World War II Honoree

Olin R. Pickens

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Myrtle, Mississippi

Honored By

Larry K. Pickens

Relationship

Son

AUGUST 19, 1942, INDUCTED INTO U.S. ARMY, BASIC TRAINING, CAMP CROFT, SOUTH CAROLINA JANUARY 12, 1943, DEPARTED NEW YORK HARBOR FOR ORAN, NORTH AFRICA ARRIVED JANUARY 26, 1943. JANUARY 30, 1943, JOINED THE 805TH TANK DESTROYER COMPANY. FEBRUARY 1943, MOVE INTO FAID PASS, NORTH AFRICA. FEBRUARY 15, 1943, BATTLE WITH GENERAL ROMMEL'S 7TH PANZER DIVISION. FEBRUARY 16, 1943, CAPTURED BY GERMAN FORCES LEAD BY GENERAL ROMMEL'S TROOPS. FEBRUARY 16, 1943-APRIL 21, 1945 PRISONER OF WAR IN GERMANY, STALAG 7A, STALAG 3B AND COMMANDO ONE WORK CAMP. ESCAPED AFTER A YEAR AND 23 DAYS AND WAS RECAPTURED AFTER 5 DAYS IN PRAGUE, CZECHOSLOVAKIA AND TAKEN TO STALAG 3B. LEFT STALAG 3B JANUARY 29, 1945 MARCHED WEST TO LUCKENWALDE, GERMANY ON APRIL 9, 1945 RUSSIAN TROOPS LIBERATED THE U.S. PRISONERS OF WAR. STAYED UNDER THE RUSSIAN PROTECTION UNTIL APRIL 21, 1945. APRIL 21, 1945, REJOINED U.S. FORCES AT THE EBB RIVER, GERMANY. MAY 1, 1945, FLOWN TO LA HAVRE, FRANCE, BOARDED BOAT ON JUNE 5, 1945 HEADED TO NEW YORK, NEW YORK. JUNE 10, 1945, ARRIVED NEW YORK HARBOR. JUNE 12, 1945, LEFT CAMP KILMER, NEW JERSEY FOR CAMP SHELBY, MISSISSIPPI VIA TROOP TRAIN. JUNE 15, 1945 - RELEASED FOR A 60 DAY FURLOUGH, THEN TOOK TRAIN TO MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA FOR R&R. SEPTEMBER 1, 1945 HEADED TO FT LEWIS, WASHINGTON. OCTOBER 21, 1945 RELEASED FROM ACTIVE DUTY.