World War II Honoree

Thomas B. 'Tom' Giboney, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Tulsa, Oklahoma

Honored By

OAMC, ROTC Fire Station Gang

SERVED IN THE ARMY RESERVE OFFICER TRAINING CORPS AT OKLAHOMA A&M COLLEGE AT STILLWATER, OKLAHOMA FROM SEPTEMBER 1940 TO APRIL 5, 1943. SIMULTANEOUSLY SERVED AS A PRIVATE IN THE ENLISTED RESERVE CORPS 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 INFANTRY BASIC TRAINING AT CAMP ROBERTS AT SAN MIGUEL, CALIFORNIA, WAS PROMOTED TO PRIVATE FIRST CLASS, AND SENT TO THE ARMY SPECIALIZED TRAINING PROGRAM AT OKLAHOMA A&M COLLEGE FOR 8 MONTHS WHILE WAITING TO ATTEND OFFICER CANDIDATE SCHOOL. ASSIGNED TO OFFICER CANDIDATE SCHOOL AT FORT BENNING, AT COLUMBUS, GEORGIA. HONORABLY DISCHARGED ON AUGUST 28, 1944 TO ACCEPT AN APPOINTMENT AS AN OFFICER. GRADUATED AND WAS COMMISSIONED A SECOND LIEUTENANT OF INFANTRY ON AUGUST 29, 1944. STAGED AT CAMP KILMER AT STELTON, NEW JERSEY ON NOVEMBER 16, 1944 AWAITING OVERSEAS DEPLOYMENT. SAILED AS PLATOON LEADER WITH HIS REGIMENT FROM NEW YORK PORT OF EMBARKATION ON NOVEMBER 25, 1944. SERVED IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER WITH 1ST BATTALION, 232ND INFANTRY REGIMENT, 42ND INFANTRY 'RAINBOW' DIVISION. LANDED AT MARSEILLE, FRANCE ON DECEMBER 7, 1944 AND WAS ORGANIZED AS PART OF TASK FORCE LINDEN. ENTERED COMBAT NEAR STRASBOURG, FRANCE ALONG THE RHINE RIVER ON DECEMBER 24, 1944 AND HIS UNIT WAS SUBJECTED TO STRONG GERMAN COUNTERATTACKS IN JANUARY 1945. ENTERED COMBAT WITH HIS DIVISION ON FEBRUARY 14, 1945 AND TOOK UP DEFENSIVE POSITIONS NEAR HAGUENAU, FRANCE IN THE HARDT MOUNTAINS. IN MARCH 1945, TOOK PART IN THE ATTACK ON THE WEST WALL AT BARENTHAL, CROSSED THE RHINE RIVER INTO GERMANY, AND PUSHED TOWARD THE WURZBURG REGION. HIS UNIT BATTLED IN THE WERTHEIM MARKTHEIDENFELD AREA AND FORCED A CROSSING AT HOMBURG ON APRIL 2, 1945. FOUGHT IN THE BATTLE FOR THE CITY OF SCHWEINFURT FROM APRIL 8-12, 1945; FOUGHT HOUSE-TO-HOUSE AT FURTH UNTIL IT FELL ON APRIL 19, 1945; THEN ATTACKED NURNBERG AND DROVE SOUTH TOWARD THE DANUBE RIVER, ESTABLISHED BRIDGEHEADS OVER IT, AND PUSHED ON TO MUNICH. PARTICIPATED IN THE RHINELAND, ARDENNES-ALSACE (BATTLE OF THE BULGE) AND CENTRAL EUROPE CAMPAIGNS. AWARDED THE COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE, BRONZE STAR MEDAL, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 3 BRONZE SERVICE STARS, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, AND ARMY OF OCCUPATION MEDAL. HONORABLY DISCHARGED WITH THE RANK OF FIRST LIEUTENANT AT FORT SAM HOUSTON, SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS ON SEPTEMBER 5, 1946. ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.