10-8-19 Garand Picture of the Day - Leipzig April 1945

[Mark in Rochester]

Information

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[browningautorifle]

I wonder if he just took that M1 from that guy during surrender? Now awaiting a backhand swipe since as eyes are closed... Wish we had five seconds before that in picture.

[rcathey]

And after!

[Mark in Rochester]

[Mark in Rochester]

After Bowman was killed members of his unit went out to capture the sniper thus the original image











From wikipedia

Early life, military service, and death

Raymond J. Bowman was born in Rochester, New York on April 2, 1924, the fifth of seven children to George and Florence Rebecca (née Ward) Bowman.[1] After graduating high school, Bowman was drafted into the United States Army on June 21, 1943; Bowman was unmarried, and had no children.[2] He was assigned to Company D of the 23rd Infantry Regiment of the 2nd Infantry Division on July 5, 1943, where he later qualified as a machine gunner.[3] In January 1944, he was sent overseas to the United Kingdom in preparation for Operation Overlord. Bowman served in France, where he was wounded in action on August 3, 1944, and later in Belgium and Germany. He reached the rank of Private first class during his service.

On April 18, 1945 in Leipzig, Germany, while Bowman and other troops were fighting to secure a bridge from a position inside an apartment building, Bowman was shot and killed by a German sniper while reloading his machine gun.[4] Nearby photographer Robert Capa captured images of the fight, Bowman's death, and the immediate aftermath,[5] which gained fame in Life magazine with the caption "The picture of the last man to die."[3] The Life magazine article did not identify the soldiers in the photographs by name, although Bowman's family recognized him by the small pin (which bore his initials) that he always wore on his collar.

Honors and awards

Bowman received many honors for his service, including the Bronze Star Medal, an Army Good Conduct Medal, and two Purple Hearts.[3]


veteran Lehman Riggs in Leipzig 2016 am Capa-Haus
In July 2015, the city of Leipzig, Germany voted to name the street (previously called Jahnallee 61) in front of the apartment building where Bowman was killed "Bowmanstraße" after him. The renaming took place on April 17, 2016. The apartment building now contains a small memorial with Capa's photographs and information about Bowman.

[browningautorifle]

Excellent, I was well aware of the death of "The last man" since I was young. That puts all into perspective. Now I see the rifle belonged to the Second div guy...