World War II Honoree

Richard Marion 'Dick' Gilbert

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Pawnee, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

ENLISTED IN MILITARY SERVICE IN 1942. SERVED IN THE AMERICAN THEATER WITH THE 11TH ARMORED REGIMENT AT FORT BENNING AT COLUMBUS, GEORGIA, MURFREESBORO, TENNESSEE, AND CAMP GORDON AT AUGUSTA, GEORGIA. THE REGIMENT WAS REDESIGNATED ON SEPTEMBER 20, 1943, AS THE 11TH TANK BATTALION. STAGED WITH HIS BATTALION AT CAMP SHANKS AT ORANGEBURG, NEW YORK ON SEPTEMBER 1, 1944, AWAITING OVERSEAS DEPLOYMENT. SAILED FROM THE NEW YORK PORT OF EMBARKATION ON SEPTEMBER 13, 1944 AND ARRIVED IN CHERBOURG, FRANCE ON SEPTEMBER 23, 1944. SERVED IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER, IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO) WITH COMPANY B, 11TH TANK BATTALION, 10TH ARMORED DIVISION. PARTICIPATED IN THE RHINELAND, ARDENNES-ALSACE (BATTLE OF THE BULGE), AND CENTRAL EUROPE CAMPAIGNS. FOUGHT IN FRANCE, LUXEMBOURG, BELGIUM, GERMANY AND AUSTRIA. TOOK PART IN COMBAT OPERATIONS TO CLEAR THE AREA WEST OF THE SAAR RIVER IN FRANCE AND GERMANY IN NOVEMBER, 1944. IN RESPONSE TO THE GERMAN ARDENNES COUNTEROFFENSIVE, FOUGHT IN BELGIUM AND LUXEMBOURG FROM DECEMBER, 1944 TO JANUARY, 1945. ENGAGED IN CLEARING THE SAAR-MOSELLE TRIANGLE IN GERMANY FROM FEBRUARY TO MARCH, 1945. FINALLY, PARTICIPATED IN OFFENSIVE OPERATIONS IN GERMANY TO CROSS THE RHINE, NECKAR, REMS, AND DANUBE RIVERS AND MOVE INTO AUSTRIA FROM MARCH TO MAY, 1945. HIS DIVISION WAS IN THE INNSBRUCK, AUSTRIA AREA WHEN HOSTILITIES ENDED ON MAY 7, 1945. AWARDED THE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 3 BRONZE SERVICE STARS, WWII VICTORY MEDAL AND ARMY OF OCCUPATION MEDAL WITH ‘GERMANY’ CLASP. HONORABLY DISCHARGED IN 1946 WITH THE RANK OF CORPORAL AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.