World War II Honoree

Anthony J. Ward

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Honored By

Anthony Drane

Relationship

Nephew

EIGHTEEN YEAR OLD RIFLEMAN, PRIVATE FIRST CLASS. FOUGHT WITH THE 12TH ARMORED DIVISION IN THE BATTLE OF THE COLMAR POCKET, WHERE U.S. AND FRENCH TROOPS FORCED THE GERMAN ARMY OUT OF EASTERN FRANCE. HE AND HIS DIVISION ALSO FOUGHT IN GENERAL GEORGE PATTON'S THIRD ARMY IN THE RHINELAND, PUSHING GERMANS OUT OF THE AREA SEIZED BY HITLER'S TROOPS IN 1936. LATER, IN GENERAL ALEXANDER PATCH'S SEVENTH ARMY, HIS DIVISION SEIZED A BRIDGE ON THE DANUBE RIVER AND QUICKLY OVERRAN FIVE CONCENTRATION CAMPS, FREEING THE SURVIVORS AND LIBERATING THOUSANDS OF PRISONERS OF WAR FROM MANY NATIONS. AWARDED THE COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE AND TWO BATTLE STARS BEFORE HE REACHED THE AGE OF NINETEEN.