World War II Honoree
World War II Veteran
Joseph Ernest Bessette
Branch of Service
U.S. Army
Hometown
Massachusetts
Honored By
Thomas Ernst
ENLISTED IN THE U.S. ARMY 15 APRIL 1942; BASIC TRAINING AT CAMP CROFT INFANTRY REPLACEMENT CENTER, SOUTH CAROLINA; SERVED WITH A COMPANY, 1ST BATTALION, 22ND INFANTRY, 4TH INFANTRY DIVISION; COMBAT IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS, 6 JUNE 1944-20 OCTOBER 1945; CAMPAIGNS IN NORMANDY, NORTHERN FRANCE AND RHINELAND; AWARDED THE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE, PURPLE HEART, BRONZE STAR WITH OAK LEAF CLUSTER (2 BRONZE STARS), EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER RIBBON WITH 3 SERVICE STARS, PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION (ARMY), STREAMER EMBROIDERED HUERTGEN FOREST (22ND INFANTRY CITED; WD GO 37, 1946), PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION (ARMY), STREAMER EMBROIDERED ST. GILLIS MARIGNY (22ND INFANTRY CITED; WD GO 14, 1945), SPECIAL 4TH DIVISION COMBAT PATROL CITATION FOR MERITORIOUS SERVICE 10 OCTOBER 1944 PREPARATORY TO REGIMENTAL ATTACK ON THE SIEGFRIED LINE.