World War II Honoree

Thomas Edward Ennis

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Chicago, Illinois

Honored By

Kevin H. Ennis

Relationship

Son

HE SPENT 3 YEARS AS AN ENLISTED MAN FROM 1940-1943, SERVING IN DEMOLITIONS. THEN HE ENTERED AND GRADUATED FROM OFFICER CANDIDATE SCHOOL WITH THE RANK OF SECOND LIEUTENANT. HE WAS LATER PROMOTED TO FIRST LIEUTENANT. HE SERVED IN THE TRANSPORTATION CORPS, PARTICIPATED IN THE INVASION AT NORMANDY BEACH, FRANCE FOR WHICH HE WAS HONORED WITH THE JUBILEE OF LIBERTY MEDAL PRESENTED TO HIM BY SENATOR CAROL MOSELEY-BRAUN ON BEHALF OF FRANCE. HE ALSO SERVED AS AN OFFICER IN ANTI-AIRCRAFT ARTILLERY IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER. HE HAD OTHER DUTIES AS WELL, INCLUDING TRAINING TROOPS IN WEAPONS HANDLING. HE RECEIVED THE PURPLE HEART, THE BRONZE STAR, THE COMBAT INFANTRYMAN MEDAL, THE EUROPEAN THEATER MEDAL AND WAS A MARKSMAN WITH THE RIFLE, MACHINE GUN, SUBMACHINE GUN AND THE GRENADE. HE SERVED AS AN OFFICER FROM 1943-1946.