World War II Honoree

Oscar Robert Freesen, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Bluffs, Illinois

Honored By

Deborah L. Freesen

Relationship

Wife

BASIC TRAINING WAS CAMP STUART, GEORGIA. ALSO RECEIVED SIX WEEKS OF CLERICAL SCHOOL TRAINING AT CAMP STUART. THEN ATTENDED ANTI-AIRCRAFT DIVISION AT FORT BLISS, TEXAS. THEN TO VIRGINIA BEACH, VIRGINIA WITH ANTI-AIRCRAFT DUTIES. HE WAS REASSIGNED TO THE INFANTRY AND SENT TO CAMP MAXEY NEAR PARIS, TEXAS. FROM THERE HE WAS SENT OVERSEAS, DEPARTING FROM NEW YORK ON THE QUEEN ELIZABETH TO GLASGOW, SCOTLAND, TRAVELING THROUGH SCOTLAND AND ENGLAND ON A TRAIN ACROSS THE ENGLISH CHANNEL TO LE HAVRE, FRANCE. BOARDED BOXCARS AND WAS SENT TO BELGIUM FOR ASSIGNMENT TO THE 83RD ARMY INFANTRY, 331ST REGIMENT, COMPANY K, AS REPLACEMENT FOR SOLDIERS THAT HAD BEEN WOUNDED DURING THE BELGIUM BULGE. FROM THERE, ON THE DRIVE TO BERLIN, HE WAS WOUNDED ON APRIL 2, 1945 AND SENT TO A HOSPITAL IN NANCY, FRANCE TO BE TREATED AND RECOVER FROM WOUNDS SUFFERED ON APRIL 2. WAS ABOUT TO BE DISCHARGED AND SENT BACK TO UNIT WHEN HE HAD AN ACUTE APPENDICITIS ATTACK. DURING THE RECOVERY FROM THIS SURGERY, THE WAR IN GERMANY ENDED. DISCHARGED NOVEMBER 1945.