World War II Honoree

George Matthew 'Matt' Wingard

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Lexington, South Carolina

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

JOINED THE SOUTH CAROLINA NATIONAL GUARD IN JANUARY 1941 AND WAS ASSIGNED AS A MEMBER OF THE BAND. CALLED TO ACTIVE DUTY AND ASSIGNED TO THE 178TH FIELD ARTILLERY REGIMENT. STATIONED WITH HIS REGIMENT AT FORT BRAGG AT FAYETTEVILLE NORTH CAROLINA AS PART OF I ARMY CORPS. SAILED FROM THE NEW YORK PORT OF EMBARKATION WITH HIS UNIT ON AUGUST 6, 1942 AND ARRIVED IN SCOTLAND ON AUGUST 17, 1942. SERVED IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER. PARTICIPATED IN THE TUNISIA, SICILY, NAPLES-FOGGIA AND ROME-ARNO CAMPAIGNS. IN NOVEMBER 1942 HIS UNIT LEFT ENGLAND FOR NORTH AFRICA AND ARRIVED ON DECEMBER 6, 1942. TOOK PART IN THE INVASION OF SICILY ON JULY 16, 1943 AND THEN LANDED IN ITALY ON SEPTEMBER 30, 1943. HIS REGIMENT WAS REDESIGNATED ON FEBRUARY 24, 1944 AT VENAFRO, ITALY. DURING HIS SERVICE WITH THE REGIMENT, HE SPENT SOME TIME AS A SOLDIER BUT MOST OF THE TIME AS A MUSICIAN ENTERTAINING TROOPS IN FORWARD LOCATIONS. REASSIGNED TO THE 246TH ARMY GROUND FORCES BAND IN ROME, ITALY AFTER THE CITY WAS LIBERATED ON JUNE 4, 1944. HE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR DIRECTING THE BAND WHICH, OVER THE COURSE OF HIS 15 MONTHS IN ROME, PERFORMED FOR TENS OF THOUSANDS OF ALLIED TROOPS ON REST AND RECUPERATION TOURS. THE BAND ALSO PERFORMED FOR ITALIAN CITIZENS ON SPECIAL OCCASIONS. IN SEPTEMBER, 1945, THE BAND WAS DEACTIVATED AND HE THEN RETURNED TO THE STATES. HONORABLY DISCHARGED WITH THE RANK OF STAFF SERGEANT AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.