World War II Honoree

Charles Durning

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Highland Falls, New York

Honored By

Joe Arsena

PRIVATE. HE WAS AWARDED A SILVER STAR, THREE PURPLE HEART MEDALS, AND A GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL. HE WAS DRAFTED INTO THE U.S. ARMY AT THE AGE OF 21, AND LANDED ON D-DAY IN THE NORMANDY INVASION ON JUNE 6, 1944. HE WAS IN THE 1ST INFANTRY DIVISION 'THE BIG RED ONE' AT THE TIME. ON OMAHA BEACH, HE WAS AMONG THE FIRST TROOPS TO LAND. DRAFTED EARLY IN THE WAR, HE WAS FIRST ASSIGNED AS A RIFLEMAN WITH THE 398TH INFANTRY REGIMENT, BUT LATER SERVED OVERSEAS WITH THE 3RD ARMY SUPPORT TROOPS AND THE 386TH ANTI-AIRCRAFT ARTILLERY (AAA) BATTALION. HE WAS WOUNDED BY AN “S” MINE ON JUNE 15, 1944, AT LES MARE DES MARES. HE WAS TRANSPORTED BY THE 499TH MEDICAL COLLECTION COMPANY TO THE 24TH EVACUATION HOSPITAL. BY JUNE 17, HE WAS BACK IN ENGLAND AT THE 217TH GENERAL HOSPITAL. ALTHOUGH SEVERELY WOUNDED BY SHRAPNEL IN THE LEFT AND RIGHT THIGH, RIGHT HAND, THE FRONTAL REGION OF THE HEAD AND THE INTERIOR LEFT CHEST WALL, HE RECOVERED QUICKLY AND WAS DETERMINED TO BE “FIT FOR DUTY” ON DECEMBER 6, 1944. HE WAS PRESENT FOR THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE. HE WAS TAKEN PRISONER DURING THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE, AND WAS ONE OF THE FEW SURVIVORS OF THE INFAMOUS MALMEDY MASSACRE OF AMERICAN POWS, PERPETRATED BY A BATTLEGROUP UNDER JOACHIM PEIPER OF THE 1ST SS DIVISION LEIBSTANDARTE SS ADOLF HITLER. HE ESCAPED WITH TWO OTHERS, AND RETURNED TO FIND THE REMAINDER MURDERED. AFTER BEING WOUNDED IN THE CHEST HE WAS REPATRIATED TO THE UNITED STATES WHERE HE REMAINED IN ARMY HOSPITALS, RECEIVING TREATMENT FOR BOTH PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WOUNDS, UNTIL DISCHARGED WITH THE RANK OF PRIVATE FIRST CLASS ON JANUARY 30, 1946.