World War II Honoree

Lawrence George Frezon

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Berkley, Michigan

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

LEFT HIGH SCHOOL PRIOR TO GRADUATION AND ENLISTED IN MILITARY SERVICE AT AGE 16. STAGED WITH HIS UNIT AT CAMP SHANKS AT ORANGEBURG, NEW YORK ON NOVEMBER 23, 1943 AWAITING OVERSEAS DEPLOYMENT. SAILED FROM THE NEW YORK PORT OF EMBARKATION ON DECEMBER 5, 1943 AND ARRIVED IN ENGLAND ON DECEMBER 16, 1943. SERVED AS A SQUAD LEADER IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER WITH THE 507TH PARACHUTE INFANTRY REGIMENT. PARTICIPATED IN THE NORMANDY CAMPAIGN WHILE ATTACHED TO THE 82ND AIRBORNE 'ALL AMERICAN' DIVISION, AND THE RHINELAND, ARDENNES-ALSACE (BATTLE OF THE BULGE), AND CENTRAL EUROPE CAMPAIGNS WITH THE 17TH AIRBORNE 'GOLDEN TALON' DIVISION. PARACHUTED BEHIND UTAH BEACH IN NORMANDY, FRANCE, BETWEEN SAINT MERE EGLISE AND CARENTAN ON JUNE 6, 1944 (D-DAY). TOOK PART IN THE DEFENSE OF THE MEUSE RIVER BETWEEN GIVET AND VERDUN AND IN THE NEUFCHATEAU AREA IN FRANCE; THEN IN ATTACKS IN THE BASTOGNE, BELGIUM AREA DURING THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE. PARACHUTED EAST OF THE RHINE RIVER NORTH OF WESEL, GERMANY ON MARCH 24, 1945, HELPED FIGHT OFF STRONG GERMAN COUNTERATTACKS AND THEN ATTACKED ACROSS THE ISSEL CANAL TO OVERRUN THE TOWN OF WULFEN, GERMANY. HIS REGIMENT ATTACKED ACROSS THE RHINE-HERNE CANAL ON APRIL 8, 1945 AND SEIZED THE CITY OF ESSEN, GERMANY. AWARDED THE COMBAT PARACHUTIST BADGE WITH 2 BRONZE SERVICE STARS, BRONZE STAR MEDAL, PURPLE HEART WITH BRONZE OAK LEAF CLUSTER, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH BRONZE ARROWHEAD AND 4 BRONZE SERVICE STARS, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, AND ARMY OF OCCUPATION MEDAL. AUTHORIZED THE PRESIDENTIAL (DISTINGUISHED) UNIT CITATION FOR EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM IN ACTION BY HIS REGIMENT ON THE COTENTIN PENINSULA. AWARDED THE FRENCH CROIX DE GUERRE WITH PALM FOR ACTIONS BY HIS REGIMENT ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS AT SAINT MERE EGLISE AND ON THE COTENTIN. AUTHORIZED THE FRENCH FOURRAGERE FOR HIS REGIMENT BEING CITED TWICE FOR THE CROIX DE GUERRE. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AFTER THE WAR AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON. AFTER COMPLETING HIS HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION, RE-ENLISTED IN THE U.S. ARMY AND SERVED ON ACTIVE DUTY AFTER THE WAR UNTIL HIS RETIREMENT WITH THE RANK OF FIRST SERGEANT.