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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