World War II Honoree

Richard Edward 'Dick' Drake, Sr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Morristown, New Jersey

Honored By

J. Madison Drake

Relationship

Son

JOINED THE U.S. ARMY IN 1941 (AGE 17), ENLISTED BEFORE COMPLETING HIS SENIOR YEAR AT MORRISTOWN HIGH SCHOOL IN NEW JERSEY. TRAINED IN KENTUCKY. ASSIGNED TO AN ARMORED DIVISION AND WAS PART OF A SHERMAN TANK CREW THAT WAS SENT TO NORTHERN AFRICA IN APRIL 1942. FROM AFRICA HE WENT TO SICILY AND THEN PARTICIPATED IN THE ITALIAN CAMPAIGN IN THE FIGHTING IN SALERNO, THE BATTLE OF ANZIO AND IN MONTE CASSINO, OUTSIDE OF ROME. FOUGHT WITH HIS UNIT FROM ITALY INTO SOUTHERN FRANCE, WHERE HE SUFFERED BATTLE FATIGUE. HE WAS EVACUATED, TREATED IN ENGLAND FOR LESS THAN 2 MONTHS, RECOVERED AND RETURNED TO COMBAT SUPPORT IN FRANCE. SERVED OVER 3 YEARS IN EUROPE UNTIL THE END OF THE WAR. RETURNED TO THE U.S. IN SEPTEMBER 1945.