World War II Honoree

Donald Lee 'Don' Potter

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Oilton, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

ENTERED MILITARY SERVICE IN 1940. SERVED IN THE AMERICAN AND EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATERS WITH THE 45TH INFANTRY 'THUNDERBIRD' DIVISION. THE DIVISION WAS INDUCTED INTO FEDERAL SERVICE AT OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA ON FEBRUARY 16, 1940 AND MOVED TO FORT SILL AT LAWTON, OKLAHOMA ON SEPTEMBER 23, 1940. STATIONED AT CAMP BOWIE AT BROWNWOOD, TEXAS, CAMP BARKELEY AT ABILENE, TEXAS, MANSFIELD, LOUISIANA, FORT DEVENS AT AYER, MASSACHUSETTS, PINE CAMP AT WATERTOWN, NEW YORK, AND CAMP PICKETT AT BLACKSTONE, VIRGINIA. STAGED WITH HIS DIVISION AT CAMP PATRICK HENRY AT ORIANA, VIRGINIA ON MAY 26, 1943 AWAITING OVERSEAS DEPLOYMENT. SAILED FROM THE HAMPTON ROADS PORT OF EMBARKATION ON JUNE 3, 1943 AND ARRIVED IN NORTH AFRICA ON JUNE 22, 1943. ASSAULTED SCOGLITTI, SICILY ON JULY 10, 1943 AND SALERNO, ITALY ON SEPTEMBER 10, 1943. ASSAULTED ANZIO, ITALY ON JANUARY 22, 1944 AND SAINT MAXIMIN IN SOUTHERN FRANCE ON AUGUST 15, 1944. HIS DIVISION PARTICIPATED IN THE SICILY, NAPLES-FOGGIA, ANZIO, ROME-ARNO, SOUTHERN FRANCE, RHINELAND, ARDENNES-ALSACE (BATTLE OF THE BULGE), AND CENTRAL EUROPE CAMPAIGNS. AWARDED THE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, AND ARMY OF OCCUPATION MEDAL WITH ‘GERMANY’ CLASP. HONORABLY DISCHARGED IN 1945 AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.