World War II Honoree

Harrison Smith Forrester

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Greenville, South Carolina

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

ENTERED MILITARY SERVICE IN 1942 AS A INFANTRY SECOND LIEUTENANT. SERVED IN THE AMERICAN THEATER AND TOOK PART IN THE DESERT TRAINING CENTER NUMBER 2 CALIFORNIA MANEUVERS IN THE SPRING AND SUMMER OF 1943. HIS UNIT WAS TRANSFERRED TO FORT BENNING, AT COLUMBUS, GEORGIA ON AUGUST 12, 1943; THEN TO CAMP MYLES STANDISH, AT BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS ON APRIL 22, 1944; AND STAGED AT CAMP SHANKS, AT ORANGEBURG, NEW YORK BEGINNING MAY 2, 1944 AWAITING OVERSEAS DEPLOYMENT. SAILED FROM THE NEW YORK PORT OF EMBARKATION ON JUNE 7, 1944 AND ARRIVED IN ENGLAND ON JUNE 13, 1944. SERVED IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER AS AN INFANTRY COMPANY COMMANDER WITH THE 7TH ARMORED DIVISION. PARTICIPATED IN THE NORTHERN FRANCE, RHINELAND, ARDENNES-ALSACE (BATTLE OF THE BULGE), AND CENTRAL EUROPE CAMPAIGNS. LANDED AT NORMANDY, FRANCE ON AUGUST 11, 1944. AWARDED THE COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE, SILVER STAR WITH BRONZE OAK LEAF CLUSTER, BRONZE STAR MEDAL, PURPLE HEART, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 4 BRONZE SERVICE STARS, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. ALSO AWARDED THE FRENCH CROIX DE GUERRE WITH PALM FOR ACTIONS BY HIS UNIT AT METZ, FRANCE. HONORABLY DISCHARGED WITH THE RANK OF MAJOR IN 1945 AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.