World War II Honoree
World War II Veteran
Raymond Slade 'Ray' Hirschman
Branch of Service
U.S. Army
Hometown
Chagrin Falls, Ohio
Honored By
Esther Helena Spear Hirschman
Relationship
Wife
INDUCTED INTO MILITARY SERVICE ON FEBRUARY 24, 1942 AT CAMP PERRY, OHIO. SERVED AS AN ARMY STENOGRAPHER. SELECTED FOR OFFICER CANDIDATE SCHOOL AT THE FIELD ARTILLERY SCHOOL AT FORT SILL, OKLAHOMA. HONORABLY DISCHARGED ON SEPTEMBER 23, 1942 WITH THE RANK OF CORPORAL TO ACCEPT A COMMISSION AS A SECOND LIEUTENANT. DEPARTED FOR OVERSEAS SERVICE ON OCTOBER 5, 1942 AND JOINED THE 34TH INFANTRY ‘RED BULL’ DIVISION IN SCOTLAND. SERVED 21 MONTHS IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER IN NORTHERN IRELAND, SCOTLAND, NORTH AFRICA AND ITALY WITH THE 125TH FIELD ARTILLERY BATTALION. PARTICIPATED IN THE TUNISIA, NAPLES-FOGGIA AND ROME-ARNO CAMPAIGNS. SERVED WITH BATTERY A AS ASSISTANT RECONNAISSANCE OFFICER, WITH BATTERY C AS ASSISTANT EXECUTIVE OFFICER, WITH SERVICE BATTERY AS MUNITIONS OFFICER, AND WITH BATTERY C AS FORWARD OBSERVER. LANDED AT SALERNO, ITALY ON SEPTEMBER 21, 1943. TOOK PART IN DIVISION OPERATIONS AGAINST STRONG ENEMY RESISTANCE AND IN HEAVY RAINS TO CROSS THE VOLTURNO RIVER AND IN A PUSH ON CAPRIATI AL VOLTURNO IN OCTOBER 1943, AND IN THE BATTLE FOR THE WINTER LINE IN NOVEMBER 1943. PROMOTED TO FIRST LIEUTENANT ON DECEMBER 29, 1943. ATTACKED WITH THE DIVISION AGAINST THE GUSTAV LINE BEGINNING DECEMBER 30, 1943. REASSIGNED IN JANUARY 1944 AS COMBAT LIAISON OFFICER WITH HEADQUARTERS, 125TH FIELD ARTILLERY BATTALION. SAILED FROM ITALY ON JUNE 14, 1944 AND ARRIVED AT THE HAMPTON ROADS PORT IN JULY 1944. SERVED AS A COMBINED ARMS INSTRUCTOR AT THE FIELD ARTILLERY SCHOOL FROM AUGUST 1944 TO APRIL 1945 AND AS SUPPLY OFFICER AT THE HAMPTON ROADS PORT FROM APRIL TO SEPTEMBER 1945. AWARDED THE BRONZE STAR MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 3 BRONZE SERVICE STARS, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. RELEASED FROM ACTIVE DUTY ON DECEMBER 11, 1945 FROM MCGUIRE GENERAL HOSPITAL AT RICHMOND, VIRGINIA AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.