World War II Honoree

Mayo Narvin Harmon

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Lexington, South Carolina

Honored By

James O. Sweeny

Relationship

Classmate

HE WAS CALLED INTO ACTIVE DUTY WITH THE ARMY IN FEBRUARY, 1942, AND INITIALLY SERVED AS A BASIC TRAINING OFFICE AT FT. MCCLELLAN IN ALABAMA. IN SEPTEMBER, 1942 HE WAS TRANSFERRED TO ICELAND AS A REPLACEMENT OFFICER IN THE 5TH INFANTRY DIVISION, WHICH WAS DEPLOYED TO PROTECT THIS PART OF THE ATLANTIC CONVOY ROUTES. THE 5TH DIVISION WAS NEXT SENT TO ENGLAND AND THEN TO NORTHERN IRELAND FOR TRAINING IN PREPARATION FOR THE INVASION OF FRANCE. WITH ELEMENTS OF THE 5TH DIVISION, HE LANDED AT OMAHA BEACH ON JULY 6, 1944. FROM THERE HE FOUGHT ACROSS FRANCE INTO GERMANY. HE PARTICIPATED IN THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE, AND THEN ON INTO CZECHOSLOVAKIA. HE WAS RELEASED FROM ACTIVE DUTY AS A 1ST LIEUTENANT IN 1945, HAVING EARNED THE BRONZE STAR AND THE NORMANDY, NORTHERN FRANCE, ARDENNES, RHINELAND AND CENTRAL EUROPE CAMPAIGN MEDALS.