World War II Honoree

Elmer Wright

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Bedford, Virginia

Honored By

Joe Arsena

TRAINED FOR 22 MONTHS TO BE AN INFANTRYMAN. HE JOINED COMPANY A OF THE LOCAL NATIONAL GUARD AFTER GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOL. AS THE WAR IN EUROPE TOOK HOLD THAT YEAR, THE UNITED STATES BEGAN TO EXPAND ITS FIGHTING FORCES. IN OCTOBER, IT WAS ANNOUNCED THAT BEDFORD'S NATIONAL GUARD COMPANY A WOULD BE MOBILIZED INTO THE FEDERAL ARMY FOR A PERIOD OF ONE YEAR. ON FEBRUARY 3, 1941, HE REPORTED TO THE BEDFORD ARMORY WHERE THEY WERE SWORN IN. THEY WERE SENT TO FORT MEADE, MARYLAND, HOME OF THE 29TH INFANTRY DIVISION. IN AUGUST 1942, THE 29TH INFANTRY DIVISION LEFT FORT MEADE BOUND FOR CAMP BLANDING IN FLORIDA. THEY BOARDED A TRAIN THAT TOOK THEM TO CAMP KILMER, NEW JERSEY-STAGING POST TO BRITAIN. FROM SCOTLAND, THE DIVISION MOVED BY TRAIN TO LONDON, ENGLAND AND FROM THEIR TO TIDWORTH BARRACKS. FOR THE REMAINDER OF 1943 AND THE FIRST FIVE MONTHS OF 1944 IT WAS INTENSIVE MILITARY TRAINING IN PREPARATION FOR THE INVASION OF MAINLAND EUROPE. ON MAY 18, 1944, THEY WERE TAKEN IN TRUCKS TO CONTAINMENT CAMPS ON THE SOUTHEAST COAST OF ENGLAND. THE COUNTDOWN TO D-DAY HAD BEGUN. ON THE MORNING OF JUNE 6, 1944, HE WAS ON A LANDING CRAFT HEADING FOR OMAHA BEACH AT NORMANDY. COMPANY A OF THE 116TH INFANTRY REGIMENT WAS TO LEAD THE D-DAY ASSAULT. AS THE LANDING CRAFTS APPROACHED THE BEACH THE ENEMY OPENED FIRE WITH ARTILLERY, MORTAR, MACHINE-GUN AND SMALL ARMS FIRE. AS THE RAMP DROPPED ON THE FRONT OF THE LANDING CRAFT THE MEN OF COMPANY A WERE MET WITH A HAIL OF ENEMY FIRE. HE NEVER MADE IT TO THE BEACH. HE SURVIVED ONLY A FEW MINUTES IN COMBAT. HE IS BURIED AT THE NORMANDY AMERICAN CEMETERY AT COLLEVILLE-SUR-MER IN FRANCE. AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART.