A Soldier's Story: Master Sergeant Albert Blithe
A Soldier's Story: Master Sergeant Albert Blithe
Master Sergeant Albert Blithe was born on June 20, 1923, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After completing school, he worked as a crane operator for Westinghouse Electric before enlisting in the U.S. Army on August 18, 1942.
Blithe trained as a paratrooper and was assigned to the 101st Airborne Division. He deployed to the European Theater in September 1943 and took part in the D-Day landings at Normandy on June 6, 1944, parachuting into occupied France with the 101st Airborne. During the campaign, he was wounded by a sniper’s bullet to the collarbone.
Following World War II, Master Sergeant Blithe continued his military career, serving in the Korean War with the 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team. He chose to remain a career soldier, later serving with the Military Assistance Advisory Group.
While stationed in Wiesbaden, Germany, Master Sergeant Albert Blithe passed away on December 10, 1967, due to complications from an ulcer. He is laid to rest with honor at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C.
Master Sergeant Blithe’s courage and service were later immortalized in the acclaimed HBO miniseries Band of Brothers, which brought his story, as well as that of the 101st Airborne, to a new generation.
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a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller living in Salem, Virginia.
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