134th Infantry Regiment Website "All Hell Can't Stop Us"

Cpl Homer D Ricker

134th Infantry Regiment - Company H

Homer Dean Ricker Jr, son of Homer Dean and Elsie Margaret (Drysdale) Ricker, was born April 29, 1913 in Lynn, Massachusetts. He married Ethel Lillian Markland in 1935 and the couple had 2 children, a daughter Shirley Elizabeth and a son John. He registered for the draft October 16, 1940. At the time he was working at Manufactures Central National Bank in Lynn, Massachusetts. He joined Company H, 134th Infantry Regiment from the 38th Replacement Battalion as a Machine Gunner on September 20, 1944. The following week, on September 29, 1944, he participated in the rescue of 81 children trapped in a chateau behind enemy lines at Han, France. An article about the rescue known as the "Baby Patrol" appeared in Time Magazine, October 30, 1944. He was promoted to Corporal December 24, 1944. Corporal Homer D Ricker was wounded by artillery shell fragments in the vicinity of Lutrebois, Luxembourg and died of his wounds that same day. He is buried at Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery, Henri-Chapelle, Belgium.

Daily Evening Item, Lynn MA - March 9, 1945

The "Baby Patrol" - Heroes of the 134 Regiment honored in Han, France