World War II Honoree

Willard K. Dulaney

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Radford, Virginia

Honored By

VFW Post 7854 - Floyd County, Virginia

ENTERED THE ARMY ON 16 JUNE 1942. ASSIGNED TO THE 79TH (LORRAINE CROSS) DIVISION. COMPLETED BASIC TRAINING AT CAMP PICKETT, VIRGINIA AND ADVANCED TRAINING AT CAMP BLANDING, FLORIDA. RECEIVED MANEUVERS TRAINING AT CAMP FORREST, TENNESSEE AND DESERT TRAINING AT CAMP YOUNG, CALIFORNIA AND CAMP LAGUNA, ARIZONA. UNDERWENT WINTER TRAINING AT CAMP PHILLIPS, KANSAS. RELOCATED AND STAGED AT CAMP MYLES STANDISH, MASSACHUSETTS IN MARCH 1944. DEPARTED THE BOSTON PORT OF EMBAKATION ON 7 APRIL 1944 AND ARRIVED IN ENGLAND TWELVE DAYS LATER. LANDED IN FRANCE ON D+8, THE EIGHTH DAY FOLLOWING THE D-DAY INVASION OF 6 JUNE 1944. ASSIGNED TO THE DIVISION'S CANNON COMPANY, 315 INFANTRY. HE WAS THE FIRST GUNNER ON A 105 MM HOWITZER. RESPONSIBLE FOR SEEING THAT THE FIELD GUN WAS IN FIRING CONDITION AND FIRING POSITION. ADJUSTED THE WEAPON FOR RANGE AND ELEVATION. TOOK PART IN THE NORMANDY, NORTHERN FRANCE AND RHINELAND CAMPAIGNS. WOUNDED IN ACTION IN FRANCE BY ARTILLERY FIRE ON 9 JANUARY 1945. EVACUATED AND SENT TO A HOSPITAL IN ENGLAND. ASSIGNED TRUCK DRIVING DUTIES IN ENGLAND WITH THE 8TH ARMORED DIVISION FOLLOWING RELEASE FROM THE HOSPITAL. ARRIVED NEW YORK PORT OF EMBARKATION ON 10 NOVEMBER 1945 AND SENT TO CAMP KILMER IN PISCATAWAY, NEW JERSEY. AWARDED THE FOLLOWING DECORATIONS: THE BRONZE STAR, PURPLE HEART, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH BRONZE STAR ATTACHMENT (TRIPLE) WWII VICTORY MEDAL, ARMY OF OCCUPATION MEDAL WITH GERMANY CLASP, HUMANITARIAN SERVICE MEDAL, COMBAT INFANTRY BADGE, EXPERT BADGE WITH MACHINE GUN BAR, SHARPSHOOTER BADGE WITH RIFLE BAR AND THE MARKSMAN BADGE WITH CARBINE BAR. ATTAINED THE RANK OF PRIVATE FIRST CLASS. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AT FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, MARYLAND ON 15 NOVEMBER 1945. SERVED THREE YEARS AND FIVE MONTHS.