World War II Honoree

Lester Lee Going

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Quay, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

INDUCTED INTO SERVICE MAY 4, 1942. RECEIVED INFANTRY TRAINING AT CAMP WOLTERS AT MINERAL WELLS, TEXAS. GRADUATED FROM PARACHUTIST TRAINING AT FORT BENNING AT COLUMBUS, GEORGIA AND AWARDED 'JUMP WINGS' ON SEPTEMBER 26, 1942. STATIONED IN THE AMERICAN THEATER WITH PARATROOPERS AND PARTICIPATED IN MANEUVERS AT BARKSDALE FIELD, LOUISIANA AND ALLIANCE ARMY AIRFIELD, NEBRASKA IN MARCH, 1943. BEGAN MOVEMENT FOR OVERSEAS DUTY ON NOVEMBER 4, 1943 AND ARRIVED IN ENGLAND WHERE HIS UNIT TRAINED FOR THE D-DAY INVASION OF THE CONTINENT ON JUNE 6, 1944. SERVED IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER WITH THE 507TH PARACHUTE INFANTRY REGIMENT, 17TH AIRBORNE DIVISION, AND WAS WOUNDED IN ACTION. PARTICIPATED IN THE NORMANDY, RHINELAND, ARDENNES-ALSACE (BATTLE OF THE BULGE), AND CENTRAL EUROPE CAMPAIGNS. AWARDED THE COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE, BRONZE STAR MEDAL, PURPLE HEART, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 2 BRONZE ARROWHEADS AND 4 BRONZE SERVICE STARS, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. HIS REGIMENT WAS AWARDED THE PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION FOR EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM IN ACTION ON THE COTENTIN PENINSULA; THE FRENCH CROIX DE GUERRE WITH PALM FOR ACTIONS AT SAINTE MERE EGLISE, AND AGAIN FOR ACTIONS AT COTENTIN. AUTHORIZED PERMANENT WEAR OF THE FRENCH FOURRAGERE FOR HIS UNIT BEING CITED TWICE FOR THE FRENCH CROIX DE GUERRE. CONTINUED IN ARMY SERVICE AFTER THE WAR UNTIL HIS RETIREMENT WITH THE RANK OF SERGEANT MAJOR. ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.