World War II Honoree

Kenneth Edgar Pittam

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Denver, Colorado

Honored By

Mary J. Pittam - Wynne

Relationship

Daughter

ACTIVATED TWO DAYS AFTER HIS MOTHER DIED AUGUST 10, 1943. HE WAS PUT ON A TROOP TRAIN AND SHIPPED OUT OF NEW YORK CITY TO ENGLAND. HE WAS ON UTAH BEACH IN THE NORMANDY INVASION, AS WELL AS THE NORTHERN FRANCE CAMPAIGN, ARDENNES, RHINELAND AND ALSO IN THE CENTRAL EUROPE CAMPAIGNS. HE WAS ONE OF THOSE ORDERED TO GO TO THE AID OF TRAPPED U.S. SOLDIERS IN THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE, AND WHILE PARTICIPATING IN A CONVOY DURING THAT CAMPAIGN, A BRIDGE WAS BLOWN UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CONVOY; THEY NEVER SAW ANY OF THEIR FELLOW SOLDIERS WHO WERE CUT OFF BEHIND THEM AGAIN. WHEN HE ARRIVED AT THE ORDERED DESTINATION, AS THE DRIVER OF THE TRUCK HE WAS IN CHARGE OF, HE REPORTED TO THE CAPTAIN FOR ORDERS AS TO WHERE TO UNLOAD. AT THAT TIME, HE LEARNED THAT HE HAD BEEN SPENDING NIGHTS IN FREEZING FOX-HOLES, HAD BEEN SHOT AT, HAD ALMOST BLOWN UP, AND HAD BEEN WILLING TO LAY DOWN HIS LIFE TO GET THE SUPPLIES NEEDED TO SAVE THOSE MEN, AND ALL THIS WAS TO SAFELY DELIVER A PIANO! HE HAD NO IDEA OF WHAT HE WAS HAULING UNTIL HE REPORTED TO THE CAPTAIN. HIS UNIT RECEIVED A UNIT CITATION. DURING THE LIBERATION OF PARIS, HE WAS TRAPPED BY SNIPER FIRE AT THE ARCH DE TRIUMPH, BUT SURVIVED UNWOUNDED. HE HELPED OBTAIN THE PORSCHE FACTORY IN THE STUTTGART, GERMANY AREA, TO BE USED TO REFURBISH EQUIPMENT FOR THE GERMAN PEOPLE AND TO PROCESS U.S. MILITARY PERSONNEL FOR RETURN HOME. HE ASSISTED IN THESE TASKS UNTIL HIS ORDERED RETURN TO FORT LEONARD WOOD, MISSOURI, AND THEN FORT LEVENWORTH, KANSAS FOR HONORABLE DISCHARGE ON MAY 2, 1946 AND RELOCATION TO SIDNEY, NEBRASKA.