World War II Honoree

Richard Foster Whitlock

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Alton, Illinois

Honored By

Richard Foster Whitlock

Relationship

Self

COMMISSIONED AS AN INACTIVE DUTY SECOND LIEUTENANT WHILE IN MEDICAL SCHOOL AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS COLLEGE OF MEDICINE IN CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. AFTER GRADUATION AND A 9 MONTHS INTERNSHIP, ENTERED ACTIVE DUTY ON JANUARY 5, 1944. COMPLETED 3 MONTHS ARMY BASIC TRAINING, MEDICAL CORPS INDOCTRINATION TRAINING, AND QUALIFIED IN THE MILITARY OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTY OF SURGEON (3001) AND LATER, MEDICAL UNIT COMMANDER, 3500. ASSIGNED TO THE 2ND BATTALION, 407TH INFANTRY REGIMENT, 102ND ‘OZARK’ INFANTRY DIVISION, THEN IN TRAINING AT CAMP BARKLEY, TEXAS. DEPARTED THE CONTINENTAL U.S. WITH HIS UNIT ON SEPTEMBER 11, 1944 BOUND FOR THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS. AFTER FURTHER UNIT TRAINING IN FRANCE, ENTERED COMBAT FROM THE NETHERLANDS NEAR THE GERMAN BORDER IN NOVEMBER 1944, SEEING ACTION IN THE RHINELAND AND CENTRAL EUROPE CAMPAIGNS. BY WAR IN EUROPE’S END, WAS THE BATTALION SURGEON. THEREAFTER PARTICIPATED IN ARMY OF OCCUPATION ACTIVITIES IN THE VICINITY OF COBURG, GERMANY AS THE REGIMENTAL SURGEON. WHEN THE DIVISION RETURNED TO THE STATES, PROMOTED TO MAJOR AND SERVED AS COMMANDER OF THE 610TH MEDICAL CLEARING COMPANY UNTIL RETURNING TO THE U.S. IN MAY 1946. EARNED THE SILVER STAR MEDAL, BRONZE STAR MEDAL WITH V (VALOR) DEVICE, COMBAT MEDICAL BADGE, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 2 BRONZE BATTLE STARS, WWII VICTORY MEDAL AND THE ARMY OF OCCUPATION MEDAL (GERMANY). HONORABLY RELIEVED FROM ACTIVE DUTY ON JULY 13, 1946 AT THE SEPARATION CENTER, JEFFERSON BARRACKS, MISSOURI.