World War II Honoree

Raymon Ellis Patton

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Midland, Texas

Honored By

Kathryn Patton Thomson

Relationship

Daughter

ENLISTED AND WAS INDUCTED INTO IN THE U.S. ARMY ON JANUARY 13, 1941 AT FORT BLISS, TEXAS. AS AN ENLISTED MAN, HE ATTAINED THE RANK OF SERGEANT. GRADUATED FROM OFFICER CANDIDATE SCHOOL AT FORT BENNING, GEORGIA AND WAS COMMISSIONED A SECOND LIEUTENANT ON NOVEMBER 5, 1942. IN MAY 1944, HE WAS ASSIGNED TO THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS AND PARTICIPATED IN THE NORMANDY CAMPAIGN. ON JULY 6, 1944, HE WAS SEVERELY WOUNDED IN ACTION AT LA HAYE-DU-PUITS, FRANCE. HE SPENT THE NEXT THREE MONTHS AT VARIOUS HOSPITALS IN FRANCE AND ENGLAND AND WAS REASSIGNED TO WILLIAM BEAUMONT GENERAL HOSPITAL IN EL PASO, TEXAS IN OCTOBER 1944 FOR FURTHER TREATMENT. HE WAS MEDICALLY RETIRED FROM THE ARMY ON FEBRUARY 15, 1946 AT THE RANK OF CAPTAIN. AMONG HIS AWARDS AND DECORATIONS ARE THE COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE, BRONZE STAR MEDAL, PURPLE HEART MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, WORLD WAR II VICTORY MEDAL, AMERICAN DEFENSE MEDAL AND EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER RIBBON WITH 1 BATTLE STAR.