World War II Honoree

Richard L. Banton

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Newport, Maine

Honored By

Betty Jane Banton, Loy, Lyn, Leslie and Jennifer

Relationship

Wife, Nieces and Families

MEMBER OF BATTERY A, 103RD ANTI-AIRCRAFT AUTOMATIC WEAPONS BATTALION, 1ST DIVISION, 1ST ARMY. SERVED INITIALLY AS A 50 CALIBER MACHINE GUNNER, THEN FOR THE GREATER PART OF THE WAR AS A 40 MM BOFORS ANTI-AIRCRAFT GUNNER. PARTICIPATED IN THE FOLLOWING BATTLES AND CAMPAIGNS: NORMANDY INVASION, NORTHERN FRANCE, ARDENNES OFFENSIVE, THE RHINELAND AND THE ADVANCE INTO PILSEN, CZECHOSLOVAKIA. HIS UNIT WAS SENT TO PROTECT THE CROSSING OF THE REMAGEN BRIDGE MARCH 1945. SERVED WITH THE ARMY OF OCCUPATION FOR 4 MONTHS AFTER THE SURRENDER OF GERMAN FORCES MAY 5, 1945. RECIPIENT OF THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN RIBBON WITH 5 BATTLE STARS, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL AND CROIX DE GUERRE (AWARDED THE 1ST DIVISION, AND ALL SUBORDINATE UNITS, BY THE BELGIAN GOVERNMENT FOR ACTION IN THE ARDENNES OFFENSIVE DECEMBER 1944 TO JANUARY 1945).