World War II Honoree

Joseph Gerald Winstead

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Honored By

Donald J. Winstead

Relationship

Son

ENLISTED IN 45TH INFANTRY DIVISION, OKLAHOMA NATIONAL GUARD, ON SEPTEMBER 16, 1940. TRAINED AT FT. SILL, OKLAHOMA, AND CAMP BARKLEY, TEXAS. DISCHARGED AT CAMP BARKLEY, TEXAS, IN SEPTEMBER 1941. RECALLED TO CAMP BARKLEY IN DECEMBER 1941. TRAINED AT FT. DEVENS, MASSACHUSETTS; PINE CAMP, NEW YORK; AND CAMP PICKETT, VIRGINIA. SHIPPED OUT FROM HAMPTON ROADS, VIRGINIA, IN MAY 1943; LANDED AT ORAN, NORTH AFRICA, IN JUNE,1943. INVADED SOUTHERN COAST OF SICILY, NEAR GELA, WITH 157TH BRIGADE, 45TH INFANTRY DIVISION, ON JULY 10, 1943. CONTINUED NORTH TO CALTANISSETTA, SICILY. DROVE GENERAL CUSHMAN TO PALERMO FOR RETURN TO U.S. INVADED SALERNO, ITALY, ON SEPTEMBER 9, 1943. WITH BRIGADIER GENERAL PAUL PASCHAL, ONE OF FIRST TWO AMERICANS TO ENTER OLIVETO, ITALY. ENTERED NAPLES ON OCTOBER 1, 1943. HELPED CAPTURE NINE GERMANS NEAR VENAFRO, ITALY. INVADED ANZIO ON JANUARY 22, 1944. ENTERED ROME ON JUNE 4, 1944. INVADED SOUTHERN COAST OF FRANCE, NEAR MARSEILLES, ON AUGUST 15, 1944, AS THE SECOND IN COMMAND OF MOTOR POOL, TRANSPORTATION PLATOON. INVOLVED IN CAPTURE OF SIX GERMANS. CONTINUED ADVANCE THROUGH GRENOBLE, LYON, DIJON, NANCY, NURNBERG, INGOLSTADT, AND DACHAU TO MUNICH BY VE DAY. TRAVELED TO FURSTENFELDBRUCK AIR FORCE BASE WITH 133RD INFANTRY DIVISION, THEN TO INNSBRUCK AND SALZBURG, AUSTRIA. DROVE CAPTAIN MCCALL TO PARIS, FRANCE. JOINED CONVOY TO LE HAVRE, FRANCE, THEN SHIPPED OUT TO CAMP KILMER, NEW JERSEY. DISCHARGED AT CAMP CHAFFEE, ARKANSAS, ON SEPTEMBER 25, 1945.