World War II Honoree

Arthur Blaine 'Ed' Edmundson

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Stillwater, Oklahoma

Honored By

Rose Marie Crow Edmundson

Relationship

Wife

INDUCTED AND CALLED TO ACTIVE DUTY ON JUNE 30, 1942. REPORTED IMMEDIATELY TO THE RECEPTION CENTER AT FORT SILL IN LAWTON, OKLAHOMA. TRAVELED BY TROOP TRAIN TO CAMP CARSON AT COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO AND WAS SUBSEQUENTLY ASSIGNED TO THE ADJUTANT GENERAL’S OFFICE, WITH DIVISION HEADQUARTERS, 89TH INFANTRY ‘ROLLING W’ DIVISION. ASSIGNED WITH DUTIES IN THE FILE SECTION OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL STAFF AND QUICKLY BECAME HEAD OF THE SECTION. MOVED WITH THE DIVISION TO THE LOUISIANA MANEUVER AREA ON NOVEMBER 14, 1943 WHERE HE PARTICIPATED IN THE 3RD ARMY NUMBER 5 MANEUVERS. NEXT MOVED TO THE HUNTER-LIGGETT MILITARY RESERVATION AT JOLON, CALIFORNIA ON FEBRUARY 5, 1944, WHERE HE TOOK PART WITH HIS DIVISION IN THE III CORPS NUMBER 1 CALIFORNIA MANEUVERS IN TESTING THE LIGHT DIVISION CONCEPT. REASSIGNED WITH HIS UNIT TO CAMP BUTNER AT DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA ON MAY 27, 1944. STAGED AT CAMP MYLES STANDISH AT BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS ON DECEMBER 29, 1944 AWAITING OVERSEAS DEPLOYMENT. SAILED WITH HIS DIVISION FROM THE BOSTON PORT OF EMBARKATION ON JANUARY 10, 1945 ABOARD THE TROOPSHIP EDMUND B. ALEXANDER AND ARRIVED AT LE HAVRE, FRANCE ON JANUARY 21, 1945. SERVED IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER. PARTICIPATED IN THE RHINELAND AND CENTRAL EUROPE CAMPAIGNS. PASSED THROUGH CAMP LUCKY STRIKE AND MOVED VIA RAIL IN A 40-8 BOXCAR AND THEN BY TRUCK TO POSITIONS NEAR ECHTERNACH, LUXEMBOURG IN EARLY MARCH. THE DIVISION ENTERED COMBAT ON MARCH 12, 1945 IN THE COCHEM-ALF SECTOR OF THE MOSELLE RIVER. AFTER CROSSING THE MOSELLE AND NAHE RIVERS, THE DIVISION ASSAULTED ACROSS THE RHINE RIVER ON MARCH 26, 1945 AND WAS ENGAGED IN HEAVY COMBAT IN THE WELLMICH-OBERWESEL REGION. THE DIVISION ATTACKED IN THE HERSFELD AREA ON APRIL 5, 1945 TO SEIZE EISENACH, THEN THROUGH THE THURINGER WALD, ACROSS THE SAALE RIVER AND EAST TO THE TOWN OF ZWICKAU BY APRIL 18, 1945. THE DIVISION WAS ENGAGED IN SECURITY AND PATROLLING MISSIONS NEAR ZWICKAU AND THE CZECHOSLOVAKIA BORDER WHEN HOSTILITIES ENDED ON MAY 7, 1945. SERVED WITH OCCUPATION FORCES AFTER THE WAR AT ROUEN, FRANCE. RETURNED TO THE U.S. VIA SHIP AND ARRIVED AT THE NEW YORK PORT IN LATE JANUARY 1946, PASSED THROUGH CAMP KILMER AT STELTON, NEW JERSEY EN ROUTE CAMP CHAFFEE AT FORT SMITH, ARKANSAS. AWARDED THE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 2 BRONZE SERVICE STARS, WWII VICTORY MEDAL AND ARMY OF OCCUPATION MEDAL. HONORABLY DISCHARGED WITH THE RANK OF TECHNICAL SERGEANT AT CAMP CHAFFEE IN EARLY FEBRUARY 1946 AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.