World War II Honoree

Harvey Reed Fraser

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Elizabeth, Illinois

Honored By

Harvey Fraser Jr., Janet & Joan Fraser

Relationship

Son & Daughters

GRADUATED FROM THE U.S. MILITARY ACADEMY IN 1939 AND WAS COMMISSIONED IN THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS. STATIONED AT SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, HAWAII. HE WAS COMMANDING COMPANY A, 3RD ENGINEER COMBAT BATTALION ON DECEMBER 7, 1941, DURING THE JAPANESE ATTACK. HE WAS RETAINED IN HAWAII UNTIL THE THREAT OF A JAPANESE LANDING WAS ALLEVIATED. HE MOVED TO CAMP WHITE, OREGON IN SEPTEMBER 1942. IN JUNE 1943, HE DEPARTED FOR ENGLAND WHERE HE DEVOTED ELEVEN MONTHS WITH HIS REGIMENT TO BUILDING AIRFIELDS IN EASTERN ENGLAND. TWELVE DAYS AFTER THE NORMANDY INVASION, HE ENTERED THE CONTINENT OF EUROPE. ON DECEMBER 13, 1944 HE WAS ASSIGNED TO COMMAND THE 51ST ENGINEER COMBAT BATTALION STATIONED IN MARCHE, BELGIUM. THIS COMMAND PROVED TO BE HIS 'FINEST HOUR.' THREE DAYS AFTER HE TOOK COMMAND OF THE BATTALION, THE GERMAN ARDENNES OFFENSIVE HIT AND HE AND HIS BATTALION WERE SUDDENLY A FRONT LINE UNIT WHERE THEY DISTINGUISHED THEMSELVES FIGHTING AS INFANTRY IN THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE. THE UNIT WAS AWARDED A U.S. PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION AND THE FRENCH UNIT CROIX DE GUERRE CITATION FOR BRAVERY DURING BATTLE. THE 51ST BUILT ONE OF THE FIRST TWO FLOATING BRIDGES ACROSS THE RHINE RIVER AT REMAGEN BEFORE THE LUDENDORFF RAILROAD BRIDGE FELL INTO THE RIVER. HIS BATTALION ALSO BUILT THE FIRST FLOATING BRIDGE ACROSS THE DANUBE RIVER AT INGOLSTADT, GERMANY. AT THE END OF THE EUROPEAN WAR, HE WAS ASSIGNED TO THE ENGINEER SECTION OF THE THIRD U.S. ARMY FOR OCCUPATION AND REHABILITATION DUTIES WHERE HE WORKED FOR GENERAL PATTON FOR FIVE MONTHS. SERVED IN BOTH THE PACIFIC AND ATLANTIC THEATERS, WITNESSED THE JAPANESE ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOR AND FOUGHT IN THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE. DECORATIONS INCLUDE TWO BRONZE STAR MEDALS (ONE WITH A 'V' FOR VALOR) AND TWO LEGIONS OF MERIT.