386th Infantry Regiment, 97th Infantry Division - 97th Calvary Mech RCN TR

Corporal Lewis W. Conklin, on 25 April 1945, near Thonbrunn, Czechoslovakia, Corporal Conklin volunteered to guide a patrol being sent to rescue a wounded man from an area known to be under heavy enemy small arms and rocket fire from concealed positions. As the patrol approached the point where the casualty lay, Corporal Conklin observed an enemy soldier approaching but soon lost contact because of the heavily wooded terrain. In order to locate the enemy position, Corporal Conklin fearlessly and courageously exposed himself to enemy fire and was fired upon and killed after he located the enemy position and endeavored to point it out to his patrol leader.

Unit Journal

97 Mech RCN TR

From: 250001
T0: 290400
Place: Rossbach, Czech

1500 Troop train and 1 Plat light tanks arrived at C.P. Received message from 3rd Platoon that they had been fired upon and requested an ambulance.
1630 CPL Conklin killed by enemy action, PFC Harris wounded and PVT Burdy (Spelling) missing. Discontinue patrol against the enemy in the vicinity of Thonburnn, Czechoslovakia.
1730 26 EM and 1 Officer attached to troop – assault Plat
1930 3 EM and 1 Officer - Artillery observers.

From: 260001
To: 262400
Place: Rossbach, Czechoslovakia
0645 LT Walther and T/5 Noyes, T/5 Silver carried litter with CPL Conklin's body out of woods where he was killed; they were supported by 6 EM with mortar and MG fire and small arms.

Lewis Wendell Conklin