World War II Honoree

Edward Clenard 'Chick' Wegener

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Minco, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

JOINED THE OKLAHOMA NATIONAL GUARD WHILE IN HIGH SCHOOL. CALLED TO ACTIVE DUTY IN 1940 AND STATIONED AT FORT SILL AT LAWTON, OKLAHOMA. REASSIGNED TO CAMP BARKELEY AT ABILENE, TEXAS ON MARCH 7, 1941. STAGED AT CAMP PATRICK HENRY AT ORIANA, VIRGINIA ON MAY 26, 1943 WITH HIS UNIT AWAITING OVERSEAS DEPLOYMENT. SAILED FROM THE HAMPTON ROADS PORT OF EMBARKATION ON JUNE 3, 1943 AND ARRIVED IN NORTH AFRICA ON JUNE 22, 1943. SERVED IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER WITH THE 189TH FIELD ARTILLERY BATTALION, 45TH INFANTRY 'THUNDERBIRD' DIVISION. HIS BATTALION PARTICIPATED IN THE SICILY, NAPLES-FOGGIA, ANZIO, ROME-ARNO, SOUTHERN FRANCE, NORMANDY, NORTHERN FRANCE, RHINELAND, ARDENNES-ALSACE (BATTLE OF THE BULGE), AND CENTRAL EUROPE CAMPAIGNS. HE ATTENDED GENERAL PATTON'S ADDRESS TO HIS TROOPS IN WHICH HE EXPRESSED HIS REGRET FOR SLAPPING A SOLDIER THAT HE ACCUSED OF MALINGERING IN A FIELD HOSPITAL. ALSO PRESENT AT THE LIBERATION OF THE DACHAU CONCENTRATION CAMP NEAR MUNICH, GERMANY IN APRIL, 1945. AWARDED THE AMERICAN DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH BRONZE ARROWHEAD DEVICE AND SILVER AND BRONZE SERVICE STARS, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. AUTHORIZED THE PRESIDENTIAL (DISTINGUISHED) UNIT CITATION FOR EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM IN ACTION BY HIS BATTALION AT SALERNO, ITALY. ALSO AWARDED THE FRENCH CROIX DE GUERRE WITH PALM FOR ACTIONS BY HIS BATTALION AT ACQUAFONDATA, ITALY. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AFTER THE WAR AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON. CONTINUED IN ARMY NATIONAL GUARD RESERVE AND ACTIVE SERVICE AFTER THE WAR UNTIL HIS RETIREMENT WITH THE RANK OF MAJOR.