World War II Honoree

Odin Steen Edwards

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Atlantic City, New Jersey

Honored By

Joseph A. Bligh

Relationship

High School Classmate

AS A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT, ATTEMPTED TO VOLUNTEER FOR NAVAL SERVICE, BUT FAILED PHYSICAL IN JULY 1943 DUE TO HERNIA. THAT WAS CORRECTED AT PHILADELPHIA'S METHODIST EPISCOPAL HOSPITAL IN DECEMBER 1943, BUT FAILED PHYSICAL AGAIN DUE TO UNDERWEIGHT. WAS FINALLY ACCEPTED BY ARMY AT FORT DIX, NEW JERSEY IN JULY 1944. TOOK BASIC TRAINING AT CAMP BARKELEY, TEXAS, LEARNING TO SET UP MEDICAL AND UTILITY FACILITIES FOR NEW BASES. THEN, AT CAMP CLAIBORNE, LOUISIANA, WAS ASSIGNED TO 349TH COMBAT ENGINEERS BACK FROM ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, TO EXPAND HIS BASE SET-UP TECHNIQUES. HEAVY MUNITIONS TRAINING FOLLOWED AT NORTH FORT LEWIS, WASHINGTON AND COOK TRAINING AT FORT JACKSON, SOUTH CAROLINA. FINALLY, PROCESSED RETURNING VETERANS FROM OVERSEAS AT CAMP KILMER, NEW JERSEY FROM APRIL 1946 UNTIL HIS HONORABLE DISCHARGE IN JULY 1946.