World War II Honoree

W. W. 'Buck' Nease

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Lawton, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

AMONG THE FIRST INDUCTED INTO MILITARY SERVICE FROM COMANCHE COUNTY, OKLAHOMA ON MARCH 31, 1941. STATIONED IN THE AMERICAN THEATER AT FORT SILL AT LAWTON, OKLAHOMA WITH THE 53RD FIELD ARTILLERY BATTALION. TRANSFERRED IN OCTOBER, 1941 FROM FORT SILL WITH HIS UNIT TO FORT LEONARD WOOD AT ROLLA, MISSOURI UNTIL DECEMBER, 1942 WHEN HIS DIVISION WAS TRANSFERRED TO CAMP YOUNG AT INDIO, CALIFORNIA. PARTICIPATED IN DESERT TRAINING CENTER NO.1 IV ARMORED CORPS MANEUVERS UNTIL FEBRUARY 22, 1943. MOVED AGAIN WITH HIS BATTALION TO CAMP SAN LUIS OBISPO, CALIFORNIA IN MARCH, 1943 FOR TRAINING PRIOR TO OVERSEAS DEPLOYMENT. SAILED FROM THE SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA PORT OF EMBARKATION ON JULY 21, 1943 AND ARRIVED AT PEARL HARBOR, HAWAII ON JULY 29, 1943. SERVED IN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER AS A FIELD ARTILLERYMAN AND FIRE DIRECTION CENTER CHIEF COMPUTER AND PLOTTER WITH THE 53RD FIELD ARTILLERY BATTALION, 6TH INFANTRY 'SIGHTSEEING 6TH' DIVISION. PARTICIPATED IN THE NEW GUINEA AND LUZON CAMPAIGNS. HIS UNIT MOVED FROM PEARL HARBOR TO MILNE BAY, NEW GUINEA ON JANUARY 31, 1944 AND RECEIVED THEIR FIRST BAPTISM OF FIRE IN THE MAFFIN BAY AREA IN JUNE AND JULY, 1944; THEN PARTICIPATED IN OPERATIONS AT CAPE SANSAPOR BEGINNING JULY 30, 1944. LANDED AT LINGAYEN GULF AT LUZON IN THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS ON JANUARY 9, 1945 AND PARTICIPATED IN OPERATIONS IN CENTRAL LUZON, ON THE BATAAN PENINSULA AND IN NORTHERN LUZON. HIS UNIT WAS ENGAGED IN MOPPING UP OPERATIONS NEAR BAGABAG IN THE PHILIPPINES WHEN JAPAN SURRENDERED. AWARDED THE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH BRONZE ARROWHEAD AND 2 BRONZE SERVICE STARS, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, AND ARMY OF OCCUPATION MEDAL. AUTHORIZED THE PRESIDENTIAL (DISTINGUISHED) UNIT CITATION FOR EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM IN ACTION BY HIS UNIT AT LUZON. AWARDED THE PHILIPPINE PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION FOR SERVICE IN THE WAR AGAINST JAPAN DURING THE PERIOD OCTOBER 17, 1944 TO JULY 4, 1945. ALSO AWARDED THE PHILIPPINE LIBERATION MEDAL FOR SERVICE IN THE LIBERATION OF THE PHILIPPINES. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AT FORT LEAVENWORTH AT LEAVENWORTH, KANSAS ON THE TUESDAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING, 1945, WITH THE RANK OF TECHNICAL SERGEANT. ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.