World War II Honoree

Raymond Leon Fitzgerald

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Columbia, Tennessee

Honored By

Grandson

PRIVATE FIRST CLASS. DAYS AFTER HIS WEDDING IN JANUARY 1945, HE WAS HURRIEDLY DEPLOYED TO THE ARDENNES FOREST AS THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE RAGED. HE WAS ACCELERATED UP THE RANKS AND PROMOTED TO SERGEANT, ASSIGNED DUTIES AS AN INFANTRY SQUAD LEADER IN LESS THAN SIX MONTHS OF SERVICE. RECEIVED SHRAPNEL WOUNDS DURING ONE OF THE MANY FIRE FIGHTS AS THE 69TH INFANTRY DIVISION RACED TO THE ELBE RIVER IN AN EFFORT TO BEAT/MEET THE RUSSIANS TO THIS POLITICALLY SENSITIVE OBJECTIVE. HE REFUSED MEDICAL TREATMENT FOR HIS MULTIPLE WOUNDS IN ORDER TO REMAIN WITH HIS MEN DURING THIS VERY IMPORTANT MISSION. DUE TO HIS HEROIC PERFORMANCE OF DUTY AND INCREDIBLE WARRIOR ETHOS, HE WAS AWARDED THE BRONZE STAR WITH V DEVICE FOR VALOR.