World War II Honoree

George Harold Fitch

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Cincinnati, Ohio

Honored By

Donald Fitch

Relationship

Son

SERIAL # 35-263-758, DRAFTED JANUARY 27, 1942; HONORABLE DISCHARGE MAY 16, 1945. 525TH ORDNANCE HEAVY MAINTENANCE TANK COMPANY. EGYPT, LIBYA, NAPLES-FOGGIA, ROME-ARNO CAMPAIGNS. EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER RIBBON, WITH 3 BRONZE STARS, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL. 5TH ARMY EFFICIENCY AWARD. FORMED UP IN FORT MEAD, MASSACHUSETTS. SHIPPED OUT ON QUEEN MARY JUNE 11, 1942 FOR 34 DAYS WITH 10K 1ST ARMOR DIVISION. 1ST ARMORED DIVISION DISEMBARKED AT GLASGOW, SCOTLAND. 525TH CONTINUED TO CAPE TOWN WITH 12K BRITISH 8TH ARMY TROOPS, BUT PASSED TO SIMONS TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA. BURIED 525TH FIRST CASUALTY IN RED SEA. DISEMBARKED EITHER CAIRO OR TUNICK, EGYPT WITH A NICE AIR RAID WELCOME. LOANED SERVICE TO THE 8TH ARMY ON LEND, LEASE TANKS. ONE EARLY ACTIVITY WAS WELDING RIVETS ON GRANT TANKS. LATER EVACUATING TO ASMARA, ETHIOPIA AND THEN FOLLOWED THE 8TH BACK THROUGH EGYPT. NOVEMBER 1944 LANDED AT ANZIO, ITALY WITH THE 5TH ARMY. PROCEEDED AS FAR AS FLORENCE, ITALY WHEN RECEIVED 30 DAY REPLACEMENT AND REPAIR IN THE STATES. GOT 30 MORE REPLACEMENT AND REPAIR DAYS AND THE WAR ENDED WITH GERMANY AND MUSTERED OUT WITH 89 POINTS. THE 5TH ARMY WAS THE ONLY ARMY FORMED IN THE FIELD UNDER GENERAL MARK TIME CLARK.