World War II Honoree

Charles W. Minton

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Maysville, Oklahoma

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

RANK: CAPTAIN. HE GRADUATED FROM THE WENTWORTH MILITARY ACADEMY, LEXINGTON, MISSOURI IN 1935 AND INDUCTED INTO THE ARMY AUGUST 20, 1940. SERVED IN THE EUROPEAN THEATERS OF OPERATION ASSIGNED TO THE U.S. ARMY, 1ST BATTALION, 47TH INFANTRY REGIMENT, 9TH INFANTRY ‘OLD RELIABLES’ DIVISION, U.S. 1ST ARMY. HE WAS A MEMBER OF THE VAST ARMADA THAT PARTICIPATED IN THE INVASION OF GERMANY’S FORTRESS EUROPE, D-DAY, JUNE 6, 1944, OPERATION OVERLORD. HE WENT ASHORE ON THE UTAH BEACHHEAD, NORMANDY, FRANCE JUNE 10, 1944. KILLED IN ACTION THURSDAY, JULY 20, 1944 BY A GERMAN TIME ON TARGET ‘TOT’ ARTILLERY BURST IN THE VICINITY OF ST.-LO, FRANCE. CAMPAIGNS AND BATTLES: NORTH AFRICA, OPERATION TORCH, TUNISIA, SICILY, OPERATION HUSKY AND NORMANDY. DECORATIONS AND MEDALS: PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION, SILVER STAR, BRONZE STAR, PURPLE HEART AND THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 5 BRONZE BATTLE STARS. THE SILVER STAR WAS AWARDED TO THE CAPTAIN FOR DISTINGUISHED GALLANTRY IN ACTION AND VALOR IN THE FACE OF THE ENEMY. THE BRONZE STAR WAS AWARDED FOR BRAVERY, ACT OF MERIT AND MERITORIOUS SERVICE. AFTER THE CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES, HIS REMAINS WERE RETURNED TO OKLAHOMA FOR BURIAL, WITH INTERMENT IN THE MOUNT OLIVET CEMETERY, PAULS VALLEY, OKLAHOMA.