1st Battalion 22nd Infantry
Lloyd E. Workman
Company C 1st Battalion 22nd Infantry
Lloyd Eugene Workman was born in
Vichy, Maries County, Missouri on December 3, 1925, the son of
George and Anna Workman.
As a youth he worked on his father's farm in Rolla, Missouri.
Prior to entering military service, he was employed by the
Goodrich
Tire Company in St. Louis, Missouri.
Workman was drafted into the Army on August 10, 1944 at Jefferson
Baracks, Missouri. At the time of induction he had completed
grammar school and was single. He took training at Camp Fannin,
Texas. In January 1945 he sailed to England as an Infantry
replacement soldier.
Ferried over to France, and transported to the front lines, he
was assigned as a Private to Company C 22nd Infantry 4th Infantry
Division
on February 8, 1945, as one of 39 enlisted men assigned to the
Company that day. He joined his Company just as it made its
second
penetration into Germany, and was advancing toward the city of
Prüm.
Since he had been extensively trained with the Browning M1919
light machine gun, he was assigned as a gunner, using the A4
model of the gun.
Workman carried the gun, while his assistant gunner carried the
tripod for the gun. In an early firefight, he and his fellow
soldiers were
pinned down by German machine gun fire. His assistant gunner was
only 15 feet away, but couldn't get through the enemy fire with
the tripod,
so Workman couldn't return fire.
After this incident, Workman asked his platoon leader to get him
an A6 model of the gun, since it used a bipod, and thus he could
operate
the weapon by himself, and would not have to depend upon the
tripod carried by his assistant. Soon after this, while during an
advance,
a soldier near him stepped on an enemy anti-personnel mine. The
bouncing betty mine sent a small piece of shrapnel into Workman's
leg.
The injury was slight, and he continued on with his duty. He was
later awarded a Purple Heart for the wound.
On April 3, 1945, at about 7:30 in the morning, Workman and
Company C were advancing along the Konigshofen Ridge, when they
were
isolated and surrounded by German attacks. The fighting was
bitter, and at 2:35 in the afternoon, Company F, supported by
tanks,
was able to attack through the enemy formations and extricate
Company C.
During the battle that day, Workman grabbed his machine gun, and
ran forward of the American positions, in a one-man assault upon
the enemy.
He stopped the German attack upon his Company, and time after
time was able to hold the enemy at bay while mortar fire was
adjusted upon them.
For his actions that day he was awarded the Silver Star, in
Headquarters, 4th Infantry Division, General Orders No. 6 (1946).
Above: A Browning Model
1919A6 belt fed light machine gun, of the same kind used by Lloyd
Workman
in his Silver Star action.
Photo from the RIA Museum, Jodie Creen Wesemann via the Small Arms review website
Workman returned to the United
States with his Regiment in July 1945. He was soon transferred to
Fort Benning, Georgia, spending the
remaining months of his military commitment helping to train
officer candidates. On July 5, 1946, he was discharged as a
Sergeant at
Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
After returning to Missouri, Workman married, raised two
daughters and completed a lengthy career as a carpenter. He died
at the age of 93,
on August 9, 2019, and is buried in Vienna Public Cemetery,
Vienna, Maries County, Missouri.
Decorations of Lloyd E. Workman
His personal display
shows a number of clasps to his Expert and Sharpshooter badges,
but the identification of those clasps could not be determined
for the above graphic.
Above: Lloyd Workman next to his shadow box display in 2019
Photo from the War History Online website
Lloyd Eugene Workman, of Vienna,
was born on December 3, 1925, at Vichy, a son of George
Washington and Anna Emeline (James) Workman,
and departed this life at 9:17 p.m., on Friday, August 9, 2019,
in the Missouri Veterans Home, St. James. He had attained the age
of 93 years,
8 months, and 6 days.
On August 10, 1944, at Jefferson Barracks, St. Louis, Lloyd
entered into active federal service in the Army of the United
States and served until
July 5, 1946, when he was honorably discharged at Fort
Leavenworth, Kansas, at the rank of Sergeant. During his military
career, Lloyd served as
a Squad Leader, trained in Light Machine Gun Warfare 604,
qualified for the Combat Infantry Badge GO 10 Headquarters 22nd
Infantry on April
10, 1945, and involved in various battles and campaigns in
Central Europe. He was awarded and entitled to wear the American
Theater Ribbon,
the EAMET Ribbon (Awarded February 2, 1946), the Good Conduct
Medal, the Victory Medal, the Purple Heart Medal, and the Silver
Star Medal.
A man of excellent character, Lloyd's "Honorable
Discharge" is a testimonial of honest and faithful service
to his country during World War II.
Lloyd was united in marriage on July 19, 1947, at Rolla, to the
former Miss Jessie Etheleen Love, and to this union, two
daughters were born.
During his working life, he was employed as a carpenter in
residential construction for thirty-five years until he retired
in 1982, when he and his
wife moved to Vienna for their retirement. Lloyd was a member of
his Carpenters Union Local 97, St. Louis, for over seventy years;
the Lanes
Prairie Lodge No. 531 A.F. & A.M., Vichy; the Veterans of
Foreign Wars Post 8045, Argyle; and the Coffey Brothers Memorial
American
Legion Post 12, Vienna. Activities he enjoyed included hunting,
fishing, traveling, and being with his family especially his
grandchildren.
Those left to mourn the passing of Lloyd include: Two daughters,
Carol Ann Ball and husband, Roger, and Janet Sue Thoele and
husband,
Bill, all of Fenton; three grandchildren, James Ball and wife,
Brandie, of Fenton, and Michelle Howard and husband, Ryan, and
Jessica Musgrave
and husband, David, all of St. Louis; six great-grandchildren,
Hannah Ball, Clayton Ball, Ryder Howard, Rhett Howard, Hadley
Musgrave, and
Bryce Eugene Musgrave; one sister-in-law, Billie Elrod, of
Vienna; nephews and nieces with greats as well; and other
relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Jessie, on July 30, 2010;
one granddaughter, Kelly Ann Thoele (Twin to Jessica) on May 7,
1987;
his father, George, on November 27, 1946; his mother, Anna, on
December 31, 1975; and his siblings, David Christopher Workman,
Dorothy
Mae Dugmanics, Clarence Wilmer Workman, Ethel Bell Maxwell,
George Avery Workman, Beulah Artelia Workman, Lucy Viola Sexton,
Willard Lester Workman, Wilma Lorene Hayes, and Leonard Doyle
Workman.
The first visitation for Mr. Lloyd Eugene Workman will be held
from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m., on Wednesday, August 14, 2019, in
the
Birmingham-Martin Funeral Home, 406 South Main Street, Vienna,
Missouri 65582.
A second visitation will also be held for Mr. Lloyd Eugene
Workman from 9:00 a.m. until 10:00 a.m., on Saturday, August 17,
2019, in the
Birmingham-Martin Funeral Home, 406 South Main Street, Vienna,
Missouri 65582.
Funeral services for Mr. Lloyd Eugene Workman will be conducted
at 10:00 a.m., on Saturday, August 17, 2019, in the
Birmingham-Martin Funeral Home Chapel, 406 South Main Street,
Vienna, Missouri 65582.
Interment, with full military honors, will be in the Vienna
Public Cemetery under the direction of the Birmingham-Martin
Funeral Home
in Vienna.
Memorial contributions in memory of Mr. Lloyd Eugene Workman are
suggested per the wishes of the family with envelopes available
at the funeral home or in care of Birmingham-Martin Funeral Home,
P.O. Box 250, Vienna, Missouri 65582.
Obituary and photo from the Birmingham-Martin Funeral Home website
Top photo of Lloyd E. Workman during World War II from the Jefferson City, Missouri News Tribune website
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