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Edie, Dayton (605th)

Dayton-Edie-1Dayton Edie

Biography:  Dayton Edie was born on February 9, 1925, in Cincinnati, Ohio.  He was the son of Clarence W. Edie and Grace Brown and attended local schools in Butler, Kentucky, through the grammar level before going to work on a farm.

Service Time:  Dayton was assigned to Company A of the 605th Tank Destroyer Battalion.  On one occasion, Dayton found himself separated from his unit and was captured by a German patrol.  He was able to escape but spent more than a day hiding in a farmer’s various out-buildings.  He went without real food for a week and actually befriended a couple of German soldiers who wanted to surrender.  He eventually found an American unit .

While serving after the war had ended, and soldiers were beginning to ship home, Dayton was transferred to the 740th Tank Battalion for occupational duties in Germany.  It was during this time, while in Limburg, Germany, that he met Marta Liesel Dietrich, who was working as a telephone operator.  Dayton reenlisted while in Italy and the couple later married on May 1, 1950, in the old St. Nicholas Church in Frankfurt, Germany.  The couple had one son, Michael.

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The photo above shows Dayton receiving his Purple Heart from his commanding officer. He was also awarded a Bronze Star.

Dayton served in the Army until he retired in 1965.  He then worked in the Engineering Department of Jewish Hospital, which merged with the Saints Mary and Elizabeth Hospital, both in the Louisville, KY area.  He retired in 1989.  Dayton supported organizations dedicated to helping the needy and suffering, such as CARE, which began right after the war and later, the Arthritis Foundation, the Salvation Army and the Louisville Foundation.  In his spare time, he enjoyed gardening, tinkering and building, playing baseball and traveling, which included the countries of Germany, Italy, Greece, Hungary and Austria. 

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He was a member of the Military Order of the Purple Heart, Disabled Veterans Association, Black Horse Association (11th Armored Cavalry Regiment), the 45th Infantry Division Association and more. 

Dayton passed away on January 7, 2012, with his memorial service being held on February 9, at the Anchorage Presbyterian Church.  His body was donated to science and will ultimately be buried at Arlington National Cemetery.