World War II Honoree

Gilbert Madison Neal

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Montgomery, Louisiana

Honored By

Mildred Kyle Neal

Relationship

Wife

INDUCTED AT CAMP LIVINGSTON, LOUISIANA MAY 23, 1942. SENT TO FORT RILEY, KANSAS ATTACHED TO THE 16TH ARMORED FIELD ARTILLERY BATTALION IN THE MEDICAL DETACHMENT. ADVANCED TO TECHNICAL SERGEANT 3RD GRADE, SERVED AS A SURGICAL TECHNICIAN. WENT OVERSEAS TO FIRTH OF CLYDE, SCOTLAND. MOVED ON TO ENGLAND, BOARDED LST, CROSSED THE ENGLISH CHANNEL AND LANDED AT FRANCE AUGUST 1944; ORDERED ON A ROAD MARCH TO THE FRONT LINE POSITIONS IN LUXEMBOURG. DECEMBER 1944 AND JANUARY 1945 HE WAS IN THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE, FOUGHT IN THE ARDENNES, ST. VITH AND BASTOGNE AREA. IT WAS BITTERLY COLD AND THE TROOPS WERE AMBUSHED BY THE 88MM GUNS OF THE GERMAN PANZER TANKS. RAN SHORT OF AMMUNITION AND WERE FORCED TO RETREAT. AFTER THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE, THEY REGROUPED AND EARLY JANUARY 1945 WERE ORDERED TO MOVE TOWARD AACHEN AND COLOGNE, GERMANY, TO THE LUDENDORFF BRIDGE ACROSS THE RHINE RIVER AT REMAGEN, WHICH WAS STILL STANDING. GERMANS HAD BEEN GIVEN ORDERS TO DESTROY IT, BUT THE 9TH ARMORED DIVISION WAS ABLE TO CROSS IT BEFORE IT COLLAPSED. PLACED A LARGE SIGN AT THE BRIDGEHEAD 'CROSS THE RHINE WITH DRY FEET COURTESY OF THE 9TH ARMORED DIVISION'. SEPARATED FROM THE SERVICE DECEMBER 20, 1945 AT CAMP SHELBY, MISSISSIPPI.