World War II Honoree

Robert H. Harry

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Ralston, Oklahoma

Honored By

Francille Luken Harry

Relationship

Wife

FIRST LIEUTENANT. SWORN INTO THE U.S. ARMY IN STILLWATER, OKLAHOMA IN APRIL 1943 WHILE A STUDENT AT OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY. ATTENDED OFFICER CANDIDATE SCHOOL IN FORT BENNING, GEORGIA AND WAS COMMISSIONED A 2ND LIEUTENANT. SENT TO CAMP MCCALL, NORTH CAROLINA, WAITING FOR FURTHER TROOP ORDERS, AND THEN SENT TO FORT JACKSON, SOUTH CAROLINA, 87TH INFANTRY DIVISION, AS A PLATOON LEADER, FOR FURTHER TRAINING. SENT BACK TO FORT BENNING FOR 13 WEEK COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER COURSE AND RECEIVED ORDERS FOR ENGLAND. TRANSPORTED TO MANCHESTER, ENGLAND WITH 18,000 MEN ON QUEEN ELIZABETH SHIP, AND PROMOTED ON BOARD SHIP TO 1ST LIEUTENANT. WENT INTO COMBAT AT METZ, FRANCE, AND QUICKLY BECAME EXECUTIVE OFFICER BECAUSE OF THE SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF CASUALTIES IN THE COMPANY. BECAME COMPANY COMMANDER 2 WEEKS LATER WHEN COMPANY COMMANDER WAS KILLED. FOUGHT IN DEEP SNOW AND INTENSE COLD, WHILE EXTREMELY LOW ON AMMUNITION, FOOD, GAS, WEAPONS AND PROPER CLOTHING. SEVERELY WOUNDED IN LASHAM, BELGIUM DURING THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE. WHEN OUT ON RECONNAISSANCE, JEEP HIT A MINE AND HONOREE SUFFERED 23 FRACTURES AND LOST RIGHT LEG. HOSPITALIZED IN ENGLAND, CALIFORNIA AND UTAH, UNTIL DISCHARGED IN APRIL 1946. SEPARATED FROM ACTIVE DUTY IN UTAH. AWARDED THE BRONZE STAR, THE PURPLE HEART, THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER RIBBON WITH 3 BATTLE STARS (FOR BATTLE OF EUROPE, BATTLE OF GERMANY AND THE BATTLE OF ARDENNES) AND THE WWII VICTORY MEDAL.