World War II Honoree

Fred Elms Culvern, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Kershaw, South Carolina

Honored By

James O. Sweeny

Relationship

Classmate

ENTERED INTO ACTIVE DUTY ON FEBRUARY 10, 1941 AT FORT BENNING, GEORGIA. IN JUNE HE WAS ASSIGNED TO THE 755TH TANK BATTALION AT CAMP BOWIE, TEXAS AS A PLATOON LEADER. IN SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER HE TOOK A TANK GUNNERY COURSE AT FT. KNOX, KENTUCKY. THE 755TH TRAINED IN THE MOJAVE DESERT TRAINING CENTER FROM APRIL, 1942 UNTIL MOVING TO THE NEW YORK PORT OF EMBARKATION IN JULY, 1942. HE TRAINED WITH THE 755TH IN ENGLAND, THEN MOVED TO ORAN, NORTH AFRICA, IN JANUARY, 1943. HE BECAME CAPTAIN ON FEBRUARY 23, 1943, AND ARRIVED WITH THE 755TH IN NAPLES, ITALY ON OCTOBER 27, 1943. SERVING AS BATTALION ADJUTANT AND BATTALION SUPPLY OFFICER , HE EARNED BRONZE STARS FOR VARIOUS CAMPAIGNS; NAPLES-FOGGIA, ROME-ARNO, AND NORTH APENNINES AND BATTLES; VENAFRO, CASSINO, ROME AND FLORENCE. HE ALSO EARNED THE CROIX DE GUERRE WITH VERMILLION STAR FOR SERVICE WITH THE FRENCH IN CROSSING THE GARIGLIANO, CAPTURE OF CASTLEFORTE, AUSONIS, ESPERIA, PICO AND THE PURSUIT OF THE ENEMY TO SIENNA. HE ARRIVED BACK AT FORT BRAGG FROM NAPLES ON MARCH 21, 1945, AND SERVED AT FORT KNOX UNTIL SEPARATED FROM ACTIVE DUTY ON JANUARY 15, 1946. HE WAS AWARDED THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN SERVICE MEDAL, THE AMERICAN DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL AND A UNIT CITATION.