World War II Honoree

Elmore Chaney Wilkins

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Lewiston, Maine

Honored By

Barry Wilkins

Relationship

Son

JOINED U.S. ARMY ON HIS 18TH BIRTHDAY IN LEWISTON, MAINE. BASIC TRAINING AT FT. DEVENS, MASSACHUSETTS. SERVED AT FT. PREBLE AND FT. WILLIAMS, MAINE WITH THE 8TH ARTILLERY; A LAND MINE LAYING OUTFIT. WENT TO GOVERNORS ISLAND AND TRAINED NEW DRAFTEES. AFTER PEARL HARBOR, WAS ASSIGNED TO 518TH MILITARY POLICE UNIT AT CHURCH STREET, NEW YORK AND GUARDED TIMES SQUARE, ROCKEFELLER CENTER, GRAND CENTRAL AND PENN STATION AND NEW YORK SUBWAY. PICKED TO HELP FORM THE CADRE FOR PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT IN HYDE PARK. HELPED FORM AND TRAIN PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S GUARD FROM THE SPRING OF 1942 TO DECEMBER OF 1943. WHILE HE HAD PASSED THE TEST FOR OFFICERS CANDIDATE SCHOOL, CHOSE INSTEAD TO VOLUNTEER TO GO OVERSEAS AND WENT ON A LIBERTY SHIP OUT OF NORFOLK IN A CONVOY TO CASABLANCA. ARRIVED IN ORAN, AFRICA IN JANUARY OF 1944, AND WAS ASSIGNED TO A REPLACEMENT DEPOT TO TRAIN NEW TROOPS COMING TO THE FRONT LINES. WENT TO ITALY, TO THE COUNT CIANO FARM WHICH WAS A REPLACEMENT DEPOT. ASSIGNED TO 45TH INFANTRY DIVISION AND PARTICIPATED IN THE LIBERATION OF ROME. IN AUGUST OF 1944, INVADED SOUTHERN FRANCE AT ST. MAXIME BY GOING UP THE RHONE VALLEY TO GRENOBLE AND EPINAL. CAME OFF THE LINE TO RAMBER VILLAGE IN THE VOSGES MOUNTAINS AND CROSSED THE RHINE TO LUDWIGSHAVEN TO MANNHEIM GERMANY. FINISHED TOUR WITH THE 100TH IN BAD MERGENTHEIM; STAYED ONE MONTH AND RETURNED TO THE UNITED STATES WITH 63RD DIVISION 'FLAMING ARROW'. SPENT 3 MONTHS AS OCCUPYING FORCES. WAS ASSIGNED TO CAMP LUCKY STRIKE IN LE HAVRE FRANCE. RETURNED HOME TO FT. DEVENS AND WAS HONORABLY DISCHARGED.