World War II Honoree

Thompson 'Tom' Wallace Close

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Norwich, Vermont

Honored By

Charles Hansen

WENT INTO ARMY AUGUST 20, 1942 AT HANOVER, NEW HAMPSHIRE. TRAINED IN CRYPTOGRAPHY AT SIGNAL CORPS SCHOOL, WARRENTON, VIRGINIA. ASSIGNED CRYPTOGRAPHIC TECHNICIAN ABOARD HEADQUARTERS SHIP, GROUP II, 8TH AMPHIBIOUS FORCE AS ONE OF THE 9TH SIGNAL DETACHMENT. ABOARD USS LEONARD WOOD, HIS UNIT SUPPORTED THE 45TH DIVISION INVASION AT SCOGLITTI, SICILY. ALSO ASSAULT AREA NEAR PUNTA BRACERO. ABOARD USS DUANE, UNIT RECEIVED SECOND BATTLE STAR FOR ATTACKS AT ALGIERS HARBOR. LATER UNIT TRANSFERRED TO USS BISCAYNE AND GOT ANOTHER BATTLE STAR AND UNIT COMMENDATION FOR WORK DURING INVASION OF FRANCE NEAR NAIE DE BUGNON BETWEEN TOULON AND CANNES. UNIT ALSO SAW ACTION AT NAPLES AND SALERNO, ITALY. LATE IN 1944, UNIT WENT TO CENTRAL PACIFIC THEATER AND PATROL OFF ENIWETOK. THREE MORE BATTLE STARS FOR SUPPORT AT SAIPAN, IN THE MARIANA ISLANDS, IWO JIMA AND OKINAWA. SEVENTH, AND FINAL BATTLE STAR AWARDED FOR DUTY AT LEYTE, PHILIPPINES. TOM WAS AWARDED GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, VICTORY MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER CAMPAIGN RIBBON WITH 3 BATTLE STARS, ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER CAMPAIGN RIBBON WITH 4 BATTLE STARS AND THE PHILIPPINE LIBERATION RIBBON. DISCHARGED AT FORT DEVENS, MASSACHUSETTS JANUARY 18, 1946.