World War II Honoree

Roderick 'Rod' Bain

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Portland, Oregon

Honored By

Donelle Bain & LTC Charles Borg, USA-Ret.

JOINED THE ARMY IN 1942 AND VOLUNTEERED FOR AIRBORNE INFANTRY. MEMBER OF E COMPANY 'EASY', 506TH PARACHUTE INFANTRY REGIMENT, 101ST AIRBORNE DIVISION, SCREAMING EAGLES. RECEIVED TRAINING AT CAMP TOCCOA, GEORGIA, FOLLOWED BY PARACHUTE QUALIFICATION TRAINING AT FORT BENNING. SHIPPED TO ENGLAND IN SEPTEMBER 1943 AND ON JUNE 6, 1944 (D-DAY), PARACHUTED INTO NORMANDY, FRANCE, TO BEGIN THE ALLIED INVASION OF HITLER'S FORTRESS EUROPE. MADE SECOND COMBAT PARACHUTE ASSAULT INTO HOLLAND ON SEPTEMBER 17, 1944, AS PART OF OPERATION MARKET GARDEN. IN DECEMBER 1944, MOVED TO BASTOGNE, BELGIUM, IN THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE. WAS SURROUNDED FOR OVER A MONTH BY GERMAN TROOPS, BUT HELD THE ROAD NETWORK. AWARDED PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION FOR ACTIONS AT BASTOGNE. IN FEBRUARY 1945, MOVED TO HAGUENAU, FRANCE, AND LATER CROSSED INTO GERMANY, MOVING SOUTH TO CAPTURE HITLER'S EAGLES NEST AT BERCHTESGADEN. GERMANY SURRENDERED IN EARLY MAY AND THE DIVISION MOVED INTO AUSTRIA AS OCCUPATION FORCE. DISCHARGED HOLDING THE RANK OF TECHNICIAN 5TH GRADE. EARNED COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE, PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION WITH OAK LEAF CLUSTER, PARACHUTIST BADGE WITH 2 BRONZE STARS FOR THE COMBAT JUMPS INTO NORMANDY AND HOLLAND, BRONZE STAR MEDAL, PURPLE HEART FOR WOUNDS AT BASTOGNE, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH BRONZE ARROWHEAD AND 4 BATTLE STARS, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, FRENCH CROIX DE GUERRE WITH PALM, FRENCH FOURRAGERE, ORANGE LANYARD OF THE ROYAL NETHERLANDS ARMY, AND THE BELGIAN CROIX DE GUERRE AND FOURRAGERE.