World War II Honoree

Wallace Gregory Pelkey

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Little Falls, Minnesota

Honored By

Granddaughter and Family

HE WAS DRAFTED INTO THE U.S. ARMY FEBRUARY 2, 1944. HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE ARMY MARCH 7, 1944 AT FORT SNELLING, ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA. HE WAS ASSIGNED TO SERVE WITH 9TH DIVISION, 60TH INFANTRY, COMPANY C OF THE U.S. ARMY IN EUROPE. HE ARRIVED IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS ON SEPTEMBER 15, 1944 AND WAS AMONG SOME OF THE FIRST TO CROSS THE WEST WALL (SIEGFRIED LINE) INTO GERMANY (RHINELAND CAMPAIGN). HE SUFFERED A CONTUSED WOUND TO THE BACK IN HEAVY FIGHTING NEAR GERMETER, GERMANY ON OCTOBER 12, 1944, HUERTGEN FOREST. HE RECEIVED A PURPLE HEART FOR HIS WOUND ON NOVEMBER 3, 1944. HE WAS SENT BACK TO THE FIGHT. ON FEBRUARY 1, 1945, HE WAS WOUNDED AGAIN, RECEIVING A SHRAPNEL WOUND TO HIS RIGHT BUTTOCK. HE RETURNED TO THE U.S. IN MARCH OF 1945 TO WINTER GENERAL HOSPITAL IN KANSAS. HE WAS THEN TRANSFERRED TO THE VETERAN'S ADMINISTRATION HOSPITAL IN ST. CLOUD, MINNESOTA. THE WOUNDS HE SUSTAINED FIGHTING IN THE HUERTGEN FOREST LEFT HIM DISABLED FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE. HE RECEIVED THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER RIBBON WITH ONE BRONZE STAR, A PURPLE HEART ON NOVEMBER 3, 1944, AND WAS AUTHORIZED TO RECEIVE ONE OVERSEAS SERVICE RIBBON FOR HIS ARMY SERVICE. HE WAS HONORABLY DISCHARGED.