World War II Honoree

Gordon Proctor Barnett

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Odessa, Missouri

Honored By

Allen Gene Tackitt

Relationship

Stepson

HE ENTERED THE US ARMY ON 7 JULY 1944, AT JEFFERSON BARRACKS, ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI. HE COMPLETING BASIC TRAINING AT FORT HOOD, TEXAS. HE WAS SENT OVERSEAS TO LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND ON 12 DECEMBER 1944. FROM ENGLAND HE WENT TO LA HARVE, FRANCE BY ENGLISH SHIP. HE JOINED THE 394TH INFANTRY BATTALION, 99TH DIVISION AS A REPLACEMENT IN GERMANY. HE FOUGHT IN THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE AND INTO NORTHERN GERMANY WHERE IN MARCH, 1945 HE WAS WOUNDED BY A BOUNCING BETTY ANTI-PERSONNEL MINE. HE WAS HOSPITALIZED IN BELGIUM AND RECEIVED A PURPLE HEART MEDAL. IN APRIL 1945, HE RECEIVED A SEVERE CONCUSSION FROM A NEAR-MISS 88 HOWITZER EXPLOSION AFTER THE BATTLE FOR THE BRIDGE AT REMAGEN AND WAS EVACUATED TO THE UNITED STATES WHERE HE SPENT 3 MONTHS IN RECOVERY IN A VETERANS HOSPITAL IN LONGVIEW, TEXAS. HE WAS REASSIGNED TO AN AIR FORCE RESERVE UNIT IN LANGLEY, VIRGINIA, AS A MILITARY MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR AERONAUTICS (NACA). HE WAS HONORABLY DISCHARGED FROM THE MILITARY ON 4 AUGUST 1945, AND CONTINUED TO SERVE AS A CIVILIAN MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR AERONAUTICS (NACA).