World War II Honoree

George Raymond Barton

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Otis, Massachusetts

Honored By

Richard G. McNeil

Relationship

Friend

WAS CALLED TO SERVE IN THE UNITED STATES ARMY IN MARCH OF 1943. REPORTED FOR DUTY AT FT. DEVENS, MASSACHUSETTS AND WAS SENT TO CAMP BLANDING IN FLORIDA FOR BASIC TRAINING AS PART OF THE ARMY’S 2ND DIVISION. AFTERWARDS, WAS SENT TO DOTHAN, ALABAMA, AND THEN TO MECHANICS SCHOOL AT FT. BENNING, GEORGIA, WHERE HE DREW UPON HIS EXTENSIVE KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE FROM WORKING AS A YOUNG MAN IN HIS FATHER’S GARAGE. IN LATE 1943, SHIPPED OUT FOR ITALY, LANDING ON THE WEST COAST. SOON AFTER, WAS BIVOUACKED AT A DAIRY FARM PREVIOUSLY OWNED BY BENITO MUSSOLINI’S SON-IN-LAW. FURTHER NORTH IN ITALY, FELL SERIOUSLY ILL FROM AMOEBIC DYSENTERY AND WAS HOSPITALIZED FOR EIGHTY-EIGHT DAYS. ARMY DOCTORS THEN TREATED THAT ILLNESS WITH A COMBINATION OF LEAD AND ARSENIC. SURVIVED THE ILLNESS, BUT THE EXTREME EFFECTS OF THE TREATMENT HAD NEGATIVELY AFFECTED HIS HEALTH. FOLLOWING RECOVERY, WAS TRANSPORTED TO FRANCE AND JOINED THE 7TH REPLACEMENT DEPOT. FOLLOWING RETRAINING, IN JANUARY OF 1944, WAS SENT TO LIEGE, BELGIUM. RESUMED DUTY AS A MECHANIC, REPAIRED ALL TYPES OF MILITARY VEHICLES EXCEPT FOR HEAVY TANKS. LATER, TRAVELED ON THE AUTOBAHN TO THE SUDATENLAND, AND EVENTUALLY ARRIVED IN CZECHOSLOVAKIA, LATER RECEIVING NEWS OF GERMANY’S SURRENDER. IN JUNE OF 1945, RETURNED TO FRANCE AND THEN SAILED TO THE STATES ABOARD A LIBERTY SHIP. WHILE AWAITING POSSIBLE ORDERS TO REPORT TO THE PACIFIC, ENJOYED A THIRTY-DAY FURLOUGH TO HIS HOMETOWN, AFTER WHICH HE WAS REASSIGNED TO THE MEDICAL CORPS AT CAMP SWIFT, TEXAS. WHILE THERE, NEWS OF JAPAN’S SURRENDER WAS RECEIVED. WAS DISCHARGED FROM ACTIVE DUTY NOVEMBER 30, 1945 AS A SERGEANT. PARTICIPATED IN CAMPAIGNS OF ARDENNES, RHINELAND, AND CENTRAL EUROPE. RECEIVED COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE, MERITORIOUS SERVICE INSIGNIA, AMERICAN THEATER SERVICE MEDAL, AND GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL.