World War II Honoree

Darrell Ellwood Anderson

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

La Feria, Texas

Honored By

Morgan Little

Relationship

Nephew

INDUCTED INTO U.S. ARMY AT FT. SAM HOUSTON, SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, ON MAY 12, 1942. BASIC TRAINING AT FT. SILL, OKLAHOMA, IN FIELD ARTILLERY; M-7, 105 HOWITZER ON A TANK. BECAME A COMMUNICATIONS CHIEF IN 695TH ARMORED FIELD ARTILLERY, WHILE RECEIVING ADVANCED TRAINING AT FT. JACKSON, SOUTH CAROLINA. QUALIFIED AS EXPERT IN 50 CALIBER MACHINE GUN, 1ST CLASS GRENADE, SHARPSHOOTER PISTOL AND CARBINE. SERVED IN EUROPEAN CAMPAIGN AND WAS SHIPPED OUT OF NEW JERSEY IN DECEMBER 1943, ARRIVING IN THE FIRTH OF CLYDE, SCOTLAND. AFTER A FEW WEEKS OF PREPARATION, WAS SHIPPED TO NORMANDY, FRANCE FOR THE INVASION. WOULD SCOUT AHEAD OF THE ARTILLERY, LOCATE THE ENEMY AND RADIO IN THE FIRING COORDINATES. THE 695TH WAS ASSIGNED TO THE THIRD ARMY. PURSUED GERMAN ARMY FROM NORMANDY, THROUGH FRANCE, LUXEMBOURG, BELGIUM AND ALL THE WAY TO BERLIN. ARRIVED AT THE ELBE RIVER AND COULD SEE THE RUSSIANS ON THE OTHER SIDE. SERVED UNDER GENERALS BRADLEY, PATTON AND SIMPSON. SERVED IN THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE. AWARDED EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER RIBBON WITH FIVE BRONZE BATTLE STAR DEVICES FOR COMBAT IN NORMANDY, NORTHERN FRANCE, ARDENNES, RHINELAND AND CENTRAL EUROPE AND 3 OVERSEAS SERVICE BARS. EARNED DISTINGUISHED UNIT CITATIONS, THE FRENCH CROIX DE GUERRE AND FRENCH FOURRAGERE. WHEN WAR WAS OVER, RETURNED TO THE STATES ABOARD THE QUEEN ELIZABETH. UNIT STARTED PREPARING TO ENTER THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN. BECAUSE OF THE ATOMIC BOMB, WAS DISCHARGED ON OCTOBER 18, 1945.