134th Infantry Regiment Website 35th Infantry Division Research Center "All Hell Can't Stop Us"

Pfc Francis R Keohan

60th Engineers Combat Battalion, Company B

Francis Raymond Keohan was born June 4, 1909 in New Brunswick Canada. He moved to the U.S. sometime between 1921 and 1935 and became a U.S. citizen. He registered for the draft October 16, 1940. At the time he was living in Brockton, Massachusetts and working at Powers Brothers Company in Brockton. He was inducted into the Army January 7, 1944 at Boston, Massachusetts and joined Company B, 60th Engineer Combat Battalion from the 38th Replacement Battalion November 16, 1944 when the unit was in the vicinity of Villers-sur-Nied, France. He was promoted to Private First Class January 1, 1945. Pfc Francis R Keohan was killed in action March 4, 1945 in the vicinity of Rheurdt, Germany. He is buried at Netherlands American Cemetery, Margraten, Netherlands.

Bronze Star Medal Citation

Private First Class Francis R Keohan, 31429802, Corps of Engineers, United States Army, for heroic service in connection with military operations against an enemy of the United States near * * * , Germany on 4 March 1945. As a member of a four-man patrol, Private Keohan advanced under direct enemy tank and sniper fire on a mission to reconnoiter a bridge across a stream at * * * . In order to gain its objective in minimum time, the group by-passed a group of houses known to be occupied by enemy troops. This caused enemy soldiers to fire at the patrol from the rear, killing Private Keohan. The aggressive daring and dogged determination which he displayed up to the moment of his death inspired his comrades to the successful completion of their mission. Entered military service from Massachusetts. General Orders No. 26, Headquarters 35th Infantry Division, 12 April 1945