World War II Honoree

Bryan Compton

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Watonga, Oklahoma

Honored By

William E. Shaklee

Relationship

Friend of the Family

WAS ALREADY ON ACTIVE DUTY AS A MEDIC IN THE U.S. ARMY ON DECEMBER 7, 1941. SHIPPED OVERSEAS TO COMBAT FROM VIRGINIA. LANDED IN NORTH AFRICA AND SAW ENEMY ACTION THERE FOR THREE WEEKS BEFORE HE BOARDED A SHIP AGAIN TO INVADE ITALY. PARTICIPATED IN 5 SHIP-TO-SHORE INVASIONS IN ITALY AND AFRICA. SERVED UNDER GENERAL GEORGE PATTON DURING MOST OF THE WAR. WENT TO SICILY, THEN BACK TO ITALY AND ON TO SOUTHERN FRANCE. WAS AN AMBULANCE DRIVER FOUR YEARS AND THEN WAS ASSIGNED AS A CAPTAIN’S JEEP DRIVER, BEING PROMOTED TO CORPORAL. IT WAS WHILE SERVING IN GERMANY AND AUSTRIA THAT HE CAME TO BE ONE OF THE FIRST TO WITNESS THE HORRORS OF THE DACHAU CONCENTRATION CAMP. WAS ASSIGNED TO RUSH TO HITLER’S MOUNTAIN HIDEOUT ABOVE MUNICH TO TRY TO GET TO HIM BEFORE THE RUSSIANS, BUT THEY ENCOUNTERED DACHAU FIRST. MADE TRIPS AROUND EUROPE, INCLUDING TO CZECHOSLOVAKIA, TO THE HOMES OF SOME OF THE CONCENTRATION CAMP INMATES. WENT ON TO MUNICH FROM DACHAU. SURVIVED INNUMERABLE CLOSE CALLS. OUT OF APPROXIMATELY 220 MEDICS IN HIS COMPANY, HE WAS THE ONLY SURVIVOR. CONTENDED WITH BRUTAL CONDITIONS IN THE AUSTRIAN ALPS. SPENT 515 DAYS STRAIGHT IN THE COMBAT ZONE WITH NO LEAVE. RETURNED HOME TO OKLAHOMA, SEPTEMBER 27, 1945.