World War II Honoree

Emory A. Plitt, Sr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Baltimore, Maryland

Honored By

Emory A. Plitt, Jr.

Relationship

Son

ENTERED THE U.S. ARMY ON OCTOBER 21, 1942. AFTER COMPLETING BASIC TRAINING, HE WAS SENT TO THE WALTER REED ARMY MEDICAL CENTER IN WASHINGTON, D.C. AND TRAINED AS A COMBAT MEDIC. WHEN HE FINISHED HIS MEDICAL TRAINING, HE WAS SENT TO THE AFRICAN THEATER WHERE HE SERVED UNDER GENERAL PATTON. AFTER THE AFRICAN CAMPAIGN, HE WAS SENT TO CENTRAL BURMA AND FROM THERE TO CHINA UNDER THE COMMAND OF GENERAL JOSEPH STILWELL. HE ARRIVED IN CHINA ON MAY 30, 1944 AND SERVED THERE UNTIL DECEMBER 24, 1945. HE WAS DISCHARGED ON JANUARY 8, 1946, AS PART OF THE GENERAL DEMOBILIZATION AFTER THE WAR. HIS RANK AT THE TIME OF HIS DISCHARGE WAS TECHNICAL SERGEANT (MEDICAL TECHNICIAN 5TH CLASS). HE WAS ONE OF A DWINDLING NUMBER OF SURVIVING WWII VETERANS WHO FLEW 'OVER THE HUMP' IN A C-47 FROM INDIA INTO BURMA AND CHINA; THE CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER. THE 28 MEN IN HIS UNIT CARRIED A FIELD HOSPITAL WITH THEM INTO COMBAT. HE WAS DECORATED WITH THE BRONZE STAR MEDAL, THE ARMY COMMENDATION MEDAL AND THE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL. IN ADDITION, HE WAS AWARDED THE AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, THE WWII VICTORY MEDAL AND THE CHINA MEDAL. HE WAS A MEMBER OF THE 'GREATEST GENERATION' WHO SAVED OUR COUNTRY AND THE WORLD.