World War II Honoree

Troy L. Pickering

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Flora, Illinois

Honored By

Robert Medley Gatewood

ENTERED ACTIVE SERVICE AS A DRAFTEE ON 12 MARCH 1942 AT EAST SAINT LOUIS, ILLINOIS. AFTER BASIC TRAINING, ASSIGNED TO COMPANY C, 325TH INFANTRY REGIMENT. BASED AT CAMP CLAIBORNE, LOUISIANA AND QUALIFIED FOR THE MILITARY OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTY OF PLATOON SERGEANT. DEPARTED THE CONTINENTAL U.S. ON 29 APRIL 1943 WITH ADVANCE ELEMENTS OF HIS UNIT BOUND FOR THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS. ENTERED COMBAT DURING THE SICILIAN CAMPAIGN WITH HIS UNIT RE-DESIGNATED AS THE 325TH GLIDER INFANTRY REGIMENT. FOUGHT THROUGH THE NAPLES-FOGGIA CAMPAIGN AND RELOCATED TO NORTHERN IRELAND WITH THE 82ND AIRBORNE DIVISION TO PREPARE FOR THEIR ROLE IN OPERATION OVERLORD. ON 7 JUNE 1944 LANDED BY GLIDER ON THE COTENTIN PENINSULA AS PART OF THE NORMANDY COASTAL ASSAULT FORCE AND WAS REPORTED MISSING IN ACTION ON THE NEXT DAY. LIBERATED FROM AN EASTERN GERMANY PRISONER OF WAR CAMP BY RUSSIAN FORCES AFTER 10 MONTHS AND RETURNED TO HOMETOWN ON LEAVE ON 25 APRIL 1945. EARNED A DISTINGUISHED UNIT BADGE, COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE, THE GLIDER BADGE, THE AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 3 BRONZE BATTLE STARS, THE WWII VICTORY MEDAL AND THE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AS A TECHNICAL SERGEANT ON 12 JULY 1945 AT FORT SHERIDAN, ILLINOIS.