World War II Honoree

Lionel Louis Gagnon

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Southbridge, Massachusetts

Honored By

Lionel Louis Gagnon

Relationship

Self

HE SERVED WITH THE 34TH INFANTRY DIVISION IN NORTHERN AFRICA, SICILY AND ITALY IN MULTIPLE CAMPAIGNS. THE 34TH WAS REORGANIZED AS THE 168TH INFANTRY AND THE UNIT RECEIVED THE PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION FOR MOUNT PANTANO AND ARMY STREAMER EMBROIDERED. HE SERVED IN MOUNT PANTANO, ITALY WITH THE 1ST BATTALION, 168TH INFANTRY CITED WD GO 86 IN 1944. HE FROZE HIS LEGS ON MOUNT PANTANO IN ITALY AND WAS ONE OF THE FEW SURVIVORS OF HIS COMPANY DURING THAT CAMPAIGN, IN WHICH THEY WERE ORDERED TO CAPTURE AND HOLD THE GERMAN OBSERVATION POST ON MOUNT PANTANO. HE WAS FLOWN TO AFRICA FOR A 2 MONTH STAY IN THE HOSPITAL. AFTER HIS RECOVERY HE WAS SENT BACK TO ITALY TO BE RETURNED TO HIS DIVISION. UPON EXAMINATION OF HIS LEGS BY 3 DOCTORS, THEY DECIDED TO TRANSFER HIM TO THE 697TH ENGINEERING OUTFIT, WHERE HE PARTICIPATED IN THE INVASION OF SOUTHERN FRANCE BY CONVOY OF SHIPS. HIS OUTFIT, THE 697TH ENGINEERS, BUILT OVER A 1000 MILES OF PIPELINE ACROSS FRANCE INTO GERMANY. HE ALSO SERVED AS AN INTERPRETER IN FRANCE DURING THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE. HE THEN WENT BACK TO THE 697TH ENGINEERING OUTFIT.