1LT Harry Blackstone Colborn (WWII)

Remembering 1LT Harry Blackstone Colborn (Fairmont)
September 3rd, 1921 - February 5, 1945

----

1LT Harry Blackstone Colborn was born September 3rd, 1921 in Fairmont, West Virginia, to Andrew J. and Martha (Hutchinson) Colborn. During the 1930 census, the family was residing at 322 Locust Avenue, and Andrew is listed as a lawyer. Harry was the oldest of 4 living siblings, all born within an 8 year time period. The 1941 Fairmont city directory lists Andrew as living in the same Locust Avenue home but serving as the vice president of the Hutchinson Coal Company, a step up from the 1939 city directory that lists him as the lawyer for the Hutchinson Coal Company. In the same directories, Harry and his younger brother Melville are listed as students.

While attending West Virginia University (WVU), Harry received a B.A. in Political Science (class of 1943) and was a member of the Sphinx men's honorary for seniors, Phi Kappa Psi, and President of the Interfraternity Council. Harry also served in the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) during his time at WVU, first depicted his sophomore year in the 1941 WVU Monticola Yearbook as part of Company I, 1st Platoon. 

Along with 195 other WVU R.O.T.C. members, Harry was approved and inducted into the U.S. Army on March 19, 1943, at Fort Hayes in Columbus, Ohio. The 196 students then returned to campus to finish out the second semester before reporting back to Fort Hayes to receive their Army Assignments (1943 Monticola, p 122). At that time, Harry was living at the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity house at 780 Spruce Street in Morgantown, which is still used by Phi Kappa Psi to this day.

Military Service

Upon graduation and his return to the military, Harry joined the 10th Infantry, 5th Division (Company E). It's a little unclear at what point he intitially went overseas, but it is documented that he fought in the Battle of the Bulge. Click here for a description of what his unit was doing during that time.

Harry was killed in action on February 5, 1945, after which he was laid to rest at the Luxembourg American Cemetery and Memorial. For his service in WWII, 1LT Harry Colborn was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the Silver Star, and two Purple Hearts.

Harry is also honored at the Veteran's Memorial in Fairmont, WV. The West Virginia Army National Guard also named a (no longer used) facility the "1LT Harry B. Colburn U.S. Army Reserve Center."

The Law School of West Virginia University's rare book room is named for Harry and Andrew Colborn, established by Harry's brother Melville. Melville also fought in WWII before returning to West Virginia to finish his business degree.

Distinguished Service Cross

The citation for Harry's Distinguished Service Cross, awarded July 31, 1947, reads:

"The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to First Lieutenant (Infantry) Harry B. Colburn (ASN: 0-5344287), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving with Company E, 10th Infantry Regiment, 5th Infantry Division, in action against enemy forces on 8 February 1945, near Weilerbach, Germany. 

On that date, Lieutenant Colburn was leading an assault platoon to spearhead a regimental attack on the Seigfried Line. Under enemy machine-gun and artillery fire which blanketed the area, he successfully held his platoon together as it made a rubber-boat crossing of the swollen Sauer River. Organizing his defense on the other side, he saw enemy machine-gun fire, from a pillbox on his flank, inflict heavy losses on the platoon following his across the river. 

Immediately he determined to neutralize the enemy strong point and was joined by several volunteers for the attack. Running across wide-open terrain in the face of withering machine-gun fire, he and several of the men gained positions near the pillbox. While two men covered him with rifle fire he suddenly rushed the door, forcing the enemy back into an inner room. With a demolition charge, he started through the opening, but as he entered, the hidden enemy again opened fire, mortally wounding him. Lieutenant Colburn, by his fearless charge, enabled the men to surround the pillbox and force its surrender. 

Through his supreme sacrifice, he enabled the other elements of the regiment to cross the river and enlarge the important bridgehead. First Lieutenant Colburn's intrepid actions, personal bravery and zealous devotion to duty at the cost of his life, exemplify the highest traditions of the military forces of the United States and reflect great credit upon himself, the 5th Infantry Division, and the United States Army."

Harry's home in Fairmont


The home that the Colborn family resided in from at least 1930-1940, 322 Locust Avenue, is part of Fairmont's Fleming-Watson Historic District.

The application for historical designation says the following about 322 Locust Avenue:

Description: 2-story Queen Anne vernacular residence of wood construction, set on a stone foundation with shiplap siding and a picturesque multiple roof system incorporating an extended gable-roofed wing on the facade with a round-arched pedimental window and a bay window on the first floor; 1-story veranda extends across the facade; decorated brick chimneys

Date: c. 1880

Later in the application, it is referred to as "Sam Nuzum House, 322 Locust Avenue, one of the district's most pretentious homes and the residence of a leading local real estate developer and industrialist." Samuel Nuzum died in 1927, and the house was inhabited by the Colborns by the 1930 census.

The application (and above photo) was dated 2001. Reviewing Google Earth satellite data, it appears that 322 Locust Avenue was torn down between September 2013 and May 2016

Further Reading:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

CPL Olen Jay Canfield (WWII)

Image
Remembering Tec5 Olen Jay Canfield (Levels Road) January 10, 1919 - September 6, 1944 ---- Tec5 Olen Jay "Skeeter" Canfield (Service #35275107) was born January 10, 1919 in Norton, WV, the son of John and Sarah (Fansler) Canfield. Norton is about six and a half miles from Elkins, in Randolph County. Their family spent the next few decades in Marion County (1920-1940 Census) with John working as a general laborer (1920), lumber cutter at the sawmill (1930), and WPA Road Laborer (1940). The 1940 Census specifies their location as Levels Road, and gives Olen's occupation as "new laborer."  ---- Military Service: Olen entered the draft in Colfax on October 16, 1940. At the time, he was unemployed. Olen was 6'3 1/2" and 165 lbs with brown hair, brown eyes, and light brown skin. "Skeeter" enlisted on February 10, 1942 at Fort Hayes in Columbus, Ohio. His occupation was listed as "metal rolling." In the service, Olen was part of
Read more

1LT Frank Kinsey Evans (WWII)

Image
Remembering 1LT Frank Kinsey Evans (Fairmont) April 28, 1916 to May 13, 1944 "He is a gentleman in whom we place absolute trust." - 1934 FSHS Yearbook ------ 1LT Frank Kinsey Evans was born in Fairmont, WV on April 28, 1916 to William and Ora (Kinsey) Evans. William was the Chief Clerk for a local coal company. The family lived in a variety of locations in Fairmont, all on West Side: 1910 Census: 416 Madison Street 1920 Census: 224 Spring Street 1930 Census: 724 Mt. Vernon Avenue 1940 Census: 414 Gaston Avenue Education Frank graduated from Fairmont Senior High School in 1934. The 1933 yearbook states that Frank's ambition was to become an engineer, while his classmates said of him in the 1934 Maple Leaves "He is a gentleman in whom we place absolute trust." While at Fairmont Senior, he participated in Hi-Y and French Club. Next, Frank enrolled at Fairmont State Teachers College (now Fairmont State University). Frank was the student manager of the Fighting Teach
Read more

CPL Edward Lee Bane (WWII)

Image
Corporal Edward Lee Bane was born December 14, 1911 in Murraysville, Pennsylvania to Kelly Herman Bane and Jesse (Masters) Bane. Unfortunately, his mother died March 9, 1916 of pneumonia following several days of lagrippe and measles, leaving behind three children-- Fred (7), Edward (4), and Marguerite (2). By 1920, Edward (8) was living on Dunkard Mill Road just outside of Farmington, where his father was working as an engineer at the local gas plant. By then, Kelly had married Rose Bradley, with Edward's half-brother, Robert Harry Bane, soon to arrive.  Edward registered for the draft on October 16,1940. He listed himself as 5'8" and 160 pounds, with blue eyes, brown hair, and light brown skin. By then he had married Elizabeth Hoskinson and was living at 511 Rose Avenue in Fairmont, West Virginia. He was working at the Fairmont Supply Company on 10th Street. In 1941, Edward and Elizabeth were living at 411 1/2 Walnut Ave, and both were still working at the Fairmont Suppl
Read more