Retired Army Major General Autrey Joseph Maroun, who led American troops into battle against German soldiers at Fort d'Illange, Thionville, France, during World War II, died Monday at his Pebble Beach home. He was 91.
General Maroun was the battalion commander for the 2nd Battalion 378th Infantry, 95th Infantry Division on November 11, 1944, when he was the first American officer to open Thionville to freedom. It was also the unit's first combat experience, lasting until November 15, 1944. General Maroun and the troops were forced to cross a flooded river at daybreak against German-occupied fortresses bristling with mortars and machine gun nests, according to a 1994 Herald article.
General Maroun was born April 19, 1914, in Shreveport, Louisiana. He graduated from Gulf Coast Academy in 1929 and attended Tulane University for two years before receiving a congressional appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point. He graduated from West Point in 1935.
In 1946, General Maroun was assigned as executive officer to the chief of counsel for War Crimes in Nurnberg, Germany.
During the Korean War, General Maroun served as commander of the 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, later becoming the first G3 of the IX Corps. He then commanded the 5th Infantry Division (Mechanized) at Fort Carson, Colorado, from 1964 to 1966. Among his other high-level assignments, he was chief military planning officer with the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization in Bangkok, Thailand.
He ended his military career as special assistant to the comptroller of the Army, which included testifying in Manpower and Budget Hearings before the House and Senate Appropriations Committee in 1972.
He retired in 1992 and moved to Pebble Beach. He was active with the Monterey Peninsula Country Club and Church of the Wayfarer, serving on various committees.
His decorations include the Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star, Bronze Star Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Legion of Merit with Oak Leaf Cluster, Order of Nassau with Swords from the Queen of the Netherlands, and Medal for Meritorious Service from Republic of the Philippines.
In September 1994, Thionville honored General Maroun as its Citizen of Honor for the 50th anniversary of the city's liberation, flying him overseas for the celebration.
He is survived by his wife, Francis; stepsons, Michael Lally of New Cumberland, Pa., Bill Lally of Carmel and Robert Lally of Sigonella, Italy; brother, Michael Maroun of Shreveport, La.; and several stepgrandchildren.
His first wife, Amy, and brother, Lawrence, preceded him in death.
Funeral services will be at 2:30 p.m. Thursday at Church of the Wayfarer, Carmel. Inurnment with full military honors will be held at Arlington National Cemetery in October.
Memorial donations may be made to Army Emergency Relief, Building 4260, Presidio of Monterey, Monterey CA 93944 or the American Red Cross. The Paul Mortuary handled arrangements.
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Michael Robert Patterson was born in Arlington and is the son of a former officer of the US Army. So it was no wonder that sooner or later his interests drew him to American history and especially to American military history. Many of his articles can be found on renowned portals like the New York Times, Washingtonpost or Wikipedia.
Reviewed by: Michael Howard