222845 PFC. James Maxwell United States Army 2nd Btn. 415th Infantry from:Claymont, Delaware, United States My father James Maxwell was an assistant machine gunner in F Company, 2nd Battalion, 415th Infantry. He requested to switch places with the gunner, PFC Needles, on 31st October 1944, while preparing a defensive position. An enemy artillery and mortar barrage commenced on the same day. My father was wounded and PFC Needles was killed. Some soldiers stated they were going to leave him next to a tree and come back for him later, but my father was afraid the Germans would get him. With the aid of a medic he made it to the Battalion Aid Station. His wound was in the left shoulder blade area, and he also suffered a collapsed lung in addition to shrapnel in his lung. For many years, he kept the shrapnel in his Purple Heart case. He recovered in England and Camp Pickett, Virginia.
He graduated from the University of Delaware, where he was President of Sigma Phi Epsilon. He worked as GE Sales Engineer for over 30 years and passed away suddenly in 1983.
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