Richard F Geigner - 298th Engineer Combat Battalion, WWII, WW2

Richard F Geigner

Source: National WWII Memorial
Richard F. Geigner
BRANCH OF SERVICE U.S. Army
HOMETOWN Chicago, IL
HONORED BY Thomas & Laura Geigner, Family
ACTIVITY DURING WWII
SERVED AS A DEMOLITIONIST IN THE 298TH COMBAT ENGINEERS. ONE OF THIRTEEN MEN WHO WERE MEMBERS OF A BEACH DEMOLITION PARTY WHICH LANDED ON UTAH BEACH AT H HOUR ON D-DAY. KILLED IN A MINE EXPLOSION ON THAT DAY AND AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART.

Source: AmericanBattleGraves.com [defunct site]
Name: Richard Fran Geigner
Service Number: 36653695
Rank: Private First Class, U.S. Army
Regiment: 298th Engineer Combat Battalion
City, State: Illinois
Date of Death: 6-6-1944
Buried: Plot B Row 8 Grave 15, Normandy American Cemetery, Colleville-sur-Mer, Normandy, France
Awards: Purple Heart

Listed at the American Battle Monuments Commission
Richard Fran Geigner
World War II
Service #36653695
Rank Private First Class, U.S. Army
Unit 298th Engineer Combat Battalion
Entered Service From Illinois
Date of Death June 6, 1944
Buried Plot B Row 8 Grave 15, Normandy American Cemetery, Colleville-sur-Mer, France

Source: Southtown Economist Wednesday, August 02, 1944 - Page 1
The men wounded in action are: Lt. Jacob C. Blazicek, 21 years old, son of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Blazicek, 5249 Washtenaw ave. SS1. Edward Cannon, 24, son of Mr. and Mrs. Edward J. Cannon, 5938 California ave. Pvt. Richard F. Geigner, son of Mrs. Theresa Geigiier, 7339 Herinitasrc ave. Pvt. Leonard J. Hajjel, 27, husband of Mrs. Anna Con- Minill Hasel, 10? E. 70th st., and son of Mr. and Mrs. Leonard J. Hasel, Sr., 7704 Calumet ave. Pvt. William K. Kopp, 21, sen of Mr. and Mrs. William R. Kopp Sr., 7114 Wolcott ave. Marine Pvt. Thomas E. O'Xeil, 19, son of Mr. and Mrs. James D. O'Neil, 7713 Emerald ave. Sgrt. Gilbert G. Truhler. 21, son of Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Truhlar, Sr., 709 W. 61st pi. Pvt. Harold C. Vicrke, 36, husband of Mrs. Margaret Vierke, 7300 May st.

Source: Find A Grave
PFC Richard Fran Geigner
BIRTH 1925, Illinois
DEATH 6 Jun 1944 (aged 18�19), France
BURIAL Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial
Colleville-sur-Mer, Departement du Calvados, Basse-Normandie, France
PLOT Plot B Row 8 Grave 15
MEMORIAL ID 56644811
Note: Pfc. Geigner was a member of the 298th Engineer Combat Battalion that was part of the first wave on the beaches with the responsibility of destroying obstacles so that the men and materiel behind him could move faster. By Utah - June 5, 2013
~~ALSO LISTED-ON SAME SITE~~
Find A Grave
Richard Frank Geigner
BIRTH 16 Jul 1924, Illinois
DEATH 6 Jun 1944 (aged 19)
BURIAL Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial
Colleville-sur-Mer, Departement du Calvados, Basse-Normandie, France
INSCRIPTION PFC 298 ENGR COMBAT BN
MEMORIAL ID 170599854

Source: Niles Public Library document that includes Veterans History Project Transcript of Max Kolpas and Omaha Beach to Saint Marie du Mont (bio of Bruce Montgomery Robertson) combined into one Adobe.pdf document.
[excerpt]
Of the 33 men of the 298th Engineer (Combat) Battalion who were killed in action during the European Campaign, 11 still rest in United States military cemeteries in Europe. Four of these soldiers, Pvt. Wayne M. Conrad, Pfc. Richard F. Geigner, Pfc. Steve J. Kish, and Pfc. Gerald M. Rehfeldt, are interred at Normandy American Military Cemetery on the cliffs above OMAHA Beach, not far from where the men of the 298th first came ashore.
pg. 15

Source: Listing on American D-Day website.
Pfc GEIGNER Richard F.
Beach Obstacle Demolition
298th Engineer Combat Battalion
36653695
Killing [sic] in Action - 06 june 1944
Plot:B - Row: 08 - Grave: 15

Richard F Geigner

Grave marker, Normandy, France
Died: D-day, 06 June 1944
Photograph taken on 20 July 06 by David Curtis
at Normandy American Cemetery Colleville Sur Mer, France.

Listed in the 298th Journal July 1944
1090 1500 July 18/44 The following named 0 & EM, this unit, are authorized to wear the Distinguished Unit Badge per GO 26, Hq FUSA, dtd 17 June 44, for extra ordinary heroism and outstanding performance of duty in action in the initial assault of the northern Coast of Normandy, France, 6 June 1944. These men were atchd to the 237th Engr C Bn at the time for which the citation is awarded: Pfc Richard F. Geigner

From: Tom Geigner
I am the nephew of Pfc Richard F Geigner. As you probably know there was much confusion over my uncle's death, so I do have a few questions. I have an original copy of the history of 298th along with some of my uncle's effects - flag, Purple Heart, paperwork,service picture, etc.

There are some handed down family stories of my uncle's death.We know he was killed by a mine explosion (he was killed in the early hours of June 6, 1944) but can anyone tell us exactly what happened?

Some of the men who served with my uncle came to visit my Grandmother soon after the war. I would love to hear from any of these men or any one who served with or remember him.

My father was a paratrooper with the 101st Airborne. As you know the 101st was fighting toward Utah beach on D-Day. Some time after D-Day the 298th & 101st crossed paths & my father had asked some of the men of the 298th if any of them knew his kid brother Richard Geigner (not knowing his brother was killed till after the war). Does anyone remember crossing paths with the 101st after D-Day? About what date did this happen & was this a common practice to ask or be asked about soldiers from other outfits?

Thank you very much for having this site & I look forward to hearing from someone. I would be glad to answer any questions I can from anybody, I do not know a lot since my uncle was killed 14yrs before my birth but I do have some information.

Repectfully yours, E-Mail: Tom & Laura Geigner
Minocqua, WI

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