World War II Honoree

Edward Lee 'Ed' Granstaff

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Stillwater, Oklahoma

Honored By

Marcia L. Livingston Granstaff

Relationship

Wife

SERVED IN THE ARMY RESERVE OFFICER TRAINING CORPS AT OKLAHOMA A&M COLLEGE AT STILLWATER, OKLAHOMA FROM SEPTEMBER, 1939 TO APRIL 5, 1943. SIMULTANEOUSLY SERVED AS A PRIVATE IN THE ENLISTED RESERVE CORPS WITH THE 1875TH SERVICE UNIT FROM JULY 1942 TO APRIL 5, 1943. INDUCTED AND CALLED TO ACTIVE DUTY ON APRIL 6, 1943. REPORTED TO THE RECEPTION CENTER, FORT SILL, AT LAWTON, OKLAHOMA ON APRIL 12, 1943. ASSIGNED TO OFFICER CANDIDATE SCHOOL AT FORT BENNING, AT COLUMBUS, GEORGIA DURING THE PERIOD JUNE 21 TO SEPTEMBER 18, 1943. HONORABLY DISCHARGED ON SEPTEMBER 17, 1943 WITH THE RANK OF CORPORAL TO ACCEPT AN APPOINTMENT AS AN OFFICER. GRADUATED AND COMMISSIONED A 2ND LIEUTENANT IN THE INFANTRY ON SEPTEMBER 18, 1943. TRANSFERRED IN LATE SEPTEMBER TO THE INFANTRY REPLACEMENT TRAINING CENTER, CAMP FANNIN, AT TYLER, TEXAS. ATTACHED TO THE 99TH INFANTRY ‘CHECKERBOARD’ DIVISION AT CAMP MAXEY, AT PARIS, TEXAS AND ASSIGNED TEMPORARY DUTY AS PART OF THE TESTING TEAM TO EVALUATE THE 11TH AIRBORNE DIVISION AT CAMP POLK, AT LEESVILLE, LOUISIANA. TRANSFERRED TO FORT GEORGE G. MEADE AT BALTIMORE, MARYLAND IN EARLY MARCH 1944 AWAITING OVERSEAS DEPLOYMENT AS AN INDIVIDUAL REPLACEMENT; THEN SAILED TO ENGLAND ABOARD THE SHIP ILE DE FRANCE. CROSSED THE ENGLISH CHANNEL ON JUNE 17, 1944 (D-DAY PLUS 11), LANDED IN NORMANDY, FRANCE AND MOVED UNDER COVER OF DARKNESS BY JEEP TO HIS UNIT. SERVED IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER AS 1ST PLATOON LEADER, COMPANY A, 1ST BATTALION, 12TH INFANTRY REGIMENT, 4TH INFANTRY ‘IVY’ DIVISION. COMMITTED TO COMBAT AT 6:30 THE FOLLOWING MORNING IN ATTACKS ON THE COTENTIN PENINSULA TOWARDS CHERBOURG, FRANCE. FOUGHT WITH LEAD ELEMENTS DURING THE ASSAULT AND CAPTURE OF CHERBOURG ON JUNE 22-25, 1944. ATTACKED TOWARD PERIERS ON JULY 6, 1944; BATTLED THROUGH THE HEDGEROWS AND TOOK PART IN OPERATION COBRA, THE BREAKOUT OF THE NORMANDY BEACHHEAD ON JULY 25, 1944. WOUNDED IN ACTION ON AUGUST 3, 1944 DURING AN ATTACK TO SEIZE HIGH GROUND NEAR VILLEDIEU LES POELES, FRANCE. MEDICALLY EVACUATED TO ENGLAND FOR HOSPITALIZATION AND REHABILITATION FOR 2 1/2 MONTHS. REJOINED HIS UNIT IN MID-OCTOBER 1944 IN THE HUERTGEN FOREST, SOUTHEAST OF THE GERMAN BORDER CITY OF AACHEN. FOUGHT IN THE FOGGY COLD OF THE FOREST AND BEAT BACK A STRONG GERMAN COUNTERATTACK THAT CUT OFF REGIMENTAL ELEMENTS IN THE ZWEIFALL, GERMANY AREA ON NOVEMBER 10-15, 1944. HIS REGIMENT SUFFERED HEAVY BATTLE AND NON-BATTLE CASUALTIES DURING OPERATIONS IN THE ‘FOREST OF DEATH’. MEDICALLY EVACUATED IN MID-MARCH 1945 TO BROOKE GENERAL HOSPITAL AT FORT SAM HOUSTON, SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS. PARTICIPATED IN THE NORMANDY, NORTHERN FRANCE AND RHINELAND CAMPAIGNS. AWARDED THE COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE, BRONZE STAR MEDAL, PURPLE HEART, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 3 BRONZE SERVICE STARS AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. HONORABLY DISCHARGED WITH THE RANK OF 1ST LIEUTENANT AT SEPARATION CENTER, FORT SAM HOUSTON, TEXAS ON SEPTEMBER 4, 1946. ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.