World War II Honoree

Harold J. Pratt

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Princeton, Maine

Honored By

Sara Pratt, Michael and Elwood

Relationship

Wife, Children and Families

MEMBER OF COMPANY 'D', 4TH RANGER BATTALION. PARTICIPATED IN THE INVASIONS OF SICILY AND CAPTURE OF PALERMO, NAPLES-FOGGIA, ROME-ARNO, ANZIO, NORTHERN APENNINES, SOUTHERN FRANCE AND THE RHINELAND. WOUNDED AT VENAFRO AND THEN NAPLES. HE WAS SCHEDULED TO RETURN TO THE STATES AFTER HE WAS WOUNDED AT NAPLES BUT REQUESTED TO BE SENT BACK TO HIS UNIT AND WAS SUBSEQUENTLY WOUNDED FOR THE THIRD TIME AT THE ANZIO BEACHHEAD. HE AND FELLOW RANGERS WERE GIVEN THE TASK OF ELIMINATING THE MASSIVE GERMAN 28CM 'ANZIO EXPRESS' RAILROAD GUN TARGETING THE ANZIO BEACHHEAD, WHICH WAS ACCOMPLISHED. HE WAS THEN INVOLVED IN THE BATTLE OF MONTE CASINO ALONG THE GUSTAF LINE. WITH HIS UNIT, HE ENTERED ROME WHEN IT WAS LIBERATED WITH TROOPS COMMANDED BY GENERAL MARK CLARK. HIS UNIT WAS ATTACHED TO A NUMBER OF INFANTRY AND CAVALRY UNITS IN FRANCE AND THE RHINELAND. HE AND HIS FELLOW RANGERS VOLUNTEERED TO JOIN WITH A UNIT COMMANDED BY COLONEL CHARLES REED, 2ND CAVALRY UNDER GENERAL GEORGE PATTON TO RESCUE THE FAMED LIPIZZANER HORSES IN AUSTRIA FROM CAPTURE BY THE ONCOMING RUSSIAN ARMY. HE IS THE RECIPIENT OF THE BRONZE STAR FOR VALOR, THE COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE, THE ROME LIBERATION MEDAL, THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN RIBBON WITH BRONZE ARROWHEAD, THE WWII VICTORY MEDAL AND THE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL.