World War II Honoree

Eugene Melvin 'Gene' Beleele

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Lima, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

DRAFTED INTO MILITARY SERVICE IN 1943. SERVED OVERSEAS IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO) WITH THE 146TH ENGINEER COMBAT BATTALION. SAILED FROM THE BOSTON PORT OF EMBARKATION WITH HIS UNIT ON OCTOBER 11, 1943 AND ARRIVED IN ENGLAND ON OCTOBER 17, 1943. SPENT THAT WINTER AND THE SPRING OF 1944 ON THE NORTH DEVON ENGLISH COAST, IN SOUTHWESTERN ENGLAND, BUILDING MOCK-UPS OF GERMAN OBSTACLES AND LEARNING HOW TO EFFECTIVELY BREACH THEM. PARTICIPATED IN THE NORMANDY, NORTHERN FRANCE, RHINELAND, AND ARDENNES-ALSACE (BATTLE OF THE BULGE) CAMPAIGNS. ASSAULT LANDED ACROSS OMAHA BEACH ON D-DAY, JUNE 6, 1944 WITH THE TASK OF CLEARING MINES AND DESTROYING BEACH OBSTACLES. MOVED BETWEEN OBSTACLES, WHILE UNDER ENEMY FIRE, WITH TNT BLOCKS TO DESTROY HEDGEHOGS, BELGIAN GATES AND PARTIALLY SUBMERGED LOG OBSTACLES WITH ATTACHED MINES. HIS BATTALION HAD 33 KILLED IN ACTION AND 70 WOUNDED OUT OF THE 450 SENT ASHORE. HE WAS UNINJURED, ALTHOUGH HE ‘BLANKED OUT’ AND WAS UNABLE TO RECALL MOST OF THE EVENTS OF D-DAY. HE WAS WOUNDED IN THE LEG AND SHOULDER BY SHRAPNEL FROM AN EXPLODING LAND MINE IN MARCH, 1945. A FAVORITE MEMORY OF HIS SERVICE WAS ON HIS RETURN VOYAGE TO THE UNITED STATES. ON HIS 22ND BIRTHDAY, HE WAS CARRIED TO THE SHIP’S RAIL DUE TO HIS INJURIES, TO GET A VIEW OF THE STATUE OF LIBERTY IN THE NEW YORK HARBOR AS THE SHIP SAILED INTO PORT. AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART FOR WOUNDS RECEIVED IN ACTION, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. HONORABLY DISCHARGED IN 1945 WITH THE RANK OF TECHNICIAN FIFTH GRADE AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.