World War II Honoree

Arthur Lawrence Wedding

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Covington, Kentucky

Honored By

Jeffrey & Amanda Wedding

Relationship

Grandchildren

ARTHUR L. WEDDING WAS ORDERED TO REPORT THROUGH THE SELECTIVE SERVICE AND WAS INDUCTED INTO THE UNITED STATES ARMY ON APRIL 7, 1941 AT FT. THOMAS, KENTUCKY. HE WAS ASSIGNED TO THE 149TH INFANTRY REGIMENT, PART OF THE 38TH DIVISION. AFTER BASIC TRAINING ARTHUR COMPLETED SIGNAL SPECIALIST SCHOOL AS A WIRE SPECIALIST IN MAY OF 1941, AND SUBSEQUENTLY WAS TRANSFERRED TO THE HEADQUARTERS BATTERY, 2ND BATTALION OF THE 138TH FIELD ARTILLERY. THE 138TH F.A. SPENT THE SUMMER OF 1941 UNDERGOING TRAINING AND PARTICIPATING IN MILITARY MANEUVERS. IN LATE 1941 THE 138TH WAS ORDERED TO MOVE TO CALIFORNIA AND PREPARE FOR DEPLOYMENT TO THE PACIFIC. ON DECEMBER 5, 1941 ARTHUR BOARDED A TROOP SHIP IN SAN FRANCISCO AND SAILED FOR HAWAII. THIRTY-SIX HOURS LATER, FOLLOWING THE ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOR, THE SHIP RETURNED TO SAN FRANCISCO. THE UNIT SAILED AGAIN ON DECEMBER 16, FINALLY ARRIVING IN HAWAII ON DECEMBER 21, 1941. THE 138TH F.A. WAS GARRISONED AT SCHOFIELD BARRACKS DURING THE SPRING OF 1942 AND BEGAN TRAINING FOR COMBAT IN THE PACIFIC. IN JUNE, THE ARTILLERY UNIT SPLIT, WITH ARTHUR AND HALF THE OTHER MEN TRANSFERRED TO FORM THE 198TH FIELD ARTILLERY. TRAINING WITH THE ARMY ARTILLERY CONTINUED UNTIL ARTHUR TRANSFERRED TO THE 101ST SIGNAL BATTALION IN DECEMBER 1943, ULTIMATELY BECOMING A MEMBER OF THE 75TH JOINT ASSAULT SIGNAL COMPANY (JASCO), THE UNIT IN WHICH HE WOULD SERVE THE REMAINDER OF HIS TIME IN UNIFORM. ARTHUR WAS PROMOTED TO THE RANK OF TECHNICIAN 3RD GRADE BY THIS TIME. THE 75TH JASCO WAS ASSEMBLED AS A COMPACT UNIT THAT COULD COORDINATE WITH THE VARIOUS SERVICE BRANCHES THAT WOULD BE INVOLVED IN AMPHIBIOUS OPERATIONS, EXPEDITING COMMUNICATIONS. JASCO UNITS WERE COMPOSED OF ARMY SIGNAL CORPS MEMBERS WITH NAVAL AND AIR-TO-GROUND LIAISON SUPPORT OFFICERS WHO COMMUNICATED WITH AND SPOTTED NAVAL GUNFIRE. THIS WAS UNIQUE TO AMPHIBIOUS WARFARE IN THE PACIFIC, AS NAVAL GUNFIRE AND AIR UNITS SUPPORTED GROUND OPERATIONS BEYOND THE BEACHHEADS FOR EXTENDED PERIODS BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER A LANDING. IN EUROPE, SUPPORT WAS QUICKLY ASSUMED BY ARMY ARTILLERY AND AIR FORCES OPERATING FROM NEARBY LAND BASES. THE 75TH WAS ATTACHED TO THE 7TH INFANTRY DIVISION AND THE 43RD INFANTRY DIVISION, PARTICIPATING IN THE FOLLOWING CAMPAIGNS: SOUTHERN PHILIPPINES, LUZON, LEYTE, NEW GUINEA, THE EASTERN MANDATES AND RYUKYUS ISLANDS. ARTHUR WAS AWARDED THE BRONZE STAR WITH LETTER V DEVICE FOR MERITORIOUS SERVICE IN CONNECTION WITH MILITARY OPERATIONS AGAINST THE ENEMY ON JANUARY 10 TO 12, 1945 IN THE VICINITY OF HILL 585, LUZON, THE PHILIPPINES. HE WAS WOUNDED IN ACTION ON HIS BIRTHDAY IN APRIL OF 1945 ON OKINAWA; SHRAPNEL FROM A JAPANESE ARTILLERY SHELL STRUCK HIM IN THE RIGHT HAND AND JAW BUT HE REMAINED ON DUTY FOLLOWING TREATMENT BY A COMBAT MEDIC. WHILE STILL ON OKINAWA IN MAY, ARTHUR WAS PULLED FROM THE FRONT. THE ARMY HAD INSTITUTED A READJUSTMENT PROGRAM WHICH RELIEVED VETERANS BASED ON A POINTS SYSTEM, WITH A MINIMUM OF 85 POINTS REQUIRED. ARTHUR HAD ACCRUED 120, AND WAS AMONG THE FIRST GROUP OF MEN IN THE 43RD DIVISION ROTATED HOME FROM THE PACIFIC THEATER OF THE WAR. ARTHUR RECEIVED AN HONORABLE DISCHARGE AT CAMP ATTERBURY, INDIANA, ON JUNE 15, 1945. IN ADDITION TO THE BRONZE STAR AND PURPLE HEART MEDALS, ARTHUR WAS AWARDED THE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL WITH FOREIGN SERVICE CLASP, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH BRONZE ARROWHEAD AND SILVER CAMPAIGN STAR DEVICES, WORLD WAR II VICTORY MEDAL, PHILIPPINE LIBERATION MEDAL WITH TWO BRONZE STAR DEVICES, AND THE PHILIPPINE PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION.