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Lutkins, David R.

David R. Lutkins U.S. Army WWII
David R. Lutkins U.S. Army WWII


 
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Date of Birth: 11/28/1920
Died On: 6/13/2012
Street Address: Locust Ave
Service Number: 20241904
Branch of Service: U.S. Army - 4th Infantry Division


Veteran Code: USARMY-388


BIOGRAPHY
 
David R. Lutkins



David Robbins Lutkins was born on November 28, 1920, in New York City, New York, to Nellie ("Nell") Barnum Dingee, age 35, and Clinton Stephen Lutkins, age 35.

In Rye his family lived on Locust Ave and were members of Christ Church. David attended St. Marks School and Trinity College. He joined the 101st Cavalry in October 1940.

David Robbins Lutkins enlisted in the Army when he was 20 years old on January 27, 1941, in New York City, New York.

Two weeks before the U.S entered into the war, David married Nancy Holbrook Scott on December 20, 1941, when he was 21 years old. The ceremony took place at the Emmanuel Church in Boston, MA. The Reverend Dr. Remsen S. Ogilby, of Trinity College, Hartford, Conn., and the Reverend Dr. Phillips Endicott Osgood officiated. A reception followed at the Algonquin Club.

After attending Infantry Officer School in 1942, served in the 4th Infantry Division in Europe from D-Day through June, 1945

The 4th Infantry Division assaulted the northern coast of German-held France during the Normandy landings, landing at Utah Beach, 6 June 1944. Relieving the isolated 82nd Airborne Division at Sainte-Mère-Église, the 4th cleared the Cotentin peninsula and took part in the capture of Cherbourg on 25 June.

By the end of August the division had moved to Paris, and gave French forces the first place in the liberation of their capital. The 4th then moved into Belgium through Houffalize to attack the Siegfried Line at Schnee Eifel on 14 September, and made several penetrations.

Slow progress into Germany continued in October, and by 6 November the division entered the Battle of Hurtgen Forest, where it was engaged in heavy fighting until early December. It then shifted to Luxembourg, only to meet the German Army's winter Ardennes Offensive head-on (in the Battle of the Bulge) starting on 16 December 1944.

Although its lines were dented, it managed to hold the Germans at Dickweiler and Osweiler, and, counterattacking in January across the Sauer, overran German positions in Fouhren and Vianden. Halted at the Prüm River in February by heavy enemy resistance, the division finally crossed on 28 February near Olzheim, and raced on across the Kyll on 7 March.

After a short rest, the 4th moved across the Rhine on 29 March at Worms, attacked and secured Würzburg and by 3 April had established a bridgehead across the Main at Ochsenfurt. Speeding southeast across Bavaria, the division had reached Miesbach on the Isar on 2 May 1945, when it was relieved and placed on occupation duty.

Following World War II, David lived in Weston, Massachusetts, and headed his own general advertising agency in Boston. In 1976, he and his wife retired to Pinehurst to pursue his lifelong interest in golf.

David Robbins Lutkins, 91, of Southern Pines died on June 13, 2012 at Penick Village in Southern Pines, NC. He was predeceased by his wife, the former Nancy Holbrook Scott, to whom he was married for 61 years. Services will be held at a later date.

At the time of his death he was survived by his daughter, Wendy L. Nagy (and her husband, Gabriel F. Nagy) of Dataw Island, SC; three grandchildren, Stanley A. Jones (and his wife, Hanna von Goeler) of Montclair, NJ, Bonnie Scott Jones (and her partner, Jen P. Harris) of Brooklyn and Hudson, NY, and Heather R. Buettner (and her husband, Christopher P. Buettner) of Madison, WI; and four great-grandchildren, Jack Robbins Buettner, Katherine Holbrook Buettner, Zoe Scott Buettner and Lucian F. L. Jones.
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