World War II Honoree

James Ernest 'Jim' Wolfe

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Tulsa, Oklahoma

Honored By

OAMC, ROTC Fire Station Gang

SERVED IN THE ARMY RESERVE OFFICER TRAINING CORPS (ROTC) PROGRAM AT OKLAHOMA AGRICULTURAL AND MECHANICAL COLLEGE (OAMC) 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 AT 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 OAMC FOR 8 MONTHS WHILE WAITING TO ATTEND OFFICER CANDIDATE SCHOOL. SAILED OVERSEAS ABOARD THE CONVERTED LUXURY LINER 'QUEEN ELIZABETH' WHERE HE JOINED THE 5TH INFANTRY 'RED DIAMOND' DIVISION IN FRANCE, AS A MEMBER OF A MACHINE GUN TEAM. SERVED IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER, IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO), DURING THE WAR. PARTICIPATED IN THE RHINELAND, ARDENNES-ALSACE (BATTLE OF THE BULGE), AND CENTRAL EUROPE CAMPAIGNS. HE WAS WOUNDED IN ACTION IN MARCH, 1945, WHEN A GERMAN 88-MM FLAK ANTIAIRCRAFT SHELL EXPLODED IN THE BUILDING HIS PATROL WAS OCCUPYING. HE SUFFERED BURNS FROM HEAD TO TOE, WAS MEDICALLY EVACUATED, AND SPENT SOME 7 WEEKS IN A FRENCH HOSPITAL RECOVERING. AWARDED THE COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE, BRONZE STAR MEDAL, PURPLE HEART FOR WOUNDS RECEIVED IN ACTION, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 3 BRONZE SERVICE STARS (3 CAMPAIGNS), AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.