World War II Honoree

Sidney S. Barth

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Los Angeles, California

Honored By

Joseph A. Bligh

Relationship

Division Comrade

JOINED THE 13TH ARMORED 'BLACK CAT' DIVISION AT CAMP BOWIE, TEXAS IN MAY 1944. LANDED IN LE HAVRE, FRANCE IN JANUARY 1945 AND SERVED WITH BATTERY A, 496TH ARMORED FIELD ARTILLERY BATTALION, IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS UNTIL JULY 1945. DELIVERED ARTILLERY SUPPORT FROM FRENCH POSITIONS FOR THE 7TH ARMY'S ATTACK ON THE GERMAN SIEGFRIED LINE. ALSO FOUGHT IN THE 1ST ARMY'S RHINELAND CAMPAIGN (BATTLE OF THE RUHR POCKET) AND THE 3RD ARMY'S CENTRAL EUROPEAN CAMPAIGN (BAVARIA TO AUSTRIA), PROVIDING 105MM FIREPOWER IN SUPPORT OF TANK AND INFANTRY UNITS. RE DEPLOYED TO U.S. TO PREPARE FOR THE 8TH ARMY'S MARCH 1946 INVASION OF HONSHU, JAPAN AND ASSAULT ON TOKYO (OPERATION CORONET). HOWEVER, 2 ATOMIC BOMBS FORCED JAPAN TO SURRENDER ON SEPTEMBER 2, 1945. RECEIVED AN HONORABLE DISCHARGE IN APRIL 1946 FROM CAMP BEALE, CALIFORNIA WHERE HIS DIVISION WAS ACTIVATED 4 YEARS EARLIER.