Benjamin Hayes Vandy Vandervoort (3 March, 1917 in Gasport, New York - 22 November 1990) was an American soldier with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, who fought in World War II. He was twice awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.After his service as a lieutenant in the infantry, he joined the newly established paratroopers in the summer of 1940. He became a member of the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Airborne Division, when it was created. Capt. Vandervoort was the S-3 of 505th commander Col. James M. Gavin when the regiment was dropped over Sicily during the Operation Husky. Later he was made a company commander in the same regiment. After being promoted on 2 June 1944 to Lieutenant Colonel, he commanded the 2nd Battalion, 505th PIR and led it in the American airborne landings in Normandy and in Operation Market Garden where he led the assault on the Waal Bridge at Nijmegen while the 3rd Battalion, 504th PIR made the assault crossing. General Matthew B. Ridgway described Vandervoort one time as [...] one of the bravest and toughest battle commanders I ever knew.[1] In Goronne he was wounded by mortar fire, so that he was unable to take part in the divisions' pursuit to Germany. In 1946 Vandervoort retired from the U.S. Army. Show less «