Burton Paul "Pat" Christenson was a machine gunner in Easy Company.
Biography[]
Early life[]
Christenson was born August 24th, 1922 in Oakland, California
WWII[]
He was one of the original members of the company, and served in Normandy, Holland, Belgium, and later in Germany.
Christenson was in Captain Richard Winters' plane on D-day, jumping right behind him. After descending too rapidly, and almost hitting tree, he landed safely in a field, in close proximity to a German AA emplacement. Crouching behind an apple tree he saw movement. Using the cricket provided twice and hearing no response, he prepared to fire. The man turned out to be Pvt. Woodrow Robbins, Christenson's assistant machine-gunner - who had "Lost the clicker part of the cricket". Later the duo ran into Bull Randleman, who had bayonetted a German soldier. The trio then set out to find their company.
Near Foy, he joined a small patrol of Easy Co. men. Upon receiving fire, 1st squad opened fire on German positions. However, Christenson and a few others became separated from the other members of the patrol. Christenson thought the patrol had been decimated, however, he soon located the rest of his company.
Christenson served with Easy Company until the end of the war, mustering out with the remaining members on November 30th, 1945.
Trivia[]
David Webster considered Christenson to be a good singer.[1]
- ↑ David Kenyon Webster, Parachute Infantry, Page 126