arms firing immediately followed by larger calibre enemy tank weapons occurred within ten minutes thereafter and was received, this company while becoming engaged in a fire fight with the enemy, withdrew to Grand Sart, Belgium. This withdrawal was accomplished through effective rear guard action by a bulldozer driver of Company ‘A’ 14th Tank Bn., which blocked off enemy tanks and probably destroyed one (1) more enemy tank, the members of the tank crew were recommended for the Bronze Star. This crew acted entirely upon their own initiative and their unprecedented action had a large share in the saving of the battalion trains. Lost in this action were the following items: bulldozer tank; one fuel and lube cargo trailer; one company headquarters cargo trailer with records, mail, supplies, and personal belongings; one company maintenance cargo trailer containing supplies; one company kitchen truck and trailer of Company B and one disabled 105mm Assault Gun of Hq Company.”

Several US soldiers, including Lincoln, were captured. A short time later, Lincoln and 7 other prisoners were lined up on the side of the road and executed by the Germans.

In addition to the massacre at Lignueville, members of KAMPFGRUPPE PEIPER were responsible for the execution of at least 84 US soldiers earlier that day. That incident is commonly referred to as the Malmady Massacre. The perpetrators of the massacre were tried and convicted at the Nuremburg War Tribunals.

After the war, Peter Rupp, a witness to the execution, erected a monument in their honor.

Unfortunately, Lincoln’s first name and last name were reversed, and he was listed on the monument as Abraham Lincoln.

Prior to the 80th anniversary of the massacre, the monument was updated to correct Lincoln’s name.

A documentary about the Ligneuville massacre can be found on YouTube.

Additional information about the memorial can be found here.

https://www.tracesofwar.com/sights/982/Memorial-US-9th-Armoured-Division.htm

After the war Lincoln’s remains were returned to Minnesota. He is buried in St. Mary’s Cemetery in Minneapolis.