World War II Honoree

Robert Eugene 'Bob' Daugherty

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Stillwater, Oklahoma

Honored By

Thelma B. Schroeder Daugherty

Relationship

Wife

SERVED IN THE ARMY RESERVE OFFICER TRAINING CORPS AT OKLAHOMA A&M COLLEGE AT STILLWATER, OKLAHOMA FROM SEPTEMBER 1939 TO APRIL 1943. ENTERED ACTIVE SERVICE IN APRIL 1943 AND WAS ASSIGNED TO OFFICER CANDIDATE SCHOOL AT FORT BENNING IN COLUMBUS, GEORGIA. GRADUATED IN SEPTEMBER 1943 AND COMMISSIONED A SECOND LIEUTENANT OF INFANTRY; SPENT 1 YEAR THERE AS AN INFANTRY INSTRUCTOR. SHIPPED OVERSEAS TO ENGLAND AS AN INDIVIDUAL REPLACEMENT IN SEPTEMBER 1944 ABOARD THE 'MAURITANIA'. STAGED IN ENGLAND AND THEN LANDED AT OMAHA BEACH IN NORMANDY, FRANCE IN EARLY NOVEMBER. MOVED VIA RAIL IN A 40-8 BOXCAR TO BELGIUM AND JOINED COMPANY I, 3RD BATTALION, 26TH INFANTRY 'BLUE SPADER' REGIMENT, 1ST INFANTRY 'BIG RED ONE' DIVISION IN THE HUERTGEN FOREST AROUND THANKSGIVING DAY. SUBSEQUENTLY SERVED AS A PLATOON LEADER, COMPANY EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND COMPANY COMMANDER. THE DAY AFTER JOINING HIS UNIT, TOOK PART IN A DAYLIGHT ATTACK TO OPEN A MAIN ROAD AND TAKE THE GERMAN TOWN OF JUNGERSDORF. WHEN THE TOWN WAS SECURED, HE WAS THE ONLY OFFICER IN HIS COMPANY THAT HAD NOT BEEN KILLED OR WOUNDED. IN MID-DECEMBER, FOUGHT ON THE NORTHEAST SECTOR OF THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE IN THE ARDENNES FOREST AT THE BATTLE FOR BUTGENBACH, BELGIUM. LATER, PARTICIPATED IN COMBAT OPERATIONS TO SEIZE BULLINGEN, CROSSED THE RHINE RIVER INTO GERMANY AND ATTACKED TO ENLARGE THE REMAGEN BRIDGEHEAD, THEN FORCED THE WESER RIVER ATTACKING TOWARD EINBECK. ON APRIL 16, 1945 DURING OPERATIONS IN THE HARZ MOUNTAINS, NEAR ALTENKIRCHEN, WAS AMBUSHED BY A GERMAN PATROL, WOUNDED AND TAKEN PRISONER OF WAR. FOUR DAYS LATER, WHILE BEING TREATED IN A GERMAN FIELD HOSPITAL, WAS REPATRIATED BY HIS BATTALION, EVACUATED TO AN AID STATION AND THEN A HOSPITAL IN PARIS, FRANCE. RETURNED TO THE U.S. AFTER GERMANY SURRENDERED AND RECUPERATED FROM HIS WOUNDS IN WINTER GENERAL HOSPITAL, TOPEKA, KANSAS AND BROOKE GENERAL HOSPITAL, SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS. AWARDED THE COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE, BRONZE STAR MEDAL, PURPLE HEART, PRISONER OF WAR MEDAL, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 3 BRONZE SERVICE STARS (RHINELAND, ARDENNES-ALSACE, CENTRAL EUROPE) AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. HONORABLY DISCHARGED WITH THE RANK OF CAPTAIN AT FORT SAM HOUSTON IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS IN LATE DECEMBER 1946. ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.