Henshaw, Richard T.Jr.

Description

Richard Townsend Henshaw was born on January 15, 1912, in New York to Clara Ambler Venable, age 27, and Richard Townsend Henshaw, age 29.

He had two brothers John and Paul and one sister Clarissa. In Rye his family lived at 973 Forest Avenue and were members of Christ’s Church.

Richard prepared at St. Mark’s School for Princeton University, where he is a member of the class of 1934. He married Elizabeth D Vought on June 14, 1934, in Norwalk, Connecticut. They had one child during their marriage.

Richard enlisted November 20, 1942, when he was 30 years. He served as an officer in the U.S. Army during World War II.

He commanded the 186th
Field Artillery Battalion from D-Day
through VE-Day assigned to V Corps. After that, he was
the Division Artillery Commander of
the
16th Armored Division. Col. Henshaw landed on Omaha Beach on D-Day, June 6, and fought through to V-E Day in Czechoslovakia. He was in the First Army, Fifth Corps,

On 6 June 1944, V Corps assaulted Omaha Beach, Normandy. Corps soldiers then broke out from the beachhead, liberated Paris and Sedan, Ardennes, and raced to the German border. After liberating Luxembourg, V Corps fought in the Battle of the Bulge, captured Leipzig, made first contact with the Red Army at Torgau, and, south in Czechoslovakia, liberated Plzeň by May 1945.

MAP V Corps, Artillery, 8 June 1944–9 May 1945 :
186th Field Artillery Battalion.
Fifth Corps, Artillery, 8 June 1944–9 May 1945 | 186th Field Artillery Battalion
Shows the route of the 186th Field Artillery Battalion in Normandy, France to Pilsen, Czechoslovakia during World War II. “Assault–Normandy–Northern France–Rhineland–Ardennes–Central Europe.” Includes timeline tables of Divisions served with 186th Field Artillery Battalion

Lt. Col. Richard T. Henshaw Has Been Awarded Air Medal WITH V CORPS IN CZECHOSLOVAKIA.
Lieut. Col. Richard T. Henshaw, Jr. , of 973 Forest Avenue, Rye, New York, a member of 186th Field Artillery Battalion, recently was awarded the Air Medal for meritorious achievement while participating in Aerial Sight, having completed the required number of operational sorties against an armed enemy during the period September 1. 1944, to April 11, 1945. He is the husband of Mrs. Elizabeth V. Henshaw of 973 Forest Avenue, Bye, and son of Mrs. Henshaw of Oneida Street and the late Rev. B. Townsend Henshaw.
June 15, 1945 THE RYE CHRONICLE PAGE THIRTEEN

He was also awarded the Croix de Guerre with Palm and a Bronze Star and before his discharge he was promoted to a Full Fledged Colonel.

After the war Elizabeth and Richard would raise there family in Greenwich. He spent many years in the insurance business.

Col. Richard T. Henshaw, Jr. died on November 16, 1979, in Riverside, Connecticut, at the age of 67.