World War II Honoree

Edward Paul Fielding, Sr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Shadyside, Ohio

Honored By

April Brewington, Edward P. Fielding, Jr., & Martha Fielding

Relationship

Children

SERVED WITH 39TH REGIMENT, 9TH DIVISION, COMPANY G. A PRE-PEARL HARBOR ENLISTEE, HE WAS TRAINING IN NORTH CAROLINA ON THAT FATAL DAY. FURTHER TRAINING AT NOVA SCOTIA, BELFAST, IRELAND AND GLASGOW HARBOR PREPARED HIM TO BE AMONG THE FIRST HOMETOWN BOYS IN COMBAT. THEIR FIRST MISHAP OCCURRED NOVEMBER 7, 1942 IN THE MEDITERRANEAN ABOUT 200 MILES OUT OF AFRICA. THEIR TRANSPORT SHIP WAS TORPEDOED AND THEY WERE FORCED TO USE SMALL BOATS. ALL WERE LATER PICKED UP BY AN ENGLISH CORVETTE. CAME THROUGH THE AFRICAN WARS, BIZERTE, TUNISIA AND THE KASSERINE PASS WITHOUT INJURY AND WAS THERE WHEN THE GERMANS SURRENDERED. LEAVING AFRICA, THEY LANDED IN GEIA, FIGHTING EVERY INCH OF THE WAY TO MARSELLA, PALERMO, ENNA AND TROINA. ON THE LATE AFTERNOON OF JULY 31, 1943 IN THE SHADOW OF MOUNT ETNA, A MORTAR SHELL KILLED 13 OF THEIR BATTALION AND WOUNDED CORPORAL FIELDING IN THE BACK AND BOTH LEGS. HE RECUPERATED IN ALGIERS AND IN WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, VIRGINIA AND AFTER 7 MONTHS AND 7 DAYS HE RETURNED TO DUTY AT FORT MEADE, MARYLAND. OUTSTANDING INCIDENTS THAT HE RECOLLECTED WERE REVIEWS OF HIS REGIMENT FOR KING GEORGE AND GENERAL MARSHALL. HE HAD TEA WITH GENERAL EISENHOWER AND MET GENERAL PATTON, BUT HE DIDN'T GET TO SEE MR. ROOSEVELT ALTHOUGH HE WAS IN CASABLANCA ABOUT THE SAME TIME AS THAT MOMENTOUS CONFERENCE. PRESENT AT A CELEBRATION OF THE BIRTH OF A BABY IN AFRICA, HE AND HIS BUDDIES WERE RECIPIENTS OF PORTIONS OF THE BABY'S UMBILICAL CORD PRESENTED BY THE NEW MOTHER. CARRIED HIS GOOD LUCK TOKEN WITH HIM THE REST OF HIS LIFE. IN THE SERVICE 4 YEARS, HE WAS ENTITLED TO WEAR PRE-PEARL HARBOR, GOOD CONDUCT, MEDITERRANEAN MEDALS AND THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN RIBBON, PURPLE HEART AND 3 MAJOR CAMPAIGN STARS.