World War II Honoree

Walter Clay Cox , Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Lancaster, Kentucky

Honored By

Walter Clay Cox , Jr.

STARTED AS PRIVATE, GRADUATED FORT BENNING, GEORGIA OFFICER CANDIDATE SCHOOL AUGUST 8, 1944 AS 2ND LIEUTENANT. ASSIGNED AS PLATOON LEADER TO THE 70TH INFANTRY DIVISION, 274TH REGIMENT, 2ND BATTALION, COMPANY E, 3RD PLATOON. ENTERED COMBAT ON CHRISTMAS DAY IN ALSACE-LORRAINE AREA IN THE TOWN OF BISCHWILLER, FRANCE. COMMITTED TO COMBAT AT WINGEN, FRANCE DURING THE 2ND BATTLE OF THE BULGE WHEN THE GERMANS TOOK THE TOWN 20 MILES BEHIND OUR FRONT LINES. JANUARY 2 UNTIL JANUARY 7 WE FOUGHT IN SNOW UNTIL WE RETOOK THE TOWN. MY PLATOON WAS THE LEAD PLATOON AND LET 300 45TH DIVISION SOLDIERS OUT OF THE LITTLE CHURCH IN THE MIDDLE OF WINGEN. AFTER THE BATTLE, WE WERE IN THE VOSGES MOUNTAINS UNTIL FEBRUARY WHEN WE MOVED OUT TOWARD SAARBRUCKEN, GERMANY. I WAS MADE EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND THE TWO WEEKS LATER WAS PROMOTED TO 1ST LIEUTENANT AND MADE COMPANY COMMANDER. WE FOUGHT THROUGH STERLING WENDELL, FRANCE AND CROSSED THE SAAR INTO SAARBRUCKEN AND THEN ADVANCE TO KAISERSLAUTEN AND MAINZ. WE STAYED IN OR NEAR THE RHINE RIVER UNTIL THE END OF THE WAR. I WAS THEN TRANSFERRED TO THE 3RD DIVISION, 1ST BATTALION AND BECAME THE BATTALION ADJUTANT AND WAS PROMOTED TO RANK OF CAPTAIN. RETURNED HOME JUNE 25, 1946.