World War II Honoree

Cecil Leroy Hestand

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Pawnee, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

ENLISTED IN MILITARY SERVICE IN 1941. TRAINED IN THE AMERICAN THEATER AT FORT SILL AT LAWTON, OKLAHOMA; CAMP BARKELEY AT ABILENE, TEXAS; PINE CAMP AT WATERTOWN, NEW YORK; FORT DEVENS AT AYER MASSACHUSETTS; AND CAMP PICKETT AT BLACKSTONE, VIRGINIA. SERVED OVERSEAS IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER WITH THE 45TH INFANTRY ‘THUNDERBIRD’ DIVISION DURING THE WAR, INCLUDING IN NORTH AFRICA; SICILY; ITALY, FRANCE, AND GERMANY. PARTICIPATED IN THE SICILY, NAPLES-FOGGIA, ROME-ARNO, SOUTHERN FRANCE, RHINELAND, AND CENTRAL EUROPE CAMPAIGNS. AWARDED THE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH BRONZE ARROWHEAD (AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT LANDINGS) AND 1 SILVER SERVICE STAR AND 1 BRONZE SERVICE STAR (6 CAMPAIGNS), AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. ALSO AWARDED THE FRENCH CROIX DE GUERRE WITH BRONZE PALM FOR ACTIONS BY HIS DIVISION IN ITALY. HONORABLY DISCHARGED IN 1945 WITH THE RANK OF TECHNICIAN FOURTH GRADE AND AWARDED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.