World War II Honoree

John Morgan 'Jack' Amick

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Jefferson, Grant County, Oklahoma

Honored By

OAMC, ROTC Fire Station Gang

HE WAS A COLLEGE STUDENT WHEN THE JAPANESE ATTACKED PEARL HARBOR, TERRITORY OF HAWAII ON DECEMBER 7, 1941. SERVED IN THE ARMY RESERVE OFFICER TRAINING CORPS (ROTC) AT OKLAHOMA AGRICULTURAL & MECHANICAL (A&M) COLLEGE AT STILLWATER, OKLAHOMA FROM SEPTEMBER, 1940, TO APRIL 5, 1943. SIMULTANEOUSLY SERVED AS A PRIVATE IN THE ENLISTED RESERVE CORPS (ERC) WITH THE 1875TH SERVICE UNIT FROM JULY, 1942, UNTIL 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. TOOK BASIC TRAINING AT FORT KNOX AT LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY. SENT TO THE ARMY SPECIALIZED TRAINING PROGRAM (ASTP) AT OKLAHOMA A&M COLLEGE WHILE WAITING TO ATTEND OFFICER CANDIDATE SCHOOL (OCS). ASSIGNED TO OCS AT FORT BENNING AT COLUMBUS, GEORGIA. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AS A PRIVATE FIRST CLASS TO ACCEPT AN APPOINTMENT AS AN OFFICER. GRADUATED AND WAS COMMISSIONED A SECOND LIEUTENANT OF INFANTRY. ASSIGNED AS A MACHINE GUN PLATOON LEADER IN A HEAVY WEAPONS COMPANY IN THE 65TH INFANTRY 'BATTLE AXE' DIVISION. STAGED WITH HIS UNIT AT CAMP KILMER AT STELTON, NEW JERSEY, ABOUT DECEMBER 31, 1944, AWAITING OVERSEAS DEPLOYMENT. SAILED OVERSEAS AS PLATOON LEADER WITH HIS REGIMENT FROM THE NEW YORK PORT OF EMBARKATION ABOUT JANUARY 10, 1945. EMBARKED ABOARD THE CONVERTED AND RENAMED TROOP TRANSPORT SHIP USS MONTICELLO (AP-61). THE VESSEL WAS PREVIOUSLY AN ITALIAN LUXURY LINER, THE 'CONTE GRANDE.' THE SHIP ARRIVED AT THE PORT OF LE HAVRE IN NORTHERN FRANCE ON JANUARY 21, 1945. SERVED IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER, IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO), DURING THE WAR AND PARTICIPATED IN THE RHINELAND AND CENTRAL EUROPE CAMPAIGNS. THE DIVISION WAS DELAYED FROM ACTIVE COMBAT BECAUSE ITS EQUIPMENT HAD BEEN SENT AHEAD TO ENGLAND, AND HAD TO BE RE-SHIPPED TO FRANCE. MEANWHILE, THE DIVISION ENGAGED IN TRAINING ACTIVITIES UNTIL EARLY MARCH, 1945, WHEN IT WAS COMMITTED TO COMBAT. THE DIVISION ENTERED GERMANY ON MARCH 20, 1945, AND ADVANCED INTO AUSTRIA ON MAY 4, 1945. HIS DIVISION CLOSED ON THE ENNS RIVER ON MAY 6, 1945, WHERE IT MADE CONTACT WITH THE ADVANCING SOVIET 'RED' ARMY NEAR STRENGBERG, AUSTRIA AS HOSTILITIES ENDED. FOLLOWING THE UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER BY GERMANY ON MAY 7, 1945, AND THE DECLARATION OF THE ALLIED VICTORY IN EUROPE (V-E DAY) ON MAY 8, 1945, HE SPENT ABOUT A YEAR SERVING WITH OCCUPATION FORCES IN AUSTRIA IN MILITARY GOVERNMENT DUTIES. HE WAS LOCATED IN AUSTRIA ON AUGUST 14, 1945, WHEN THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT ACCEPTED THE ALLIED UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER TERMS. WORLD WAR II FORMALLY ENDED ON SEPTEMBER 2, 1945 AND VICTORY OVER JAPAN DAY (V-J DAY) WAS PROCLAIMED. AWARDED THE COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE, BRONZE STAR MEDAL, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 2 BRONZE SERVICE STARS, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, AND ARMY OF OCCUPATION MEDAL. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.