World War II Honoree

Russell Gorham

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Arlington County, Virginia

Honored By

Virginia

Relationship

Friend

TECHNICIAN 5TH GRADE. SERVED IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS, 35TH INFANTRY DIVISION, 137TH REGIMENT, COMPANY H/I. INDUCTED JANUARY 26, 1943. DISCHARGED OCTOBER 26, 1945. AWARDED EXPERT RIFLEMAN BADGE, GOOD CONDUCT RIBBON, 2 SERVICE BARS, AMERICAN THEATRE RIBBON, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN RIBBON, SILVER STAR. SERVED IN NORMANDY, NORTHERN FRANCE, ARDENNES, RHINELAND AND CENTRAL EUROPE CAMPAIGNS. ARMY SERVICE NUMBER 36563701. SERVING AS A PRIVATE FIRST CLASS, CAPTURED 2 GERMANY PRISONERS AT THE ELBE RIVER FRONT WITH HIS REGIMENT. HE WAS WITH A SMALL PARTY OF MEN WHO WENT FORWARD TO SPOT AN ADVANCED COMMAND POST LOCATION AND WHILE DOING SO, BECAME CONFRONTED BY A SMALL POCKET OF RESISTING GERMANS. AS THEY WERE WORKING THROUGH A SMALL PATCH OF WOODS, HE NOTICED 2 GERMAN SOLDIERS RUN INTO A BARN. HE DASHED OVER TO THE BARN, ENTERED AND FOUND THE GERMANS SQUIRMING THEIR WAY INTO A HAY PILE. WHEN POKED THEM WITH HIS RIFLE, THE GERMANS HASTILY CAME TO THEIR FEET AND WERE CAPTURED.