World War II Honoree

Francis George Annis

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Grayling, Michigan

Honored By

Michael J. Annis

Relationship

Cousin

INDUCTED INTO THE U.S. ARMY ON JUNE 16, 1943; SENT TO KEESLER FIELD (BILOXI, MISSISSIPPI) FOR BASIC TRAINING. THEN ATTENDED ENGINEERING SCHOOL IN THE ARMY SPECIALIZED TRAINING PROGRAM AT WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY (DETROIT, MICHIGAN) IN THE FALL AND WINTER OF 1943-1944. IN APRIL 1944, HE ATTENDED MORE TRAINING AT CAMP WHITE (MEDFORD, OREGON), AFTER WHICH HE WAS ASSIGNED TO THE 381ST INFANTRY, 96TH DIVISION AND SENT TO HAWAII FOR AMPHIBIOUS AND JUNGLE TRAINING. HIS DIVISION WAS SENT VIA CONVOY TO ENIWETOK IN PREPARATION FOR THE ASSAULT LANDING AT LEYTE (OCTOBER 20, 1944) AND SAMAR ISLAND (JANUARY 4, 1945) IN THE PHILIPPINES. APRIL 1, 1945, AS PART OF THE 2ND WAVE ASSAULT, PARTICIPATED IN THE BATTLE FOR OKINAWA. WAS WOUNDED BY FRAGMENTS FROM A MORTAR SHELL ON MAY 27TH AND ON JUNE 12TH, WAS THE VICTIM OF A SNIPER'S BULLET. SENT TO THE GENERAL HOSPITAL ON GUAM, BUT BY OCTOBER 1945 HAD RECOVERED FROM HIS WOUNDS IN TIME TO HELP IN THE CLEAN-UP OPERATIONS AT MINDORO ISLAND, PHILIPPINES.