Harry A. "Paddy" Flint

Colonel Harry Albert "Paddy" Flint (February 12, 1888 – July 24, 1944) was an officer of the United States Army who served with distinction during World War II. Although at 56 years of age he was considered older than what was acceptable for field-grade front-line infantry officers, he is most known for leading the 39th Infantry Regiment from its service in Sicily from July 1943 until he was mortally wounded six weeks after the Normandy landings in June 1944.

Early life Harry Albert Flint was born in St. Johnsbury, Vermont, on February 12, 1888, the third of seven children born to Mabel and Charles G. Flint. Inspired by stories of returning veterans of the Spanish–American War, by age 11 he was decided upon a military career. He took the entrance examination for the United States Military Academy and scored well, but there were no vacancies, so he did not receive an appointment. and professor of military science at the New Mexico Military Institute. In a letter to his wife Beatrice, written on June 17, 1944, Patton wrote, prophetically: "Paddy is in and took a town. He expects to be killed and probably will be."

Flint led his regiment during continued fighting in Sicily, including the Battle of Troina, for which he received the Distinguished Service Cross.

AAA-O The 39th Infantry Regiment's slogan, "Anything, Anytime, Anywhere - Bar Nothing", also known as the Triple-A Bar Nothing slogan, was given to the regiment by Colonel Flint. This slogan, in which the regiment took great pride, was displayed on their helmets and vehicles, even in combat. Using such readily identifiable markings was against orders, as they could give the enemy valuable intelligence as to the units and leaders they faced in battle, but Flint disregarded the risk, declaring, "The enemy who sees our regiment in combat, if they live through the battle, will know to run the next time they see us coming." When Flint received command of the regiment it was somewhat of a lackluster outfit, but his enthusiasm, coupled with the slogan, helped to turn it around.

The AAA-O slogan also showed up in a strange stamp cancellation that had some people wondering what on earth it meant. Apparently, Paddy's 39th Infantry had so impressed the German forces that they used the unit's slogan/logo on a pseudo-cancellation on a propaganda postage stamp. An article by Jerry Jensen, , explains the story.

Normandy invasion The 9th Division, of which Flint's 39th Infantry Regiment formed an integral part, took no part in the fighting in Italy which followed in the wake of the campaign in Sicily, and was instead withdrawn to the United Kingdom to prepare for the Allied invasion of Normandy, then scheduled for the spring of 1944. Flint continued to command his regiment throughout this period of no action and in the fighting in Normandy after arriving on Utah Beach on 10 June 1944, four days after the Normandy landings began. He became known for his "lead from the front" style and fearless demeanor; he was thrice awarded the Silver Star for heroism in France.

On July 23, 1944, the 39th Infantry was advancing on the Saint-Lô-Périers road when it was held up by heavy mortar fire. Leading from his customary place on the front, Flint and a rifle patrol soon discovered a German pillbox. Flint reported the location by radio and called for tank support. When the tank arrived, Flint rode atop it as it sprayed the hedgerows with machine gun fire. After the tank driver was wounded, Flint dismounted and continued to advance with the rifle patrol.

Death and burial The grave of Colonel Harry A. "Paddy" Flint at Arlington National Cemetery

Flint was hit by a sniper's bullet as led the patrol into the shelter of a farmhouse during the fighting on the Saint-Lô-Périers road. Medical aid men and stretcher bearers evacuated him to a treatment area behind the lines, where Flint died the following day. He was buried at United States Military Cemetery No. 2 in Ste-Mere-Eglise, France. In 1948, Flint was reinterred at Section 2, Site 310 of Arlington National Cemetery. For the action in which he was killed, Flint received a second award of the DSC, the citation for which reads:

Family In August 1912, Flint married Sallie Helena Emery of Chelsea, Vermont, whom he met while both were students at St. Johnsbury Academy. They were the parents of a daughter, Sallie.