World War II Honoree

Willis Owens

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Marshall County, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

ENTERED MILITARY SERVICE IN 1937. TOOK BASIC TRAINING AT FORT SILL AT LAWTON, OKLAHOMA. ASSIGNED TO BATTERY E, 18TH FIELD ARTILLERY AT THE OUTBREAK OF THE WAR. REASSIGNED TO FORT BRAGG AT FAYETTEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA AND SPENT ABOUT 2 YEARS THERE BEFORE RETURNING TO FORT SILL. REASSIGNED TO CAMP POLK AT LEESVILLE, LOUISIANA. SAILED FROM THE NEW YORK PORT OF EMBARKATION AND LANDED AT LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND. SERVED IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER AS A COOK FOR THE 18TH FIELD ARTILLERY. PARTICIPATED IN THE NORMANDY, NORTHERN FRANCE, RHINELAND, ARDENNES-ALSACE (BATTLE OF THE BULGE) AND CENTRAL EUROPE CAMPAIGNS. LANDED AT OMAHA BEACH AFTER D-DAY AND THEN BECAME PART OF GENERAL PATTON'S 3RD ARMY. FOUGHT IN SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN AND BITTER COLD NEAR BASTOGNE DURING THE GERMAN ARDENNES COUNTEROFFENSIVE FROM DECEMBER 1944 TO JANUARY 1945. IN APRIL 1945, HIS UNIT WAS PART OF THE FORCE THAT DISCOVERED THE BUCHENWALD CONCENTRATION CAMP NEAR WEIMAR. ASSISTED IN CLEANING UP THE CAMP BEFORE HIS UNIT WAS RE-DEPLOYED. RETURNED TO THE NEW YORK PORT AFTER THE WAR AND WAS HONORABLY DISCHARGED IN 1945 WITH THE RANK OF TECHNICIAN 4TH GRADE AFTER 8 YEARS OF SERVICE. AWARDED THE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN DEFENSE MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 1 SILVER SERVICE STAR AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. ALSO ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON UPON DISCHARGE.