World War II Honoree

J. Frank Casias, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Denver, Colorado

Honored By

Monie Casias

Relationship

Wife

RANK: CORPORAL. SERVED AS A MILITARY POLICE SQUAD LEADER AND AN INFANTRYMAN WITH THE 510TH MILITARY POLICE BATTALION, 823RD MILITARY POLICE COMPANY IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS. HE WAS A MEMBER OF THE VAST ARMADA THAT PARTICIPATED IN THE INVASION OF THE GERMANY’S FORTRESS EUROPE, D-DAY JUNE 6, 1944. WHILE EMBARKING FROM HIS LCI ‘LANDING CRAFT INFANTRY’, HE WENT ASHORE ON OMAHA BEACH, NORMANDY ATTACHED TO THE 30TH INFANTRY ‘OLD HICKORY’ DIVISION, 16TH CORPS, U.S. 3RD ARMY. PARTICIPATED IN 282 DAYS OF COMBAT, COMMENCING IN NORTHERN FRANCE AND ADVANCING TO GRUNEWALD, GERMANY ON THE ELBE RIVER WHERE CONTACT WAS MADE WITH THE RUSSIAN ARMY. CAMPAIGNS AND BATTLES: NORTHERN FRANCE, ST. LO, CENTRAL EUROPE, BATTLE OF THE BULGE, ARDENNES-ALSACE, RHINELAND, AACHEN AND THE RHINE RIVER CROSSING. WHEN ALL HOSTILITIES HAD CEASED WITH THE GERMAN ARMED FORCES, HE SERVED WITH THE OCCUPATION FORCES IN THE VICINITY OF MUNICH, GERMANY. DECORATIONS: ARMY MERITORIOUS UNIT COMMENDATION WITH CITATION, PURPLE HEART MEDAL FOR WOUNDS SUSTAINED IN THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE, ARMY GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 3 BRONZE SERVICE STARS, WWII VICTORY MEDAL AND THE ARMY OF OCCUPATION MEDAL WITH GERMAN CLASP, THE COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE, A SHARPSHOOTER BADGE WITH A RIFLE BAR AND THE CARBINE BAR, 3 OVERSEAS SERVICE STRIPES, THE HONORABLE LAPEL BUTTON AND WAS ALSO THE RECIPIENT OF THE FRENCH ‘DIPLOME’ CERTIFICATE, AWARDED TO AMERICANS WHO LIBERATED FRANCE. HE ENTERED THE U.S. ARMY MAY 21, 1943 AND WAS HONORABLY DISCHARGED NOVEMBER 5, 1945 AT FORT LOGAN, COLORADO.