E. V. Loustalot

Edward Vincent Loustalot was a U.S. Army Rangers Lieutenant from Louisiana. He was killed in action on August 19, 1942, while participating in the Dieppe Raid and is considered the first American soldier to be killed by Germans on land in World War II. Fellow 1st Ranger Battalion members Lieutenant Joseph Randall and T-4 Howard Henry were the other two Americans who died at Dieppe.[1]

During the mission, Loustalot took command after the British Captain leading the assault was killed. He scaled a steep cliff with his men, was wounded three times, but was eventually cut down by enemy crossfire in his attempts to reach the machine gun nest at the top of the cliff.

Lieutenant Loustalot is buried in the Ardennes American Cemetery in Belgium. He was originally interred with the Canadians at Dieppe by the Germans.

Frequently in accounts of the Dieppe Raid, he has been incorrectly referred to as Edwin rather than Edward.

References

  1. ↑ Jim DeFelice. Rangers at Dieppe. New York: Berkley Caliber, The Penguin Group, 2008. pp. 179–180. ISBN 978-0-425-21921-8.
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