World War II Honoree

George D. French

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Elizabethtown, Kentucky

Honored By

Kevin A. French

Relationship

Son

SERVED WITH 182ND COMBAT ENGINEERS BATTALION. WAS INDUCTED INTO U.S. ARMY IN APRIL 1942. DID BASIC AT CAMP SWIFT, TEXAS. SHIPPED OUT OF NEW YORK HARBOR FOR SERVICE IN THE MEDITERRANEAN THEATER, LANDED IN ORAN, NORTH AFRICA IN DECEMBER 1942 AS PART OF OPERATION TORCH. AFTER COMPLETION OF NORTH AFRICAN CAMPAIGN, REMAINED IN ORAN FOR TRAINING FOR THE INVASION OF ITALY. LANDED ON SALERNO BEACH ON SEPTEMBER 9, 1943 AS PART OF THE FIRST WAVE OF INVASION FORCE WITH THE U.S. 5TH ARMY UNDER COMMAND OF MAJOR GENERAL MARK CLARK. WENT THROUGH ITALY INTO SOUTHERN FRANCE. AFTER COMPLETION OF ITALIAN CAMPAIGN, BEGIN TRAINING FOR INVASION OF JAPAN. WAS PART OF A CONVOY HEADING TO JAPAN WHEN WAR ENDED. RETURNED TO AMERICA VIA NEW YORK; CAME HOME IN OCTOBER 1945 FOR HIS FIRST VISIT SINCE BEING SHIPPED OUT IN 1942. ON HIS FIRST DAY HOME, HELPED HIS FATHER HARVEST THE CORN CROP. RETURNED TO ARMY FOR DISCHARGE IN DECEMBER 1945 AT CAMP ATTERBURY, INDIANA. AWARDED 3 BRONZE STARS AND HIS UNIT RECEIVED A PRESIDENTIAL CITATION.