World War II Honoree

Joseph Genovesi

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Bloomfield Hills, Michigan

Honored By

Joseph Genovesi

Relationship

Self

SECOND LIEUTENANT, PLATOON COMMANDER. FOUGHT IN FIVE BATTLE SECTORS: FRANCE, BELGIUM, GERMANY, AUSTRIA AND ITALY. INDUCTED INTO THE U.S. ARMY ON NOVEMBER 24, 1942. SERVED IN THE 103RD INFANTRY DIVISION AT CAMP CLAIBORNE, LOUISIANA. PROMOTED TO STAFF SERGEANT AND INSTRUCTED NEW INDUCTEES WITH INFANTRY BASIC TRAINING. IN 1944, THE DIVISION WAS SENT OVERSEAS DIRECT TO MARSEILLES, FRANCE AND FOUGHT THROUGH BELGIUM, GERMANY, AUSTRIA, AND MET THE 5TH ARMY COMING UP FROM ITALY; THE 103RD WAS COMING FROM THE BRENNER PASS, AUSTRIA. MET AT THE FERN PASS, TRAPPING THE GERMAN ARMY IN THAT AREA. THAT OPERATION CAUSED THE SURRENDER OF THE GERMAN UNITS AND THE WAR ENDED IN EUROPE AT THAT TIME. AWARDED THE SILVER STAR MEDAL, BRONZE STAR MEDAL, PURPLE HEART MEDAL WITH OAK LEAF CLUSTER, BRONZE STAR, AMERICAN THEATER CAMPAIGN RIBBON, AMERICAN DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN RIBBON WITH 3 BATTLE STARS, COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ARMY GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL AND THE GERMAN OCCUPATION MEDAL WITH CLASP. ALSO RECEIVED A BATTLEFIELD COMMISSION DURING THE WAR; ASSIGNED TO COMPANY C AS SECOND LIEUTENANT PLATOON COMMANDER.