World War II Honoree

Rudolph 'Michael' Freeland

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Buchanan, Tennessee

Honored By

Robert Medley Gatewood

ENTERED ACTIVE SERVICE AS A DRAFTEE ON MARCH 17, 1943 AT DETROIT, MICHIGAN. INITIALLY SELECTED FOR ARMORED SERVICE AND COMPLETED BASIC TRAINING AND A 8-WEEK ADVANCED TRAINING COURSE FOR TANK DRIVERS AT FORT KNOX, KENTUCKY. RE-SELECTED FOR MEDICAL DEPARTMENT SERVICE IN OCTOBER, 1943 AND ATTENDED THE MEDICAL SERVICE SCHOOL AT CAMP CHAFFEE, ARKANSAS, QUALIFYING IN THE MILITARY OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTY OF MEDICAL TECHNICIAN (MOS 409). THEREAFTER, ASSIGNED TO THE 22ND HOSPITAL TRAIN COMPANY PREPARING FOR DEPLOYMENT IN ILLINOIS. DEPARTED THE CONTINENTAL U.S. WITH HIS UNIT ON MAY 13, 1944 BOUND FOR THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS WHERE THE COMPANY WAS FIRST ASSIGNED TO A GENERAL HOSPITAL AT LEICESTER, ENGLAND. IN LATE-JULY, THE 22ND DEPARTED FOR DUTY ON THE MAINLAND REMOVING CASUALTIES FROM BATTLEFIELDS TO REAR HOSPITALS. AFTER SUCCESSFULLY APPLYING FOR A TRANSFER TO AIRBORNE, HE RETURNED TO ENGLAND FOR PARACHUTE TRAINING AT ASHWELL AIR BASE, AFTER WHICH IN NOVEMBER, HE WAS ASSIGNED TO THE 307TH AIRBORNE MEDICAL COMPANY, 82ND ‘ALL AMERICAN’ AIRBORNE DIVISION, THEN IN GARRISON AT CAMP SISSONNE, FRANCE. BEGINNING ON DECEMBER 18, 1944 THE ENTIRE DIVISION WAS COMMITTED TO COMBAT AGAIN IN THE ARDENNES (BATTLE OF THE BULGE), RHINELAND, AND CENTRAL EUROPE CAMPAIGNS IN WHICH HE SERVED AS A FIELD MEDIC. AFTER VICTORY IN EUROPE, DURING THE OCCUPATION OF BERLIN, TRANSFERRED TO THE 376TH PARACHUTE FIELD ARTILLERY BATTALION FOR RETURN TO THE STATES AND SEPARATION FROM ACTIVE SERVICE. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AS A PRIVATE FIRST CLASS ON JANUARY 25, 1946 AT THE SEPARATION CENTER, FORT KNOX, KENTUCKY. EARNED THE BRONZE STAR MEDAL, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, DISTINGUISHED UNIT BADGE (LATER, RE-DESIGNATED AS THE PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION), MEDICAL BADGE, PARACHUTIST’S BADGE, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, AND THE BELGIAN FOURRAGERE.