World War II Honoree

Harold Wasserman Dressler

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Cleveland, Ohio

Honored By

Richard E. Manzer

DRAFTED IN 1943 AND SELECTED FOR SERVICE WITH THE ENGINEERS. SENT TO THE CITADEL IN CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA FOR TRAINING. FOLLOWING THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE, HIS TRAINING WAS ABRUPTLY HALTED AND HE WAS QUICKLY TRAINED AS A FORWARD OBSERVER FOR THE ARTILLERY, SPECIFICALLY A CHEMICAL MORTAR BATTALION. HE WENT OVERSEAS WITH THE 97TH CHEMICAL MORTAR BATTALION AND WAS ASSIGNED TO THE 3RD ARMY. WHEN HE ARRIVED AT THE FRONT LINES NEAR NUREMBERG IN THE BLACK FOREST, HE WAS CONVERTED TO A MEDIC. HE WAS THERE WHEN THE WAR IN EUROPE ENDED. HE WAS TRANSFERRED TO THE 154TH ENGINEERS COMBAT GROUP AND WAS SENT BACK TO THE STATES TO PREPARE FOR THE INVASION OF JAPAN. HE WAS IN CAMP WAITING FOR MOBILIZATION ORDERS WHEN HE HEARD THAT JAPAN SURRENDERED.