World War II Honoree

Charles J. Coley

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Knoxville, Tennessee

Honored By

Kathy Coley

Relationship

Daughter

SERVED 5 YEARS, 1940-1945. FIRST ASSIGNMENT WAS AS A CAMP GUARD IN TACOMA, WASHINGTON AT A JAPANESE RELOCATION CAMP. TRAINED AS A TANK COMMANDER, SPECIAL SERGEANT. PARTICIPATED IN THE NORMANDY INVASION, JUNE 1944 AND THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE, DECEMBER 1944. WOUNDED OUTSIDE CHERBOURG, FRANCE WHEN HIS TANK RAN OVER A LAND MINE. RECEIVED THE PURPLE HEART AS A RESULT OF HIS PARTICIPATION IN THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE. WHEN THE WAR ENDED IN 1945, HE WAS RECOVERING FROM WOUNDS RECEIVED IN THE BATTLE BULGE AT THE ARMY HOSPITAL IN DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA.