World War II Honoree

LEO J. BECCARO

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

New York, New York

Honored By

Lynne Beccaro

Relationship

Daughter

DATES OF SERVICE: JANUARY 26, 1943 UNTIL JANUARY 9, 1946 78TH MEDICAL BATTALION, COMPANY C, 8TH ARMORED DIVISION; COMBAT MEDIC; AWARDED: THE BRONZE STAR; THE COMBAT MEDIC BADGE, AMERICAN SERVICE MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN SERVICE MEDAL AND THE WORLD WAR II VICTORY MEDAL. SERVED WITH 8TH ARMORED DIVISION WAS INVOLVED IN THE LIBERATION OF SURVIVORS OF THE LANGENSTEIN CONCENTRATION CAMP. THE 8TH ARMORED LANDED IN FRANCE ON JANUARY 5, 1945 AND ASSEMBLED IN THE VICINITY OF PONT-A-MOUSSON, FRANCE TO ORGANIZE A COUNTERATTACK AGAINST AN EXPECTED ENEMY STRIKE IN THE METZ AREA. ON JANUARY 22ND, AFTER FAILURE OF THE GERMAN ATTACK TO MATERIALIZE, THE DIVISION JOINED THE FIGHTING IN SUPPORT OF THE DRIVE BY THE 94TH INFANTRY DIVISION AGAINST THE SAAR-MOSELLE SALIENT. SIX DAYS LATER, IT WAS RELIEVED AND MOVED NORTH TO THE MAASTRICHT, HOLLAND AREA TO PREPARE FOR PARTICIPATION IN 9TH ARMY'S ATTACK TOWARD THE RHINE. THE DIVISION CROSSED THE RHINE FEBRUARY 27TH AND ASSISTED THE 35TH AND 84TH INFANTRY DIVISIONS IN THEIR PUSH EASTWARD, TAKING TETELRATH, OBERKRUCHTEN, RHEINBERG, AND OSSENBERG AGAINST STUBBORN RESISTANCE. CROSSING THE RHINE AT WESEL MARCH 26TH, THE DIVISION ATTACKED EAST TO HELP FORM THE NORTHERN ARM OF THE RUHR ENCIRCLEMENT.TAKING DORSTEN AND MARL ON MARCH 29TH, IT CROSSED NORTH OF THE LIPPE CANAL ON 1 APRIL AND RACED EAST TO REACH NEUHAUS ON THE 3RD. AT THAT POINT, IT VEERED SOUTH, THEN ATTACKED WEST INTO THE RUHR VALLEY IN AN EFFORT TO HELP ELIMINATE THE RUHR POCKET. IN MID-APRIL, WHEN THE XIX CORPS DRIVE TO THE ELBE WAS THREATENED FROM THE SOUTH, THE DIVISION WAS PULLED OUT AND RUSHED EAST TO PROVIDE RIGHT FLANK PROTECTION AGAINST FANATICAL REMNANTS OF THE GERMAN 11TH PANZER ARMY GROUPING IN THE HARZ MOUNTAINS. ASSEMBLING IN THE VICINITY OF HALBERSTADT, IT ATTACKED SOUTH AGAINST THE GERMAN FORCE, TAKING BLANKENBERG ON THE 20TH OF APRIL, AND SEIZING OTTENSTEDT ON THE 21ST IN THE DIVISION'S LAST COORDINATED ACTION OF THE WAR. IT CONTINUED MOP-UP OPERATIONS AND PERFORMED OCCUPATION DUTY IN THE HARZ MOUNTAIN AREA UP TO AND IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING VE DAY. THEN, IN LATE MAY, IT WAS ORDERED SOUTH TO CZECHOSLOVAKIA TO ASSIST IN PROCESSING PRISONERS OF WAR, OPERATING DISPLACED PERSONS CAMPS AND GUARDING VITAL INSTALLATIONS INCLUDING THE SKODA MUNITIONS WORKS.