Thomas Moffatt Burriss (September 22, 1919 – January 4, 2019) was an American businessman and politician in the state of
South Carolina
)'' Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no)
, anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind"
, Former = Province of South Carolina
, seat = Columbia
, LargestCity = Charleston
, LargestMetro = ...
.
Biography
Burriss was born in Anderson, South Carolina and received his bachelor's degree from
Clemson University
Clemson University () is a public land-grant research university in Clemson, South Carolina. Founded in 1889, Clemson is the second-largest university in the student population in South Carolina. For the fall 2019 semester, the university enr ...
, He served in the
South Carolina House of Representatives
The South Carolina House of Representatives is the lower house of the South Carolina General Assembly. It consists of 124 representatives elected to two-year terms at the same time as U.S. congressional elections.
Unlike many legislatures, seati ...
as a member of the
Republican Party from 1977 to 1992, representing
Richland County, South Carolina. He was a general contractor, and was a veteran of
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
.
World War II
Burriss served in the United States Army and achieved the rank of captain. It was reported that he pointed a gun at a British Tank Commander's head after stopping at a failed assault of a bridge, the British Tank Commander hid on the tank and closed the hatch. He participated in ''
Operation Market Garden'' and came regularly to the Netherlands for commemorations of World War II. In 2009 he received the ''Zilveren Stadspenning''; an award of the city of
Nijmegen. The award was for the
82nd Airborne Division, in which he served. The actions of Burriss and the 82nd Airborne Division in Operation Market Garden was the inspiration for the movie ''
A Bridge Too Far'' (1977).
SC veteran who 'delivered freedom to people around the world' dies Friday
The State, 4 January 2018.. He wrote his war stories down in his memoir "Strike and Hold".
References
External links
Vet, 99, who tricked 15,000 German troops into surrendering at once, dies
Veteran speaks to "Airborne" platoon
Strike and Hold
1919 births
2019 deaths
People from Anderson, South Carolina
Politicians from Columbia, South Carolina
Clemson University alumni
Military personnel from South Carolina
Businesspeople from South Carolina
Republican Party members of the South Carolina House of Representatives
20th-century American businesspeople
20th-century American politicians
United States Army personnel of World War II
United States Army officers
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