Jones jr Henry Sweet “Hank”, born in Buffalo, New York 
on the 27-04-1924 to Helen Susan and Henry Sweet Jones sr. Henry had no siblings. His father had served in the Lafayette Escadrille, 
in World War I. Hank had wanted to follow his father into a military career since he was young. He entered West Point Military Academy in 1941,
earning the rank of 1st Sergeant during his 1st year. After graduating on June 6, 1944, Henry went on to Infantry training at Fort Benning, Georgia, 
and soon transferred to the paratrooper school. He earned his jump wings and was sent to the 13th Airborne Division 
nicknamed “Golden Unicorns” at Camp Mackall, NC. 
under command of Major General Elbridge Gerry Chapman Jr. 
Jones was assigned to a glider unit and also earned his glider wings. In Dec, 44, Hank and 15 other officers were sent overseas to Europe. Hank was assigned to the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment 
of the 101 Airborne Division.
under command of Lieutenant General Robert “Bob”, “Five-Oh-Sink” Sink, 
as a 2nd Lieutenant in Feb, 45, as the unit was deployed to Haguenau. Jones was placed in Easy Company’s 2nd platoon (Band of Brothers) and took part in the patrol across the river Moder on the night of 13-14 Feb. By all accounts he performed well on the patrol, leading one of the squads. He acquitted himself well in combat, earning 3 bronze service stars. He was wounded while leading a patrol but completed his mission successfully and was subsequently awarded the Purple Heart…. Within a week he was promoted to 1st Lieutenant and transferred to regimental staff. He remained with the unit for several months, reaching Adolf Hitler‘s 
Berchtesgaden 
with them. In Sep, 45, Hank requested a transfer to the 508th PIR. 
under command of Major General Roy Ernest Lindquist 
Hank remained with that unit for a year as the Assistant Regimental S-3. He then moved to the 907th CIC Detachment in Aug, 1946, and was assigned to the Berlin region where he was appointed as a field office commander.
Death and burial ground of Jones jr Henry Sweet “Hank”.
Hank was involved in a car accident in 1947. He recovered well except for a minor difficulty. He underwent surgery at the 279th General Hosp in Berlin 
with the view to returning home to the U.S once recovered. But the surgery was not successful and Hank died in the hospital on the evening of 21-07-1947, aged just 23 years. Hank was remembered by the men he served with as a friendly, kind, witty, and intelligent personality. Hank was portrayed by Colin Hanks 
in the episode The Last Patrol Currahee and rest easy,
Jones jr Henry Sweet “Hank” is buried at Arlington National Cemetery, Section 11, Site 44-LH.
Leave a Reply