World War II Honoree

Johnny Harold Whisenant

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Gore, Oklahoma

STAFF SERGEANT. INDUCTED ON JULY 27, 1943 AND ENTERED ACTIVE DUTY AT TULSA, OKLAHOMA. INITIALLY ASSIGNED TO THE 70TH INFANTRY DIVISION (THE TRAILBLAZERS) AT CAMP ADAIR, OREGON AND SUBSEQUENTLY ASSIGNED TO THE 323RD REGIMENTAL COMBAT TEAM, 81ST INFANTRY DIVISION (THE WILDCATS). HE WAS A 'WILDCAT' THROUGHOUT THE DIVISION’S SERVICE OVERSEAS. SERVED IN COMBAT AS A RIFLEMAN AND LATER AS A SQUAD LEADER, RISING IN RANK FROM PRIVATE 1ST CLASS TO STAFF SERGEANT. FOLLOWING UNIT TRAINING AT CAMP SAN LUIS OBISPO AND CAMP BEALE, CALIFORNIA, THE DIVISION SHIPPED OUT TO HAWAII IN JUNE AND JULY 1944. AFTER FURTHER UNIT TRAINING IN HAWAII, THE 323RD REGIMENTAL COMBAT TEAM WAS DETACHED FROM THE DIVISION AND PLACED UNDER NAVAL TASK FORCE COMMAND TO OCCUPY ULITHI ISLAND IN SEPTEMBER 1944. ELEMENTS OF THE REGIMENTAL COMBAT TEAM LANDED ON NGULU ATOLL ON OCTOBER 16, WHERE IT DESTROYED ENEMY DEFENSIVE FORCES AND COMPLETED THE OUTFLANKING MANEUVER OF THE MAJOR ENEMY BASE ON YAP ISLAND. ON OCTOBER 18, THE REGIMENTAL COMBAT TEAM SAILED TO REJOIN THE 81ST DIVISION, WHICH WAS THEN ENGAGED IN THE BATTLE FOR PELELIU AND ANGUAR ISLANDS. ORGANIZED RESISTANCE ENDED ON PELELIU, NOVEMBER 27. BETWEEN NOVEMBER 1944 AND JANUARY 1945, THE DIVISION SEIZED PULO ANNA ISLAND, KAYANGEL ATOLL AND PAIS ISLAND. DIVISION ELEMENTS LEFT THE WESTERN PACIFIC INCREMENTALLY IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY FOR A PERIOD OF REHABILITATION AND TRAINING AT NEW CALEDONIA. THE DIVISION LANDED ON LEYTE ISLAND ON MAY 17, 1945 AND PARTICIPATED IN COMBAT OPERATIONS TO LIBERATE THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS UNTIL MID AUGUST 1945. THE DIVISION HAD BEEN SLATED TO PARTICIPATE IN OPERATION OLYMPIC, WHICH WAS TO BE A MASSIVE ASSAULT ON THE JAPAN MAIN ISLANDS. HOWEVER, WITH THE JAPANESE UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER ON V-J DAY, OPERATION OLYMPIC WAS CANCELLED AND THE DIVISION WAS MOVED TO JAPAN ON SEPTEMBER 18, 1945 AS PART OF THE OCCUPATION FORCE. IT PERFORMED OCCUPATION DUTIES IN AOMORI PREFECTURE ON NORTHERN HONSHU ISLAND UNTIL ITS INACTIVATION ON JANUARY 10, 1946. HE LEFT THE DIVISION AND SAILED FROM JAPAN ON DECEMBER 23, 1945. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AT FORT LEAVENWORTH, KANSAS ON JANUARY 13, 1946. HIS AWARDS INCLUDE THE COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE, BRONZE STAR MEDAL, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 2 BRONZE STARS, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, ARMY OF OCCUPATION MEDAL WITH JAPAN SERVICE CLASP AND PHILIPPINE LIBERATION MEDAL WITH 1 BRONZE STAR.