World War II Honoree

Damen V. Eining

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Artesian, South Dakota

Honored By

Ralph Bozorth

HE WAS INDUCTED ON MAY 6, 1941 AT FORT CROOK, NEBRASKA. HE WENT ON TO FORT LEAVENWORTH, KANSAS AND THEN TO CAMP WALTERS, TEXAS. HE RECEIVED SIX WEEKS OF BASIC TRAINING IN TEXAS. HE ALSO SPENT SIX WEEKS ATTENDING MECHANICS SCHOOL. HE JOINED THE 804TH TANK DESTROYER BATTALION AT CAMP KILMER, NEW JERSEY. HE LEFT NEW YORK AND LANDED IN IRELAND, WHERE HE RECEIVED THREE MONTHS MORE TRAINING. HE RECEIVED ADDITIONAL SCHOOLING IN ENGLAND. HE WAS SENT TO NORTHERN AFRICA WHERE HE JOINED THE MILITARY POLICE UNIT GUARDING PRISONERS OF WAR ON TWO DIFFERENT TRIPS TO THE U.S. RETURNING TO AFRICA, HE WAS SENT TO ITALY WHERE HE JOINED THE COMBAT ENGINEERS TRAVELING FROM SOUTHERN TO NORTHERN ITALY. FOR TWO YEARS HE SPENT TIME LOCATING MINES AND BUILDING PONTOON BRIDGES. HE SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN THE LIRI VALLEY OF ITALY. RECEIVED FIVE CAMPAIGN STARS AND A PRESIDENTIAL CITATION. HE WAS DISCHARGED WITH A RATING OF TECHNICIAN 4TH CLASS ON JUNE 19, 1945 AT FORT SNELLING, MINNESOTA.