World War II Honoree

Alden C. Harwell

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Poplar Bluff, Missouri

Honored By

Novaro & Jan Nichols and Bill Harwell

Relationship

Friends and Nephew

1ST LIEUTENANT. ENLISTED IN 1942, FROM POPLAR BLUFF, BUTLER COUNTY, MISSOURI. ASSIGNED AS A PLATOON LEADER TO COMPANY 'B', 55TH ARMORED INFANTRY BATTALION, 11TH ARMORED DIVISION, 12TH CORPS, THIRD ARMY, 12TH ARMY GROUP IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS. WAS WITH THE 11TH ARMORED DIVISION WHEN IT LANDED AT NORMANDY, DECEMBER 16, 1944. THE DIVISION WAS ASSIGNED TO CONTAIN THE ENEMY IN THE LORIENT POCKET, BUT THE VON RUNDSTEDT OFFENSIVE RESULTED IN A FORCED MARCH TO THE MEUSE AND THE DEFENSE OF A 30-MILE SECTOR FROM GIVET TO SEDAN, DECEMBER 23 LAUNCHING AN ATTACK FROM NEUFCHATEL, BELGIUM, DECEMBER 30, THE 11TH ARMORED DIVISION DEFENDED THE BASTOGNE HIGHWAY AGAINST HEAVY ASSAULT. THE DIVISION NEXT ACTED AS SPEARHEAD OF A WEDGE INTO THE ENEMY LINE, AND ITS JUNCTION WITH THE FIRST ARMY AT HOUFFALIZE, JANUARY 16, 1945, CREATED A HUGE TRAP. AFTER THE LIQUIDATION OF THE BULGE, THE SIEGFRIED LINE WAS PIERCED, LUTZKAMPEN FALLING FEBRUARY 7, 1945, GROSSKAMPENBERG ON THE 17TH, AND THE KEY POINT, ROSCHEID, FEBRUARY 20. AFTER A BRIEF REST, THE DIVISION CROSSED THE PRUM AND KYLL RIVERS, TAKING GEROLSTEIN AND NIEDER BETTINGEN AGAINST VIOLENT OPPOSITION. BEFORE WOUNDED IN ACTION, AND SENT HOME, SOMETIME BETWEEN MARCH AND MAY 1944, THE UNIT FOUGHT IN BELGIUM, FRANCE, AND GERMANY.