World War II Honoree

Donald Emerson 'Don' Allen

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Columbus, Ohio

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

PARTICIPATED IN THE RESERVE OFFICER TRAINING CORPS (ROTC) PROGRAM AT OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY. UPON GRADUATION, COMMISSIONED A SECOND LIEUTENANT IN THE U.S. ARMY. ASSIGNED TO THE 1ST ARMORED DIVISION AT FORT KNOX, AT LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY IN 1941. SERVED, FOR MUCH OF THE WAR, AS AN ARTILLERY FORWARD OBSERVER IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER. PARTICIPATED IN CAMPAIGNS FROM NORTH AFRICA TO FRANCE BEFORE RETURNING TO THE UNITED STATES IN 1944. AWARDED THE AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. REMAINED IN U.S. ARMY SERVICE AFTER THE WAR UNTIL HIS RETIREMENT WITH THE RANK OF LIEUTENANT COLONEL. ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.