World War II Honoree

James Boice Crump

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Charlotte, North Carolina

Honored By

Novaro & Jan Nichols

Relationship

Friends

PRIVATE FIRST CLASS. TOOK BASIC TRAINING AT CAMP JACKSON, SOUTH CAROLINA ONTO CAMP FORREST, TENNESSEE, CAMP LEONARDWOOD, MISSOURI, CAMP LAGUNA, ARIZONA, CAMP KILMER, NEW JERSEY AND THEN TO NEW YORK WHERE HE WAS PLACED ON A SHIP HEADED FOR BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND. LEFT ENNISKELIN, IRELAND ON THE USS ATHOS, JOINED BY LOTS OF SHIPS AND EVEN MORE SHIPS ONCE THEY GOT TO ENGLAND. HIS COMPANY A, 13TH INFANTRY, 8TH DIVISION WAS HEADED TO NORMANDY FOR THE INVASION. HE LANDED ON OMAHA BEACH ON D-DAY. HE TOOK A HEAD WOUND BUT STILL MADE IT TO KERATAN THE FIRST NIGHT HEADING FOR ST. LO. THEY CUT ACROSS TO LAHAYE WITH ANOTHER ATTACK AT THE AY RIVER. HIS LAST OBJECTIVE WAS AT CROZON WHERE IN THE HURTGEN FOREST ON NOVEMBER 29, 1944 A MACHINE GUN GOT HIS RIGHT ARM AND SHOULDER. A 'WHEASEL' CAME AND GOT HIM OUT THE NEXT AFTERNOON, AN AMBULANCE TOOK HIM TO LEIGH, THEN THREE DAYS IN A HOSPITAL IN PARIS UNTIL FINALLY A C-47 TOOK HIM TO A HOSPITAL IN ENGLAND. HE ALSO HAD A SEVERE CASE OF 'TRENCH FOOT'. HE RETURNED HOME TO THE U.S. IN FEBRUARY, 1945.