Benjamin H. Vandervoort

Benjamin Hayes " Vandy " Vandervoort ( born March 3, 1917 in Gasport, New York, † 22 November 1990 in Hilton Head Iceland, South Carolina) was an American military, in the zenith of his military career to the rank Lieutenant Colonel ( Lieutenant Colonel ) held and fought in various theaters of war in World War II. He was twice awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.

Life

Benjamin Vandervoort was born on March 3, 1917 in Gasport, New York. After he first served as a Lieutenant ( Lieutenant ) in the infantry, he went in the summer of 1940 to the newly established paratroopers. He was assigned to the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the U.S. 82nd Airborne Division when it was erected.

Vandervoort was S-3 by James M. Gavin, when the regiment landed in Sicily. Later he was in the same regiment to the company commander. After he was promoted on June 2, 1944 Lieutenant Colonel, he participated among others in Operation Overlord and Operation Market Garden as a battalion commander. General Matthew B. Ridgway described him as follows: " [ ... ] one of the bravest and toughest battle commanders I ever knew" ( German: " [ ... ] one of the bravest and most resolute leader in the fight that I have ever known have. " ). In Goronne a shrapnel wounded him in the eye; he could not attend to Germany during the advance of the division, therefore. In 1946, Vandervoort left the military service.

After his discharge from the army Vandervoort worked for the CIA and started a family. He had two children with his wife, Nedra; a son and a daughter. The Longest Day by actor John Wayne Vandervoort is played in the movie.

Benjamin Vandervoort died on 22 November 1990 at the age of 73 years in a nursing home, after a fall on a stairway.