World War II Honoree

Fred E. Allen

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Mecklenburg County, North Carolina

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

ENLISTED IN MILITARY SERVICE IN 1939. APPLIED FOR AND WAS SELECTED FOR OFFICER TRAINING. GRADUATED FROM OFFICER CANDIDATE SCHOOL AND WAS COMMISSIONED A SECOND LIEUTENANT IN 1942. STAGED WITH HIS REGIMENT AT CAMP PATRICK HENRY AT ORIANA, VIRGINIA ON MAY 7, 1944 AWAITING OVERSEAS DEPLOYMENT. SAILED FROM THE HAMPTON ROADS PORT OF EMBARKATION ON MAY 17, 1944. SERVED IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER WITH THE 517TH PARACHUTE INFANTRY REGIMENT. PARTICIPATED IN THE SOUTHERN FRANCE, RHINELAND, ARDENNES-ALSACE (BATTLE OF THE BULGE) AND CENTRAL EUROPE CAMPAIGNS. ASSAULTED SOUTHERN FRANCE ON AUGUST 15, 1944. TOOK PART IN AN ATTACK ON JANUARY 13, 1945 TO TAKE HENUMONT, BELGIUM WHILE HIS REGIMENT WAS ATTACHED TO THE 106TH INFANTRY 'GOLDEN LION' DIVISION. HIS UNIT ATTACKED ON FEBRUARY 6-7, 1945 THROUGH A HEAVILY-MINED AREA TOWARD THE SCHMIDT-NIDEGGEN ROAD IN GERMANY WHILE ATTACHED TO THE 78TH INFANTRY 'LIGHTNING' DIVISION. AWARDED THE BRONZE STAR MEDAL, PURPLE HEART FOR WOUNDS RECEIVED IN ACTION, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN DEFENSE MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH BRONZE ARROWHEAD DEVICE AND 4 BRONZE SERVICE STARS, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, AND ARMY OF OCCUPATION MEDAL. ALSO AWARDED THE FRENCH CROIX DE GUERRE WITH GOLD STAR FOR ACTIONS BY HIS REGIMENT AT DRAGUIGNAN, FRANCE AND HIS REGIMENT WAS CITED IN THE ORDER OF THE DAY OF THE BELGIAN ARMY FOR ACTION IN THE ARDENNES. CONTINUED IN U.S. ARMY SERVICE AFTER THE WAR UNTIL HIS RETIREMENT WITH THE RANK OF COLONEL.