World War II Honoree
World War II Veteran
Perry B. Woolridge
Branch of Service
U.S. Army
Hometown
Roff, Oklahoma
Honored By
Robert S. Cox
A MEMBER OF THE CHOCTAW INDIAN NATION, HE JOINED THE OKLAHOMA NATIONAL GUARD IN 1936, WHILE STILL ATTENDING CHILOCCO INDIAN SCHOOL. MOBILIZED WHEN THE 45TH 'THUNDERBIRD' DIVISION WAS INDUCTED INTO FEDERAL SERVICE ON FEBRUARY 16, 1940. MOVED TO FORT SILL AT LAWTON, OKLAHOMA WITH HIS UNIT ON SEPTEMBER 23, 1940. TRANSFERRED TO CAMP BARKELEY AT ABILENE, TEXAS ON FEBRUARY 28, 1941 AND WENT TO CAMP BOWIE AT BROWNWOOD, TEXAS ON JUNE 1, 1941 TO PARTICIPATE IN THE VIII CORPS TEXAS MANEUVERS. RETURNED TO CAMP BARKELEY ON JUNE 13, 1941 AND MOVED TO MANSFIELD, LOUISIANA ON AUGUST 4, 1941 TO PARTICIPATE IN THE LOUISIANA MANEUVERS. RETURNED TO CAMP BARKELEY ON OCTOBER 4, 1941. STATIONED AT CAMP BARKELEY WHEN THE JAPANESE ATTACKED PEARL HARBOR, HAWAII ON DECEMBER 7, 1941 AND THE U.S. ENTERED THE WAR. HIS DIVISION WAS REDESIGNATED THE 45TH INFANTRY DIVISION ON FEBRUARY 23, 1942. REASSIGNED IN THE AMERICAN THEATER TO FORT DEVENS AT AYER, MASSACHUSETTS ON APRIL 22, 1942, THEN TO PINE CAMP AT WATERTOWN, NEW YORK ON NOVEMBER 8, 1942, AND CAMP PICKETT AT BLACKSTONE, VIRGINIA ON JANUARY 22, 1943. STAGED AT CAMP PATRICK HENRY AT ORIANA, VIRGINIA ON MAY 26, 1943 AWAITING OVERSEAS DEPLOYMENT. SAILED FROM THE HAMPTON ROADS PORT OF EMBARKATION ON JUNE 3, 1943 AND ARRIVED IN NORTH AFRICA ON JUNE 22, 1943. SERVED OVERSEAS IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER WITH THE 'THUNDERBIRDS' AND TOOK PART IN FOUR AMPHIBIOUS LANDINGS (SCOGLITTI, SICILY; SALERNO, ITALY; ANZIO, ITALY; AND SAINT MAXIMIN IN SOUTHERN FRANCE), AND PARTICIPATED IN THE SICILY, NAPLES-FOGGIA, ANZIO, ROME-ARNO, SOUTHERN FRANCE, RHINELAND, ARDENNES-ALSACE (BATTLE OF THE BULGE), AND CENTRAL EUROPE CAMPAIGNS. AWARDED THE COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE, BRONZE STAR MEDAL, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH BRONZE ARROWHEAD, 1 SILVER SERVICE STAR AND 3 BRONZE SERVICE STARS, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON. CONTINUED IN U.S. ARMY NATIONAL GUARD SERVICE AFTER THE WAR UNTIL HIS RETIREMENT WITH THE RANK OF COLONEL.